6 Musts for Massive Success in the Marketplace
Everyone is looking for the panacea for success. It doesn’t matter whether it’s with their health, their business, raising their children, their sex life, the Worldle everyone wants the silver bullet.
However, there’s a problem. It doesn’t exist. There is no one thing. Anyone who tells you there is most likely needs to be Kung Fu chopped in the larynx. However, if you come across someone who says, “You know there’s no one thing, but there are a few things that seem to show up in every success story I’ve ever read, heard, watched or lived then this might be someone worth lending an ear. I like to think I’m the latter.
The 80/20 rule also known as the Pareto Principle pretty much shows up everywhere. If you don’t know what it is, look it up. The shorthand version is no matter what you’re talking about 20% of one action leads to 80% of the reaction.
For example, in any given real estate firm 20% of the agents are selling 80% of the homes. Of the homes, 20% of them make up 80% of the market housing profile of homes sold. 20% of the running backs in the NFL score 80% of the touchdowns. 20% of the players in MLB hit 80% of the homeruns.
I don’t even have to check myself on this. I know the math is correct, and I suck at math. It’s the same with massively successful people. I’m too lazy to look up the data points, but I can guarantee you of all the things most really successful people do, these things make up 20% of the activity that leads to 80% success.
Here we go.
Commitment
Half hearted attempts at anything rarely if ever lead to massive success. I know. This is really tough stuff right? Well, as obvious as this is, many people don’t seem to get it. I have a podcast. I have produced over 200 episodes. Did you know this figure puts me in the top 10% of podcasters? Why? Commitment. Most people record a couple episodes, look at their downloads, throw up when they see how few people download their shows. They realize the market wasn’t dying to hear another armchair quarterback bloviate about why Alabama shouldn’t be in the CFP because of 1 loss and quit.
Don’t misunderstand. You can’t just say, “I hereby declare I’m starting a podcast. Shall it succeed or fail, I will continue recording week after week indefinitely.” That’s dumb. However, if less than 10% of all podcasts have 100 episodes and nearly every single podcast expert hails 100 episodes as the real litmus test of staying power then set the mark at 100. Unless you’re willing to record 100, don’t record 1.
When I owned and operated real estate brokerages I would tell agents the same thing. Unless they were willing to do a marketing plan for 6 months, don’t do it. They needed to show some sort of commitment. They needed to give the seeds time to grow. This is true with anything.
Commitment also removes distraction. You are able to tell yourself, “I’m doing this thing for the next 6 weeks with no exception.” Try this and be amazed at the cognitive load that will be lifted. Instead of constantly thinking of all the other things you could be doing, you will be focused on the one thing you have chosen.
Purpose
You must be able to answer why you are pursuing a business, strategy, marketing plan, weight loss program. Purpose is the thing that will push you through the valley of the shadow that will inevitably come at some point.
I remember the first company I bought. I had no money, just a strong dose of arrogance, naïveté and purpose. My purpose was to create a life that allowed me to be home more with my daughters, move back to my beloved East Texas, limit my travel and build my own business. These things meant way more to me than money.
When money got tight, and I thought I was going to go broke (and it happened more than once) my purpose sustained me as it will you. Knowing your why is a superpower for perseverance.
Belief
You absolutely must believe in what you’re doing. If you think you’re starting your business and maybe it will work out and maybe it won’t you’re doomed. You must believe not only in what you’re doing, but you’re the one who can make it happen.
If every business was boiled down to some algorithmic formula there would be no need for an Elon Musk going for broke on the electric car and rockets. Elon Musk believed Tesla and SpaceX were worthy endeavors. Most importantly he believed he was the one who could pull it off. You have to have strong, unyielding conviction to get you through those times when everyone else says you’re a nut.
Most people don’t even believe in themselves. It’s why there are more cogs in wheels than outlier entrepreneurs and people doing exceptional things. If the bulk of humans don’t even believe in themselves, why would they believe in you? YOU must believe.
There will also be no shortage of people who DON’T believe in you. I’m always amazed at how quickly some people are willing to shoot down an idea. You MUST believe in yourself and your idea or endeavor. Become indifferent to the belief of others. If they tell you you’re a genius, let it roll off your back. If they tell you you’re nuts, let it roll off your back.The main thing that matters is what your belief is.
Challenging
The work must be hard. I’m not suggesting it should be against the wall grind every day, but it needs to be tough. The only way you can trigger a flow state is to do something so difficult you can’t take your mind off it for a period of time. You need to feel a little uncertain about your abilities but not overwhelmed. Need some more information on flow? Checkout The Flow Genome Project.
If you can find the sweet spot of tough enough but doable, you will find yourself in a magical space of challenge and reward like nothing else. This will keep you focused and working harder, longer and with a greater output than you can imagine.
Value
Your product, service or batting average must hold value in the marketplace. If it doesn’t, what’s the point? It’s just a hobby. If your objective is to just find something you love to do that’s fun, rewarding and stimulating then Boom! Well done. However, for the sake of this article I’m defining success as something that has market value not just personal fulfillment.
Dave Grohl, Founder of the Foo Fighters and maybe the most amazing rockstar alive today once said, “If you do something good enough for long enough eventually someone will notice and pay you to do it.”
Find something you’re really good at that has value to others. Do something so well people will trade their money for you to do your thing because they know they can’t or won’t put in the effort to do it themselves.
If you want to make the most money at it, be really really good at it. It’s just that simple. I know we are living in a time where people want to pay people and be paid purely based on their needs instead of their talents. Well, if you wait to get paid based on your need then you will be outsourcing your compensation plan to a politician. Politicians are mostly people who do everything the real world demands thus they become politicians. Professors are much the same.
Make yourself so valuable no one has to fight to get you paid. Instead make them fight over each other for the chance to pay you because you’re just that good.
Vision
It was 2002. It was just before Christmas, and my boss was furious I and a co-worker had decided to head home for the weekend a little early. There was no assignment hanging in the balance. Our work was of little to no consequence to the success of the business. He was just angry we weren’t there.
It was around this time I decided I was out. I would leave corporate American once and for all. I was tired of getting on an airplane every week leaving my two young daughters behind. I was tired of buffoons like the aforementioned getting pissed about the silliest of things.
I wanted out. So I started planning my exit. I first thought of where I wanted to live. At the time I was living in Houston, where I had been since completing my undergraduate studies. I’m originally from East Texas, and I wanted to return to raise my daughters.
I envisioned being a small business owner. I wanted to be plugged in at Church and throughout the community. Honestly, I didn’t care what I would be doing for a living. I just wanted a life of my choosing. So often we focus on pursuing a job paying little attention to what kind of life we’ll have.
My father was recently bragging about the wife of one of my nephews. He said my nephew’s wife at the age of 26 was making ‘six digits.’ I put that in quotes because my father is the only person I know who describes making over $100k as making digits as opposed to figures.
He made no mention of whether she enjoyed being a cog in a giant wheel. He made no mention of whether or not it concerned her she was a mid range at best employee most likely to be cut in the first round of looming layoffs due to this high inflationary period we find ourselves in.
He like so many others simply equate money with security and happiness. Rarely have I seen a job provide enough of either to be worth depending on. I would argue the best thing to focus on is the life you want to live. This starts with a vision.
I remember like it was yesterday envisioning my life here in Tyler. I saw myself sitting at my desk in my office on a Fall Saturday morning watching ESPN’s Great Outdoors while catching up on work. The fact it was Saturday in my mind din’t bother me at all. The further fact there was a T.V. in my office really made the dream pop. It wasn’t because I love watching T.V. It was because it symbolized freedom.
I envisioned being home a night with my daughters available to tuck them in. I would be at their school functions. I would get involved with the local Rotary Club and be a contributing member of society. It was an incredible vision.
What started out as a blur came into full focus. Once I could clearly see where I was going, nothing was going to stop me.
If you want to be successful in your current position, company or taking on a huge endeavor, you must have a clearly defined vision. You must be able to see the life you want. More importantly you must be able to see yourself in the life you want.
@jasonwrightnow
Jason Wright is a Peak Performance Coach, Author of Multiple books and small business in owner. He and his wife Jemilynn live in Tyler, TX. Jason is the host of The Jason Wright Show a podcast dedicated to self improvement including health, emotional, nutritional, cognitive and relational improvement.