by anyone with the determination to succeed. Not as a get rich quick scheme, but as a diligent, inch-by-inch progression. Not as an overnight success, but as a game of inches. It's a way of thinking; even deeper than that, it's a way of being.
It's not who you are that counts, it's what you do. It's your philosophy, the actions you take and the behaviours you adopt that count.
Within that philosophy, there are key actions and behaviours that all successful people adopt and adhere to. This was the most exciting revelation, because it makes success more accessible. It's not quite a do-this-and-do-that, but it comes bloody close.
This book will explore each of these actions and behaviours, one chapter at a time, and will be governed throughout by that crucial philosophy that business is a game of inches. You'll notice the actions and behaviours follow each over but in reality they are interwoven; that's because the behaviours infuse each action and with each layer of behaviour you add, your actions improve. The actions are what you do and the behaviours how you do it.
During my interviews I heard the same messages and saw the same patterns over and over again, not in the same words but in what these entrepreneurs spoke about, the actions each took and the behaviours that each adopted when growing their business.
Seven key common elements emerged: four actions, three behaviours, as illustrated in the game of inches model (figure A, overleaf). The four actions are represented as sequential steps that can be implemented within a step-by-step framework. When you complete the fourth action, you're not ‘done'. Remember, this is a game of inches, so you keep working through the actions, incrementally improving your business each time. The sequence is also fluid so you can move in and out as needed.
Figure A: four actions, three behaviours
The behaviours are about the way entrepreneurs act. They're holistic, infusing everything you do. The behaviours act like a turbo charge, making each action more powerful and effective. Without the behaviours influencing the actions, you just end up going through the motions robotically.
Essentially, your actions are what you do and your behaviours are how you do it.
For example, you can see in the model that at the centre of everything you do is knowing why you're doing it. This is what drives you to take action. The right mindset (mindset is everything) keeps you acting even when the going gets tough. And to build the skills for each action you need to learn constantly: it's what I call the never-ending doctorate.
As you read through the actions and behaviours, you may think, Well, that's obvious, and you'll be right. None of these actions and behaviours were difficult to identify. I didn't need to wade through countless Post-it notes stuck on a wall and group them together to try to figure out the relationships and trends. They just stood out. And therein lies the beauty. Business is simple. These principles are simple. So simple and obvious, in fact, that most businesses and entrepreneurs miss them completely.
So let's break the model down step by step.
Before you think of anything, do anything or market anything, you must identify a gap. The gap is a problem, want or need that, if solved or met, creates vast opportunity. Gaps appear externally, such as an unaddressed niche in the market or meeting your customer's wants or solving their frustrations. Gaps also appear internally, within your business, revealing areas that can be improved.
Travelling through the desert in Central Australia, I met Denis and his mate Bob, who were riding their pushbikes from Port Augusta to Alice Springs – about 1200 km. Two mates who loved long-distance riding, and simply decided to go for it. They didn't ponder too long or have endless meetings; they literally just jumped on their bikes and did it. Entrepreneurs are great at getting things done because they jump in and take action.
How do you know if what you're doing really works? Easy: test it and measure it. Once you start something, you need to monitor it and gauge its viability. Are people buying it? Entrepreneurs know what is and isn't working because they watch the results, whether it's a new landing page, a new product or a new business. It's easier and less expensive to backtrack an inch than to wait until you're a kilometre down the road.
No-one I talked to is afraid of pitching a dud. They know that not everything is going to work and they're not precious about it. Sure, passion comes into the equation, but if the numbers don't add up, out it goes. On the other hand, if it works, then the game becomes how to be the very best at it and how to improve it, not once but constantly.
Everyone I interviewed knows what drives them. They have a passion for what they do because they are ‘on purpose'. They know why they're doing it. That's vital: when things get tough and go wrong, that's what keeps them going.
Success isn't about specific personality traits, but it does depend on having the right mindset, one that is growth oriented. Successful people are constantly working on their mindset.
Successful entrepreneurs are always reading, watching, listening and associating with other successful people. They never stop learning. Siimon Reynolds built one of his homes around a bookcase. Yes, you read that right. You can only keep improving if you're constantly learning.
You can only keep improving if you're constantly learning.
Beautiful tension
One of the most interesting ideas to raise its head in the interviews – which took me completely by surprise – is something I've called ‘beautiful tension'. As I spoke to more and more entrepreneurs, ideas kept creeping into the conversation that at first appeared to be contradictory.
For example, you need to be passionate about your business – but you'll actually end up broke if your business doesn't have a viable model or if no-one wants what you're offering. Unfortunately, the world is full of passionate entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams and sowing their own ruin at the same time. But does that mean passion is a bad thing? Surely you need passion to keep you enthusiastic every day so you'll put in the effort and hard work it takes to build your business, not to mention find the drive to keep going when things go wrong, as they inevitably will.
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