Trent365

How often have you found the answer you were seeking, only to tell yourself, 'Yeah, I already knew that' ?

Well, if you already knew it, why aren't you taking action now?

Why are you still seeking the answer?

The reason, I think, is because you didn't really know it all.

Sure, maybe you knew it intellectually or even superficially.

But deep down, in detail, in your soul, you didn't really know it.

At least not to the level where you were willing to act on it.

Or maybe you're just looking for another excuse to procrastinate?

Maybe the answer has come from someone lower than you on the totem pole?

So then to accept that they have the answer is to admit that you didn't.

It's a statement we've probably all made to ourselves at some point in time and it's got some interesting dimensions to it.

Let's explore.

NB: Thanks to @TheStoicEmperor over on Twitter for the inspiration.

#nomoreexcuses #takeaction #procrastination

Ever noticed how successful people just seem to have more luck?

Serendipity just seems to look after them.

Well, if you want to improve your chances of tripping over a little more luck and good fortune, try expanding your Reach.

And it's not just your Reach in terms of people. It's Reach in terms of knowledge and information. Reach in terms of situations and experiences.

In short, the more you get proactive and Reach out, chances are the more serendipity you will find.

Why?

Because Reach is the Ultimate Serendipity Engine.

NB: Thanks to Julian Shapiro for the inspiration.

#reach #serendipity #controlyourfuture

So often, businesses devote so much time, effort, money and resource to develop a new strategy, only to have it fail when they come to implement it.

According to Sam Spurlin, there's a pretty basic reason for that.

The fail to implement changes within the Operating System (OS) of the organisation.

Your OS determines how your organisation functions on a day-to-day basis. The may you make decisions, level of autonomy, meeting & project structures, etc.

And if you need to implement a new strategy in the first place, chances are that's because something has failed at the OS level.

If you try to introduce the new strategy into the old Operating System, of course it's going to struggle, and probably fail.

So, before you spend too much time on a new strategy, ask yourself if you're willing make meaningful changes to the organisation's Operating System itself.

If you're not, you may just be wasting everyone's time.

Here's a link to Sam's great article on this - https://bit.ly/3tAVLwx

#organisationalchange #OperatingSystem #strategy

A mistake, by definition, is wrong. Right?

So how can you make a Right Mistake?

Well, sometimes you don't know it was a mistake until much later on.

Sometimes it's simply the value and benefit of hindsight.

Other times it's because new factors emerged and evolved that you could not have possibly anticipated back when you made your decision.

Knowing that you can make a decision today that may turn out to be a mistake, but that it was the right call at the time...is kinda liberating.

Sound confusing?

I get it.

It confused me when I said it out loud. 

But still, somehow, in my head, it makes sense!?!

#mistakes #choices #decisions

We often hear companies talk about the importance of the uniform to the people wearing it.

It connects them to the organisation. Gives them a sense of identity.

Well, I would argue that is absolutely NOT the role of the uniform.

The uniform is for people outside of the organisation.

Your customers. Your guests.

Your staff should already know who they are and what their role in the organisation is. 

If they don't, a uniform is not going to fix that.

By all means, give some thought to how it makes your people feel.

But remember, first and foremost, the uniform is not for them anyway.

#uniforms #identity #people

The problem with being right is complacency.

You stop trying. You stop searching. You stop striving.

Whereas those who are still trying to prove themselves right tend to keep pushing until they do.

As a result, they can ultimately push past those who were right before, if those people rest on their laurels.

And the interesting thing about being right is that sometimes you're actually not really right at all. You're just not wrong. And that's not the same as being right.

So, if you're right...just be careful.

#right #wrong #keepmovingforward

At some point in the future, it's going to end. You're going to quit.

Whether it's your business, your career or even your daily podcast. ;-)

So, if you know it's going to end, decide now, before you begin, what that end will look like.

Will it be when you reach a certain target or when sales fall below a specific number?

Whatever criteria you decide will signify the end, decide it now, well ahead of the end.

That way, when the end does come, you'll be ready for it. You won't be forced to make rash decisions under pressure as panic sets in when you sense the end coming.

Actually, maybe you don't need to necessarily decide before you begin. But definitely decide well before the end.

#quitting #controlyourfuture #destiny

Once Upon A Time the Milkman used to deliver fresh bottles of milk to our doorstep. Then, the next day, he'd return and collect the empty bottles and replace them with fresh ones.

These days, we refer to that as a Circular Delivery Model.

Whilst it might seem like a nostalgic blast from the past, it's actually a model that could make a lo of sense for a number of businesses.

If you have a product that is consumable and needs to be replaced or replenished, you should consider the opportunities in the Milkman Model.

It will get you closer to your customer and so you will be able to get real market feedback.

You can incentivise your 'Milkman' to upsell on the spot.

And even if the economics don't quite work out now...just wait till Drone Delivery & Pickup becomes a thing in a few years.

NB: Here's the BIG OPPORTUNITY...create a Milkman Aggregator Business. Provide the delivery and pickup/return services for multiple products and businesses. 

#businessmodels #businessopportunity #knowyourcustomer

Imagine this...

You're walking down the street and see a guy off in the distance who looks like your friend Steve.

You call out to him. Hey Steveo! 

Nothing. So you yell a bit louder. Hey! STEVEO!

He turns around. It's not Steve. 

So why did he turn around?

He wasn't Responding to hearing his name. He was Reacting to the noise.

If he sees something he Recognises, like you, his name or a problem you might be able to help him solve, he'll Respond in a meaningful way.

If not, he'll just move on.

We focus a lot on getting the Response. Creating products and services to serve wants and needs.

But sometimes in doing so, we belittle the value of the Noise. Too much Noise is bad, we think.

Remember, without the Noise, he wouldn't have even turned around.

Sometimes the Noise can be just as important.

#noise #response #marketing

I'd hate to think how much money I would have now if I had saved just 5% or 10% of all the money that's passed through my hands over the years.

I'd hate to think about how much time I've wasted waiting for my suitcase to appear on the luggage carousel at the airport.

I'd hate think about lots of other things too...so I don't!

Quantifying the degree to which we've missed out or messed up usually serves no purpose.

It's enough just to know that we could have done better, should done better and can and will do better.

So don't dwell on the amount by which you failed. 

Just focus on doing better.

#failure #success #focusonwhatmatters