Whether they know it or not, the vast majority of people reading this message are currently making it impossible for themselves to win.
Allow me to explain, by asking you a few questions:
- When will you have enough Twitter followers, Facebook fans or Linkedin contacts?
- When will you have enough blog readers?
- When will you have enough newsletter subscribers?
A race we can’t finish, let alone win!
Most people know they want more followers, fans, readers and subscribers, but that’s it. As such, they have entered into a game, where it’s both impossible to finish and impossible to win.
Here’s the thing: Being part of a game we can’t possibly win, negatively impacts how we feel about ourselves and our work.
Playing this unwinnable game also causes good people to act in a way they are not proud of. It encourages them to spam us with requests to follow them, ‘like’ them or subscribe to them. It causes them to get angry, when we unfollow them or unsubscribe.
As a consequence, they damage their reputation; as clients, prospective clients and contacts start thinking of them as being needy.
An alternative focus
Why not forget about building those numbers and focus on building value, instead? Let’s aim for progress rather than movement. Let’s avoid following the masses, who confuse activity with productivity. Let’s set ourselves up to win every day, by:
- Being as useful as we can be, every day.
- Building someone up with our encouragement, every day.
- Sharing something of value with people, every day.
- Learning something new, every day.
This approach leaves the marketplace feeling better about who we are and what we do. More importantly, it makes US feel better about it too!
So, what do you think?
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Photo: Neosnaps
Another top drawer post Jim. Age makes us smarter. Years ago I would have easily been caught up in the numbers and it probably would have driven me crazy. That type of mis-focus actually affects the quality of your work and your thought processes. Following your advice consistently will results in these numbers increasing anyway and actually deliver the results that you are looking for. (Making money):-)
Thanks, Wade.
You make a good point, when you say that by working on value, we generate better ‘numbers’ by default.
Thanks Jim. Love this. Especially the “encouragement” of others and bringing something of “value”. So important.
Take CARE.
Al
Thanks for the kind words, Al.
Great Advice. It is impossible to reach a goal when the target keeps moving.Keep up the good work.
Danny
You’re absolutely right, Danny. Thanks for the comment and welcome to the blog, sir.
Yeah, Jim, we live in a “more” culture. And the problem is that the more we get, the less time we have to manage what we have. One of the ways I have been helping local business is to actually get them to focus on less stuff so that the stuff that they do focus on leverages better for them.
Hey Leo. Another challenge, is that so many small business owners know they want ‘more’ followers / fans / readers, but they’re not thinking about their own end game.
It only takes 100 True Fans: http://jimsmarketingblog.com/2011/10/04/how-to-create-a-great-6-figure-income-online/
Thanks for the important reminder, Jim. As in all areas of life, it’s easier to want more and new, instead of valuing and treasuring what we have.
Hi Scott. You’re right. it’s also easy to keep focusing on ‘more’ without thinking about ‘why’?
Thanks for the comment, sir.
Love these Jim, especially #4.
I have always believed that a day without learning is a day we haven’t lived to its full.
Often our most fruitful learnings come from our biggest challenges and failures; so in fact they are successes for our life well lived – and learned.
Welcome to the blog, Denyse.
Good point. Surely, if it’s about anything, life is about learning.
The problem is that, too often, we begin a project without a definite goal or solid measurement in mind. (Full disclosure: I say this because I am chronically deficient in this, too.) We want more, more, more, because we get momentum or a vision (not the same as a goal) and keep chasing it. I had a fabulously wealthy uncle whom I once asked, “What’s it like to be a millionaire?” “Well, Frank, the first million is tough – no doubt – but everything after that is just a game.” So, perhaps we should have a point where we can say to ourselves, “I win!” Then we can reset the game or move to another.
Hey Frank. Thanks for some powerful insight.
On a very basic level, I think it’s also quite addictive, to watch those numbers grow. Some people get so hooked on the number, they forget why they started in the first place.
Nice one Jim….Keep it up
I’ll try
Great post. I rarely read newsletters but your thoughts caught my attention. I totally agree with you that nowadays businesses are running a rat race towards building and expanding their online presence. Somehow they are overlooking the best marketing tool: satisfied, loyal customers.
You’re right – That’s a much better objective, Sarah!
Hey Jim,
Just found your blog and im very impressed with your writing style. You get straight to the point without a whole lot of fluff. Keep up the good Work and im looking forward to more of your posts!
Hey Mike. Glad you found the blog and have connected with my writing style. Thanks for the kind words. Rest assured, I’ll keep on turning up
great post jim… agree to what ever you have mentioned above…and as told above you get out things to the point.. i like the way you get the posts out.. thanks for sharing it with us
A great post to help keep perspective Jim. Ego is a funny thing and it can quickly rob one of the opportunity to earn income. This is the real reason some people fail to succeed in life.
When we are sharing and giving something of value, we will get followers. Words will spread and the community will grow in its natural state.