Avoiding the Short String Trap.

When I first started my consulting business (unofficially in 2011), I had a very small idea to increase annual sales numbers by 5-10M. In 5 years, those numbers grew to 100M+. Add 5 more years and in 2021, those numbers jumped to 10X that amount. (Now, I'm way beyond that.) How am I making these jumps in increases – happen? It is luck? Skill? The right place at the right time? None of those scenarios changed my formula for success. So, what made those numbers grow from a few million to over a billion?

I feel like I don’t have any limits on what I can imagine for good – or what I’m willing to extend or share with others – to actually make those ideas happen. How did I come to this ability for extension? By learning only one important lesson: The desire to want to know – how any profit or benefit is being created here, and not just with money...

So, what creates a profit or an increase – even when you have nothing to work with?

The desire to want to provide others (or those outside of yourself) with something that they really need or want; and that desire has to come from an honest place. That’s business – at its core. You can’t “dig” any deeper than that for a definition. Then, come your financial rewards – from actually doing or providing whatever that is.

To come up with any new or improved ideas…You have to go past just two simple things… Where you are, and where others are now. You have to be willing to want to see past – where the current model of the world is: First, in your personal world, and then – with the world at large. In other words, for a little while – you have to get “over” or forget about yourself. The desire to grow a bit further out, allows you to see past your current ideas to see what's possible. And, we all do this from time to time; even with the simplest of things. Here, we're not talking about giving up everything you know of, or even your own idea of self-worth. You're just not hyper-focused on you during the time when those new observations present themselves. You're literally thinking of something other than you. Then, you’re expanding what you’re able to see, imagine and create...Which then brings your focus back to where you are now. (Some would call that an Ahhah moment.) As even the best of what’s “out there” can be improved on. Why? Because the ideas that were groundbreaking a few years ago, or even right now – are commonplace.

What are the biggest and best products lacking, right now? How can they be made – better?

Since perfection and progress are a continually growing and moveable feast, it’s not enough to see where our train is going and jump a few steps ahead. That train is going to land where it’s headed now, with or without your help…It’s already going – that way!

So, I imagine a little further down the road than where we are right now…Not with trends, gimmicks, or even just profit growing ideas. Profits come after – the new development has been made. That’s why working to only increase “numbers” will set a trap for you. It doesn’t matter if you have billions or more than that. Numbers themselves are linear and flat. An increase in them comes out of “the benefit” that an idea or a product has on the people it serves. And, any idea (no matter how big) has its growth limits on what it can do. But, when you dig a bit deeper past a given product or the profits it’s bringing in, and you focus on how to increase the positive benefits for another person or many people…That’s when your idea draws a much larger circle, than what’s currently there, right now.

For example, if an idea I have can positively affect a billion people…Then – that’s probably (at a minimum) how much my idea is worth. So, for now…Right where you are…Forget about the numbers. Just like in the beginning…Think of how many people you could or want to effect in a positive way. See where your interests are, and see what’s needed or what could be there – if we choose to create that given product or service. There will always be a need or a desire for something new or just a bit different than what’s out there, right now. That’s a natural evolution of how life moves forward, and how we grow with it. Our ideas, our profits, our impact, our customer base, our joy – you name it. What I currently see is plenty of very big businesses – getting stuck, where they already are. They get cozy in that “comfort zone” and forget that innovation and wanting to progress (for others and themselves) is where the new pool of wealth will be found. Also, skimping or holding back – up front, will only allow you to draw a circle as big – as your current limits will allow.

My biggest secret to growing the most – is in what I can offer to and for someone else. And, how can I offer so much? Because I’m always connected to what’s being produced for them. Producing something for them, produces something for me, too. That's where the larger possibility is. The reverse is like playing with a yo-yo, and only allowing yourself to have a very short string on it. Why – are you worried about that “yo-yo” not going back into your hands? (Where does that idea actually come from?) 99% of the time, unless you break the string, what you're extending is almost always directly attached to you. So, we're always tethered to what we’re doing and what we have. That's THE secret that allows you to go out – way past, where you are now…When you're not worried about yourself (and why would you be) you're able to see as far as your imagination will allow you to go in just about any direction. And, if you can see far away from where you currently are, it means you'll eventually have or discover something that's of value to offer.

On my next turn around…I hope to develop an idea that helps 4 to 8 billion people. Why?

No matter how far I stretch myself and my ability to want to help others feel good…Those rewards – are always going out and coming right back in to cover BOTH places: For others, and for me. (Think of a radius point and a line drawn from the middle of a circle. Both points are attached, correct?) In the end, the separating line of distinction between “you and me” as far as creating positive benefits and profits is an Illusion to see – right past.

To me, the number one thing that holds any person back in life or in business sounds something like this:

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly offer another person – that much. What – about me?” So, I’ll do a fast grab first, and then extend what I feel I can “afford” to give out. (Did you hear a limiting word in there? Would you pay for something that won't take you very far? So, that's where – a limit was first set into place. If anyone was really THAT worried about losing something good for themselves; nothing would be for sale here! So, even though it's a big concern for some, the idea that we're not going to be getting something good "back" is an idea that's more often than not, unfounded. The biggest products and inventions in history that "run" our entire economy had to be brought to the marketplace first, right? So, the idea that it's not "safe" for you to extend yourself or your ideas for another person's benefit is BS. Every business that's ever existed has had its doors wide-open to the public for purchases...

So, in forgetting this simple fact of extending yourself, you’ve made what you can literally do or have – a bit smaller. And, every time you come from that place of self-worry or doubt, your possibilities to grow even more – are also shrinking, with it. We become – what limits we set for and on ourselves – first. We can’t grow any further out, than the limits we’ve set – on the inside of ourselves, which is what we’re willing to extend – outward. That short "space or string" is the only difference between THE best in the world, and what’s on its way to becoming old news…

To avoid becoming extinct, use the comfort and security of where you are now – to see right past where you are, so that a new idea can be born and provided for someone else. It’s those who never stop doing this, that will grow and progress – the most. So, see in the end, how this has nothing to do with numbers – at first?

Like Kenny Rogers used to say, “They’ll be time enough for countin'…When the dealing’s done.” And, to “give” those players their cards…You’ll have to extend those out past yourself, first – before the increase in profits can come right back in. (The struggle between being at peace with the idea of "giving and getting" has been at the heart of everything that makes us miserable; because it also stops what's coming back to us, too. I hope this easy explanation has helped you to see past an idea that was only blocking your way forward...)

In life and in business, what you’re willing to put out – is exactly what’s coming back, or very close to it. Anything less, and you might as well be gambling on what's coming back to you. (I would rather put my odds way out past a 50% chance of returns on my investment.)

Like some people in the world, you could always “hope” for the best…While others, who are willing to go past where you are now – will be gathering up the larger pot of gold. However, the decision to have a very short string on your desire and the ability to grow – has always been up to you.

I happen to hang my particular string out – just past where most are willing to go to create an even better possibility, without the risk...

Waiting – for the winners, leaders, or groundbreakers in their industry who desire to weave a much bigger circle of influence together.

Those who are ready and willing to do that now, will find themselves out in front of everyone else.

(Believe it or not – by Ripley.)