Are you kidding yourself? Do you really want to grow your business?

[Walter Hay]

This great thread highlights the wishful thinking approach that is so prevalent among wantrepreneurs.

I have seen this inaction many times in relation to my books. The only people I know of who have bought my books and failed to succeed are ones who never read the book, or skim through it and learn nothing. Another category of failures is the ones who think they know it all anyway, and ignore the voice of experience.

I also know from comments provided to me by others who publish "How To" books that a big proportion of the buyers never read the books or simply fail to put into action any of the solid advice.

The most glaring example in my personal experience is someone who paid $100 for my book and rushed into "business", ignoring every warning, and broke every rule I outlined, with the result that he lost several thousand dollars in quick time.

Maybe they feel good that they have actually done something - bought a business book. (or attended a Mastermind session.)

Walter

 

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[biophase]

14 days seems too long for this kind of stuff. Once you get an idea in the first 2-3 days, you probably want to go back to your base and get onto it right away.

Getting an idea is not the end of business planning. In 14 days, they could have an idea, found suppliers, received samples, gotten a website up, etc... That's why it was 14 days, so by the end of that time, they had a new business started, not just an idea.

No offense, but I think you may have set yourself up for failure. You told them they didn't have to stay the whole time, so of course they didn't. You didn't tell them how you expected them to spend their time, so of course they did their regular business tasks. Just because they misunderstood you doesn't mean they're not "all in."

You wouldn't run a business the way you ran that retreat. You don't set a goal and say, "We'll achieve this in 14 days," without making a plan.

Anyway, take this with a grain of salt: I'm just a stranger on the internet, and I wasn't there. I'm just responding to what I've read.

My whole point is that they didn't have to stay, but they should have wanted to stay. I'm not the one that runs their lives and tells them what to do. They can do what they want, but what they choose to do says alot.

I just heard this from someone today about a job interview. They had a list of requirements to send in and some optional forms to complete before the interview. The ones that didn't complete the optional forms did not get an interview at all.

 

[biophase]

Maybe they didn’t think it was worth their time to stay full 14 days? Maybe they only needed a couple days to see what it was about and got enough value already? The knowledge that your provided, how can you be sure it would be guaranteed success for your friends or actually valuable?

How long ago was this sent? Did all your friends take PTO off work for this?

For the vacation thing on IG, my friend is the same way. He would say he got stressed at work, and spontaneously books a trip this weekend across the state. Yet he complains about his financial situation all the time. This is a normal thing I have realized he is doing. I’m mean if you gonna take a vacation, at least plan months ahead to save more than 1/2 price.

It's that other things came up so they choose to come late or leave early. In other words, they choose the other events over staying. Nobody took off work for this, they all have businesses already that aren't where they want them to be.

 

[biophase]

By the way @biophase ... I think I may adopt your routine. I've been spreading my work out too much and sleeping in too late. I can easily solve the sleep issue by going to bed around 9 or 10. And getting to work straightaway should be pretty easy, too.

Do you keep your phone on in the morning, or keep it off? I have found that if I wait to turn my phone on until late morning/afternoon, I feel less stressed and get more done.

I look at my phone whenever I feel like it. I just don't reply if it's not important. I often hear the text and IM dings, but if I'm busy I just ignore them.

 

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[biophase]

Ultimately it is the goal of any entrepreneur to step out of operations and into the CEO seat. Too many of us are playing manager day in and day out and when we are done managing, we feel like we accomplished something while the football still sits at the 50 yard line. I’m as guilty as anyone, and know it.

The worst offenders also tend to be the same type of people, in my experience, that say they don’t need to grow THAT much bigger and allude to the fact that they are already so busy, they can’t imagine a bigger company.

I’m here to tell you, bigger companies, run right, are less work than this menial task crap so many people end up doing.

The house I'm talking about in this post is in Colorado. It's my summer home that I went to in May. I just got back to Arizona last Saturday and today was my first day back in the office after being away for 3.5 months. This distance from my physical business has made me only work on long and mid term strategy. My team was able to handle all the day to day stuff. Things are running well. What I mainly do now is strategic thinking. While I was in Colorado I came up with a 12 month plan. Now that I'm back in AZ, I am going to implement it.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

Getting an idea is not the end of business planning. In 14 days, they could have an idea, found suppliers, received samples, gotten a website up, etc... That's why it was 14 days, so by the end of that time, they had a new business started, not just an idea.
My whole point is that they didn't have to stay, but they should have wanted to stay. I'm not the one that runs their lives and tells them what to do. They can do what they want, but what they choose to do says alot.

You sound very much like a dedicated, focused, hardworking person. I knew that already about you but it’s important to note.

Those friends of yours aren’t successful because they aren’t like you. Expecting ppl who are not successful to have the mindset, drive, habits, and enthusiasm that you have is expecting too much. Plus there’s the whole “a prophet is unwanted in his own country” thing.

Obviously you wanted to help them. But they’re as far away from you as a cute little zoo-kept sloth is from a tiger in the wild. I’m sorry you were disappointed.

 

[Rabby]

I love this rant. I get what you're saying. How did we say this in the olde days? Oh right, actions speak louder than words.

 

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[AgainstAllOdds]

@biophase - If you ever do another 14 days and want another person there, I'd love to come.

If @Greg R and I get the Hustle House launched in Bali, you're also more than welcome to come and stay for two weeks... or two months: "Hustle House": What would you want living-wise as an entrepreneur?.

I'd love to pick your brain and bounce ideas off.

No offense, but I think you may have set yourself up for failure. You told them they didn't have to stay the whole time, so of course they didn't. You didn't tell them how you expected them to spend their time, so of course they did their regular business tasks. Just because they misunderstood you doesn't mean they're not "all in."

You wouldn't run a business the way you ran that retreat. You don't set a goal and say, "We'll achieve this in 14 days," without making a plan.

Anyway, take this with a grain of salt: I'm just a stranger on the internet, and I wasn't there. I'm just responding to what I've read.

And @Hopeful, I'm sorry, but this post is dumb.

@biophase didn't "fail". He invited grown ups to his house and gave them an opportunity to change their lives in a span of two weeks. The fact that they didn't take that opportunity isn't his fault. It's theirs. @biophase has zero obligations towards anyone.

He extended a helping hand which is more than the vast majority of us have ever done. The fact that those individuals didn't act on that help is on them, hence the rant and creation of this thread.

 

[Kevin88660]

I'm posting this under a rant because this is something I've been trying to tell my friends all summer. I'm going to throw a few under the bus, but not by name (but you know who you are), but I feel like it's an important topic for everyone to be aware of.

So this summer, I had a little mastermind session where I had about 5-6 entrepreneurial friends who weren't happy with their current situation come and stay for up to 14 days at my house. Now, in my opinion, this was a great opportunity to really brainstorm ideas with others and really set up a direction to go.

So this is what happened...

Nobody stayed for 14 days. Some arrived a few days late, some left early. To me, it already told me that they really weren't motivated. Not to sound conceited but, seriously, how many of you here would have paid big bucks to live with me and learn business for 14 days?

On the days that they were here... they worked very hard IN their current business. Meaning that they spend most of the day doing the same tedious work that they've been doing all along. They were answering emails and doing menial business tasks when they should have been thinking of new strategies and ways to improve their business. It's like going to a weekend conference and not attending the seminars because you had to return voicemails. So this left us with no time to brainstorm. We ended up having brainstorming sessions on only 2 or 3 nights.

So when they left, nobody in the group had any new ideas or new direction. It's as if they came and the 14 days was a small blip in their normal everyday life.

But to me what is really interesting is that after they left my house, they continued to vacation all summer. Based on the Instagram and Facebook feeds, they are all still on vacation and it is September! So to them, I ask, do they REALLY want it?

They tell me that they aren't happy with where they are. But their actions are telling me that leisure and fun are their priorities. This whole summer they haven't done anything that tells me that they really want to change anything. So come December, when they aren't where they want to be, there's nobody to blame.

I write this as a rant towards them, but I'm also asking you to think about your actions. Do they match what you say?

On a side note, one of my clients launched on Amazon and it's not going well. I tell him to take better photographs, build his IG or Facebook. Week after week, no new photos, his last IG post was in March. All he's doing is playing with PPC and doing giveaways. Finally I just had to tell him that he hasn't done crap. You can't launch and just play with PPC. He's had his own product for 3 months and has no photos of it in use on IG or even his Amazon listing. He still has no FB page. So what's he been doing? Does he really want this?

I think the sense urgency is not there.

Usually there is a turning point when people realized that they are responsible for most of their own failures and they cannot afford to push everything tomorrow. It’s do this now die.

It is much easier to coach these people who felt that “I cannot give excuses and waste my time further”...

It is much more difficult to coach those “Ya I want to be successful but this thing sucks and that doesn't work well..and wait a moment let me check what my high school enemy posted on instalgram”.

 

[Em7]

I would’ve love to attend something like that!

But I kind of understand them. changing mentality from being a worker to a manager isn’t always easy.

The first 6-8 months of my business I did everything on my own(web dev agency). Then suddenly I ran into a project I simply wouldn’t have been able to complete and found two freelancers to do it.

It was a weird revelation to me, it felt wrong and it was such a huge change, but from that day on I haven’t coded on a single client project, all of my client projects have been outsourced to the same set of developers, and my focus has shifted from tech to business.

I’m far from a huge success. But to reduce the hours spent working on a project from 10hours per day to perhaps 2hours allowed me to improve my business.

 

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[Walter Hay]

@walterhay has also been awesome and I probably should reread his importing book from a few years ago.

If you only have an old version, let me know and I will send you a copy of the 2019 revision.

Walter

 

[Brewmacker]

I’m on the second reading of The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham. It’s one of those books I will forever reference back to as a book that positively changed the course of our business. I highly recommend this book to anyone already with an established business.

Thanks for the book recommendation. Already the audible library

 

[GPM]

Good call on the waking up early Bio. I have been really trying to get to bed early and wake up early this last week or two. Getting to bed early is nearly impossible as I share my bedroom with a baby and a wife, but waking up early is completely under my control.

I have been aiming for 5am, and the days when I succeed I am able to put in just about 5 hours of uninterrupted work before anything else ends up taking my time away. Eventually I want to start getting to bed by 9 or 10, and then waking up closer to 4am.

This also allows me to feed the baby early in the morning and in turn gives my wife more time to sleep, so it is a huge win for the family.

 

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[DeletedUser0287]

It's that other things came up so they choose to come late or leave early. In other words, they choose the other events over staying. Nobody took off work for this, they all have businesses already that aren't where they want them to be.

Ah ok, I see your point now.

 

[Red]

I look at my phone whenever I feel like it. I just don't reply if it's not important. I often hear the text and IM dings, but if I'm busy I just ignore them.

.... so this is why you ignore my amazing memes I send you?!???

 

[MJ DeMarco]

I just got back to Arizona last Saturday and today was my first day back in the office after being away for 3.5 months.

Time to recall the poker game?

 

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[biophase]

Time to recall the poker game?

Yes... and I want to see your new crib! Unless you meant for it to be at my house LOL.

 

[biophase]

Good call on the waking up early Bio. I have been really trying to get to bed early and wake up early this last week or two.

The easiest way to wake up early is to get a new puppy. Every time I get a new foster dog, I know I will be waking up at 6am for the next 2 weeks. They wake up at daylight and cry and whine until I let them outside and then they want to play. If I put them back in a crate, they whine and I can't sleep anyway.

I say 2 weeks, because eventually they come around to my schedule and get used to waking up later and later. LOL

 

[1step]

The easiest way to wake up early is to get a new puppy. Every time I get a new foster dog, I know I will be waking up at 6am for the next 2 weeks.

Try an infant it will be effective much longer than 2 weeks

 

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[steelandchrome]

Try an infant it will be effective much longer than 2 weeks

Seriously, We are 3 days in with the newborn and she sleeps all day and is up all night... Big difference with our first daughter who was the exact opposite. Either way I've been up at 7am regardless to trade for the day and get my other daughter to school on time.

 

[GPM]

My wife is 4 months pregnant and our little girl turns 1 in a week... I think we have the "noise in the morning" handled pretty good!

 

[steelandchrome]

If you only have an old version, let me know and I will send you a copy of the 2019 revision.

Walter

Sent you a PM. Thanks!

 

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[AllenCrawley]

Time to recall the poker game?

It’s been far too long!

 

[Jon L]

You’ll love this book.

We’ve received a bunch of samples and have requested quotes. It seems very doable. So many options nowadays it’s very impressive what can be done now.

I've been looking for a new audiobook, so thanks for the recommendation. Started listening last night.

This author has more wisdom per word than should be legal. Really cool book.

 

[Primeperiwinkle]

I've been looking for a new audiobook, so thanks for the recommendation. Started listening last night.

This author has more wisdom per word than should be legal. Really cool book.

@AllenCrawley

It IS a very cool book. I’m thankful to you for recommending it too.

 

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[Greg R]

It’s been far too long!

@ZCP @amp0193

 

[AllenCrawley]

@ZCP @amp0193

Yes that was the last time we played poker was when you guys were in town!

 

[Pat D. Rick]

I’m on the second reading of The Road Less Stupid by Keith J. Cunningham. It’s one of those books I will forever reference back to as a book that positively changed the course of our business. I highly recommend this book to anyone already with an established business.

Thank you as well for the recommendation. Just downloaded the audiobook.

 

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[ZCP]

@ZCP @amp0193

you should go all in w/ 10-10 ....... after telling us how many hands you had played in your life...... lol

 

[JordanK]

I think there is a time to hustle and a time to step back to assess the bigger picture. Since May I have been working 7 days a week 12-16hrs a day depending on the workload. In those three months I have made the most money I ever had in my life but I understand that to reach the next level I’ll need to step back and delegate most of the busy work.

The crazy active part of the season in this business finishes this week and due to my actions I have 1.5 years of living money saved in reserve & secured a monthly passive income. I’m taking a 10 day vacation across the world back to where my Dad grew up. I work closely with him in business as he was previously involved in the same industry I am now and my newfound success has inspired him to return to the industry. Its going to be 10 chilled days of strategizing together and implementing changes to the goals we set for the new year as many have already been achieved.

He introduced me to the millionaire fastlane book nearly six years ago but it wasn’t until 12 months ago when I started fully taking it seriously. I had dabbled in business ventures since I was 13 but I have only now truly went all in! Biophase I can understand your point of view as I worked all summer while my friends jetted all over the world for a 3 month long party and now they have arrived back ready to hit student life (and the college parties) even harder. It’s difficult to take their complaints seriously as the lifestyle choices don’t aline with what they say they want. We are accountable to ourselves and find solutions to our complaints but many others only want something without needing it. There is a very big difference. They just complain for the sake of it.