For 1% of the 1%: Life on the Extra Mile...

I’ve been studying human motivation, behavior and fulfillment inside and out for 35 years now. And, since I’m a Business Consultant as well as a Sociologist, I can link the logistical and financial parts of any business to how the CEO feels about what they have at the end of any given day – emotionally.

On the surface, business appears to be about moving parts and money; but it goes much deeper than that. How deep? Well, the only reason why any human being does anything – is to feel something about it. So, stretching far past common business lingo, analytics, and bottom-line numbers…My role is to pinpoint the exact place (in the CEO’s mind and energy) where he or she can feel – as good as they possibly can – about their company, and their position in it. Anything that plays out in the business – comes from here, first and foremost.

While most consulting firms stop at measuring financial goals or project goals accurately, that’s where I begin. Let me explain…

Before you can begin any project or set your goal on a given target, beyond the motivational aspects and wanting to feel good about reaching those benchmarks…What’s the number one internal “block” to reaching the goal and feeling as good as you can, about it?

It’s the internal math that one does emotionally, long before the 1st step is ever taken.

What am I going to get (read feel) when I reach this goal, and – how much is this going to cost me? In other words…How much do I have to put out into the project and how much am I going to get back? ROI comes to mind, but this usually covers externals. The area I’m focused on – before any logistic is set into motion in the company…Is the divide, between gains and losses. Not the real ones – but the ones that are imagined.

To me, this dips right into how physics works. The perfect balance between pluses and minuses, and how long those positive gains (growth) can keep going, before the diminishing returns start to set in and play out within your business. And this, of course, effects your emotions, how well your business is running, your returns and how you feel, about them. See the straight line that's coming back around to you where you are now? (That's why my business logo is a circle...I understand the cycle of returns, in and out.)

If I was to create in my imagination a CEO who would grow the most, with the least amount of negative returns…It would be the one who says, “I’m willing, ready and able – to put into this goal or project whatever is necessary to succeed, and – to keep on doing that, without stress or failure."

In other words…To have and create the most gains – with the least amount of losses: Now, and later on.

Like 99% of very successful businesses on the planet’s surface…If you’re worried about what’s going out and coming back – long before you take an actual step and you’re holding back…It’s already game over for your target, and the rewards found there. In order to get “back” the most amount of gains – you have to put yourself and what’s available to you – into that project: 100%. This doesn’t mean draining all of your own personal energy, or even your resources! This simply means you’re ready, willing and able to give out – exactly what’s needed to produce what you wanted to see – come back to you. The pitch and the return are linked, like both sides of your hand.

You get out of something what you put into it, because you’re influencing energy itself – to come together to produce and give you – exactly what you wanted to have.

My goal and my only mission, besides helping your business to run at optimal levels outside…Is to get you across the divide we all have inside; between what’s going out and what’s coming back in. As humans – this is everyone’s biggest and only real issue. This push and pull energy dynamic plays out in all of our relationships, in everything we commit ourselves to, and this all comes back to how we feel, what we have, and what we’re willing to do – to have and create, even more.

So, if you’re a part of the 1%...And you want to be right at the top of the mountain, inside and out…With what you have and how you feel about it…I’m standing right in the middle of that energy stream, between here and there. I am – the fork in the road, for this choice anyway. The flashing street-sign, between this way and that. And, I can tell you from real (not imagined experience) which way those roads lead – inside and out.

It’s only a single line that directly connects these two places, anyway. And, it’s the same within your business and what’s playing out there for causes and effects, as well. And, from crossing this line emotionally, logistically and financially in my own life…There is nothing scary about taking a very close look at both sides of that math equation; long before you put anything into place.

On one side there is a short-term success endorphin boost, and then a diminishment of that. On the other…Your gains will only keep growing, inside and out. But, you want to make 100% sure of this, correct?!

To me, the best part of my math equation…Is that you get to see and feel this for yourself – long before you make any real decisions on the outside. You get to see, feel and experience where that ball is going to roll – long before you make the toss.

Once you’re over this hump, and you understand what that fork in the road is really about…You can always make the best decision. It might take time to develop it, but once you know that you’ve put your best into those choices…You put the power of success right back into your own hands – where it belongs. And, in return – for everyone involved in your business, that positive “interest” always compounds on itself to give you the most – back. Not just for now…But for the next 100 years down the road. That's exactly how I think.

So, do you want to be stuck with a very simple math problem, or did you want to run – right over that hurdle, easily? It’s as easy as understanding 1, 2 and 3. And, that’s it…You just have to go back far back enough to see where those initial choices are going to go.

And, once your past that root limit…There really aren’t any more negatives on your part. And, that’s when your logistics come into the picture. And, we can do the same thing there, too. Once you see where the negative came into the picture of your business…You can take it – right out of your equation.

And, now…The road will be perfectly clear. No obstructions inside, and nothing in the way of where you wanted to go, on the outside.

It might sound like I’m playing with words here…But when you’ve reached the upper 1%, you’ve gone past 99% of your blocks inside and out. And, I know what the last one is and how to remove it.

There are some who want to stay at 99%...And, imagine they’re going to reach 100% capacity, someday.

I’m only looking for those who desire and demand that 100% goalpost – in the present.

You have the means…I have the method. I think it’s about time those two positive ends came together.

It’s usually the last step that seems the hardest and longest; because that’s exactly where those limits are; and we all have them to some degree.

If you want to see a glimpse past the solution, here it is…The only thing past 99%...Is even more success.

It looks like the scariest step in the world for most, wasn’t so big, after all. You just have to understand the limit – to see past it. And, once you take a good look at it…You’re just about there, even before you take any steps, ahead.

To wrap this up, I happen to love motorcycles. And, I recently heard a very fitting quote from Ken Kaplan...A CEO in Rockville, Connecticut who runs Kaplan Cycles: A classic motorcycle museum and restoration facility that currently has over 157 million views on his "Kaplan America" You Tube channel.

How did he arrive – here? According to him, “There’s No Traffic on the Extra Mile.”

Why?

Only about 1% of 1% understand, exactly what’s happening – on it.

They know – what’s coming back to them; and that’s why they choose to be there – instead.

So, have more or less. It’s really up to you.

99% of what's there...Will always leave you feeling like you've come up: Short.

That's where Everyone's struggle IS.

Who wants to be 99% of anywhere, really?

So, when you’re ready to move ahead up the road a piece, where’s there’s nothing in the way now…

I’ll be right there…Ready, willing and able to make sure you arrive – and stay there!