Children learn. Animals learn. Adults learn.
But how?
Present someone (a child, a chimp, or an adult), with a new toy, let’s say it’s from outer space…an alien toy, and watch what he does.
It looks odd to him.
He stares at it, and then approaches cautiously.
He may touch it, poke around on it, and perhaps smell it. He might even rub it on his face, give it a squeeze, toss it around…
And then, when he does something, like make a sound, he discovers that it repeats the sound. It’s funny. He likes it.
What does he do?
He does it again.
He makes a sound. It makes a sound. He makes two sounds. It makes two sounds. He shouts, it shouts.
That’s how we creatures learn. We…
- Observe
- Examine
- Interact or attempt
- Perceive success
- Repeat the action
- Increase the action to bring bigger success!
And that’s also how we become successful at making more money.
Sometimes we struggle in life and we can’t seem to make this pattern of learning and applying work.
Let’s meet Ben. Ben is a computer guy but he desperately needed a job so he took one working in sales. Ben had to do cold calls and courtesy calls. The company has always done this to get business therefore he should take this approach.
He tried, he got no response. He read books on how to sell.
He tried new methods. Little response. (Meanwhile he had a boss screaming at him in front of the other staff about quotas, he had bills to pay, and a stressed-out spouse…)
He reluctantly paid for seminars on how to sell. He had a tiny bit more success. He was about to lose his job.
What failed? The observation. The analysis. Something wasn’t working. Something has failed in this scenario and the “toy” needed to go in the rubbish heap.
Then one day Ben attended a computer-users’ seminar on a topic he really enjoyed. He ran into a few people he knew. They described a problem they were having. Ben said “I can fix that.” Several people brought up their problems. He sad “I would love to fix that.”
He fixed their problems. They gladly paid him. He gladly took it.
It felt great. He advertised that he fixes problems in the local paper. He fixed more problems. He deposited more money. He advertised. And advertised.
He hired. He loved it and he made more money than he ever dreamed possible. He never did sales again.
Learning to make more money has three CRITICAL components:
- REPEATED exploration and observation.
- Trial and error (and seeing error as another form of discovery)
- Faith that a small success can lead to great success.
Luigi’s sandwich shop is an example of this process and how it made him more money. Much more money.
Luigi learned that he could cook. He learned that he loved to cook and create new dishes. Like great sandwiches.
Luigi tried it out, trial and error, and began selling sandwiches from a tiny store front. He made a little money. He liked it. It was fun.
He wanted more money.
Then he learned about a big factory being built. A shop was available right across from the company. He rented it. The hundreds of people working there would love his sandwiches. He would make more and more and more money.
The factory opened. He waited.
And waited.
And waited.
No one came.
He could have given up at that point but he decided to examine the situation. How could he build on the success he had at his little shop?
He met a few workers leaving at night, told them about his sandwiches, gave them samples. They loved them but they told him:
“We only have forty minutes for lunch. We don’t have time to go out.”
Aha! He learned.
Of course Luigi took his sandwiches to the workers, delivering orders and sending someone to walk the halls with his wonderful treats…and he made more money.
He learned that people liked rolls and doughnuts and bagels in the morning. He knew bringing them sandwiches worked so he built on this success, this model of delivery, and brought them to the workers. And, guess what? He made a whole lot more money.
But, he also knew that he was vulnerable by serving only this one company. So he expanded. Went to other factories, other companies, and he wrote contracts to offer cafeteria services….and he made more money.
He explored, he examined, and he had faith that he could build on his success to reach his dreams. And of course, HE MADE MORE MONEY!
And he was very happy, because he loved to cook, and he loved to create new dishes, like great sandwiches.
And that is the key. Love what you do and you’ll love your life. And chances are you’ll make more money.
Explore. Examine. Learn. Repeat. Have faith. Grab your dream and don’t let go.
NOW HERE’S ONE OF MY FAVORITE FUNNIES:
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