How many times have you seen an advert that promises success or at very least the opportunity of success for very little time, very little effort and with very little training required? Most of us wont even be able to remember how many we have seen today because social media is flooded with them. While I cannot say for sure that such opportunities do not exist, I can at least tell you that I am yet to come across one that really works as well or as easily as promised. The worst of these are out and out cons, and even the very best of them follow the basic formula for success and so the advertising campaign is simply a way to throw their net wide, which they need to, because and let us be honest here; if every opportunity was as good and as easy as it is made out to be then they wouldn’t need to advertise.
Every organisation that offers a short cut to success assumes that you, their customer, is suggestable and susceptible and this is not a good starting point for a business relationship. When you sign up to a new project, opportunity, or scheme there is always one thing that should be put out there front and centre; and if it is not run, run away as fast as you can. Trust us when we say there is no magic bullet and no secret to success; well except for this one…
There is a very simple formula for success in almost any activity whether that activity is measured in sales, medals, or simply in self-improvement:
OUTCOME = PROCESS EFFICIENCY X FOCUSED TIME
Process efficiency
Not exactly a bombshell, is it? But it is one of the most overlooked and underrated equations the world. It is also not quite a simple as it looks, because that ‘PROCESS EFFICACY’ multiplier can be impacted by a real wide range of factors dependent on activity or industry and not all of them will be in your control. Those factors that do fall under your control (the ones that you can take action on to improve) will improve in a direct relation to the amount of ‘FOCUS TIME’ that you devote to improving them.
Now this is where third parties can add real value to you and your process. If you are fortunate enough to work with people who already know the ‘best practice’ or who can guide you to improved ‘PROCESS EFFIENCY’ without you having to go through the painful process of making and learning from your own mistakes. You process efficiency with improve massively and rapidly. This among other reasons is why many of you are already working with us and other external ‘expert’ organisations.
My earlier criticism of some organisations that promise success is they want you to assume that it is this factor alone that determines your outcomes, but in reality it is not ‘PROCESS EFFICIENCY’ but ‘FOCUS TIME’ than it the real indicator of likely long-term success. It is true to say that ‘Process EFFICIENCY’ can be improved but nothing more than the application of ‘FOCUSED TIME’ (after this is what experience is). This is not working smart, we are always well advised to learn from others where possible, and while some of us are well suited to be pioneers, it is a hard road and, most of us are not.
Focused time
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realise that the opposite relationship does not exist. No increase in ‘PROCESS EFFICIENCY’ will ever impact the ‘FOCUSED TIME’. The former is a force multiplier for the second – or to put it is really blunt terms: if you were the best salesman in the history of the world, but you never ever spoke to a customer your total number of sales will still be zero. By contrast if you were the very worst sales person in the world (provided your product actually makes sense and has a market of potential customers) if you devote enough ‘FOCUSED TIME’ you will make sales.
We have all heard the expression that Sales is ‘a numbers game’. Rarely has there been something more true. Now, don’t misunderstand me, ‘PROCESS EFFICIENCY’ is often the factor that separates the good from the average, and the great from the good, but as we have explained (whether you choose to work hard or to work smart) ‘PROCESS EFFICIENCY’ itself is largely an outcome of ‘FOCUSED TIME’ is a subordinate equation.
So, there it is; the magic bullet; the secret to success, fame and glory; and the worst kept secret in the world: In order to ‘Thrive Success’ in this or any other industry (or life pursuit) all you really need to do is apply significant ‘FOCUSED TIME’ to your pursuit and to improving your ‘PROCESS EFFICIENCY’; or to put it in the more common vernacular: work really hard!
To borrow from the late great Don Shula “To be successful’ all you have to do is work half days; you can work the first twelve hours or the second twelve hours.”
Just imagine your business idea failed because you did work hard enough, and then someone with half your ability became a millionaire using the same ides simply because they worked harder. There are thousands of stories about people who had exactly that experience except they never get told and no one remember names. Your attitude determines your altitude, and you can’t ‘Thrive Success’ without putting in the hard work. If anyone tells you any different, they are trying to sell you something, and its not something you want to buy! But maybe you can still learn something from their example because… you know… at least they are putting the work in and one that aspect I can’t fault them!