What if you already know enough?

[Andy Black]

Dayum. I didn’t realise I’d written a similar thread a couple of years ago:

• https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/community/threads/you-already-know-enough.69198/

 

[Tony Tong]

The most obvious danger of consuming too much is that it turns you into a consumer.

A lot of that “free” (and paid) content out there is designed to turn you into someone else’s consumer. (And it’s not free btw... not unless you put zero value on the time it took to consume that “free” content.)

You probably knew this right?


But here’s something I’ve noticed from PMs with a couple of thousand forum members:

Many of you don’t think you know enough to get started.

Many of you are constantly looking for something else to consume so you can finally become a producer.



I think the more insidious, hidden, danger of consuming is that it makes you think you don’t already know enough to start.



I always imagine a young lad knocking on the door with a lawnmower in tow.

“Hey mister. Do you need your grass cut?”

“Not today thanks.”

“No thanks. Maybe another time.”

“Oh wow. I was just thinking of finding someone to cut my grass. Yes please.”

(I live in a very polite little world.)



You know what that lad didn’t do?

He didn’t think:

“I better get a logo.”

“I better get a website.”

“I don’t know enough about cold calling.”

“I better go to the library and get a heap of books out on how to start a business.”

Here in this forum we’d call all of the above “action faking.”

Many of us know to give ourselves a stern talking to when we catch ourselves action faking.


But did you know the super dangerous rabbit-hole awaiting you if you set foot in the library?

“Oh boy. I didn’t realise I needed to know about marketing as well as just starting a business.”

“Uh-oh... I didn’t even know I needed to create avatars of my ideal customers before I go knocking on doors. What if I go round the wrong estate?”

“USP?! Whoa. I’m glad I came into the library today. I didn’t even know that I didn’t know about USPs.”

“Scaling? Growth? What’s that mean? Should I even try to start a grass cutting business?”

“OMG... look at all this stuff I didn’t know I needed to learn before I even step out of the house and speak to people this fine Saturday afternoon.”


I’m working with a career salesman at the moment. I’m hoping to onboard him so he can help me get more local service business clients.

He kept telling me of all the courses he’s been on and all the books he’s read.

That’s ok. I won’t hold that against him. He’s been a salesman over the course of 20 years, and been on the road most of that time.

“Dude. Don’t set “appointments”. Just meet for a chat over a coffee.”

“Dude. Don’t bring that hardback A4 book. Here, I got you a small black Moleskine.”


The best bit from one of our chats this week?

“Andy. This is great. I’m really enjoying just chatting to people. I love this word “chat”. I’m having to deprogramme myself from all that corporate bullshit I used to have to go through.”

Bingo!



Many of you are straight out of school or college.

You’ve been taught to consume and read your way out of problems.

You’ve been programmed whenever a new challenge comes up to instantly go searching for a book or course.

This is how deep the script has it’s claws in you. And the further you got into the education system the deeper those claws.

I get it. I was a good student. I got my degree. I worked a cubicle for nearly 2 decades. I took the courses. I Googled for “books on XYZ”. I took “evening classes on ABC”. I even decided I “needed” an MSc to get ahead.

I learned slowly that the lad with the lawnmower (who may very well have dropped out of school btw) was street-smart where I was book-smart.

And that he was streets ahead of me.



Then one day someone asked me a very simple question:

“Andy. What if you already know enough?”

Oh.


We all want to join team producer right? The best way is to produce more, not consume more.

What if you already know enough?



...

PS: This was all *produced* on my phone on a coach to the airport. It’s waaay easier than trying to do so on my phone on Facebook. Just saying.

PPS: I could have consumed a podcast for the hour, or I could have produced a post in that hour. I chose to gain clarity by producing, to help others by producing, and to not clutter up my head with yet more “knowledge”. I chose to clear my head not fill it.

This is ...GOLD.

 

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[Tony Tong]

Ok thanks. I am struggling to uderstand it a bit but i think what you are trying to say is. When u have a problem u dont to go out and buy entire courses or books for that one problem. But sometimes it may require it? Is this right?

Here's my opinion.
Yes sometimes you do need to self-educate and get a course or book, but instead of going chapter-by-chapter you jump straight to your specific problem and just focus on executing it, instead of reading the entire book and "revising old concepts" and get trapped in the joy of reading (which can feel more pleasurable than actually doing)

 

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[Real Deal Denver]

Good post.

I love how you said you could have consumed for 1hr but you decide to produce.

I came back this forum like a week ago to ask my lead gen question, and I was so happy with the value exchange that I've just been going on a rampage trying to answer/help on any posts I can

I find that I gain MUCH more clarity through posting than I could ever gain from reading

I end up backspacing my sentences, sitting and questioning myself, asking "why am I advising this" or "is this the right way to explain this?" or "how could I make this more clear?" etc.

Same with working - you can read all you want but it's only until you start working that you start going "ohhhhhh....."

Anyways, yeah - get started ASAP - but also be careful.

I got my first SEO client when I didn't know ANYTHING, I read for maybe 1 week, and never had an SEO client ever lol.

So I put a man's business - a man's livelihood - at risk. It all worked out but I still kinda feel a little bad for the risk. That's how he feeds his kids, yanno?

But when the pressure is on, you kinda learn really fast so...

I don't really know what to advise. Just find the balance between "I gotta read 3873873 books" and "I'm gonna rearrange this mans business strategy with no knowledge at all!"

There's a way to ease into these things. Especially with the internet. If you're a new copywriter, you don't have to take up a client right away. You can write 10 sales letters and post them on here to see what we think of them and where we can help.

If you do paid ads, you can take $100-500 and mess around selling a service in your area (even if you don't have a service) - just make a landing page and put your personal number on it. Then when people call for a plumber just get their address then connect them with a good plumber. Or tell them sorry wrong number - whatever

Or if you have an idea for a product or something - do the same thing. Say you wanna sell slippers that look like dog feet or something... Make a landing page and set up a checkout and everything, complete with your pictures and copy and blahblah

But when they put in CC info and go to buy, it's out of stock "Sorry, we'll have em in soon!"

Basically I'm saying to stop making ginormous plans unless you have experience making/conquering medium plans. And don't make medium plans unless you have experience making/conquering small plans.

Whatever big goal you have - there's a small version of it that you can start RIGHT NOW

Wanna open up a carpet cleaning company?

Ok just buy some secondhand cleaning equipment and some carpet tiles from home depot, then throw wine and sh*t on the carpet and start f*cking around and finding out how sh*t works, how various type of stains react with the carpet blahblah

Just spitballing ideas but you get the point

There's ALWAYS something you can do RIGHT NOW

Put down the book and pull out a blank piece of paper and be uncomfortable until you come up with an actual, actionable task you can do. Screw theory

Also don't get caught up in planning - that's mental masturbation too

Write ACTIONABLE tasks and do them

Be the boss and employee

Write instructions like a boss and follow them like an employee - that's how I've found to get sh*t done

Love your posts @whiz. I'm guessing you're young. Mid twenties?

I've been slaving over a digital marketing plan for 3 months. By three months, I mean 10 hours a day minimum, 7 days a week. Yeah, I'd sure like to "jump in" and get it done. Doesn't work that way.

To summarize the work, it included learning how to create world class printed materials (flyers, etc.) creating logos (closely related), mastering photo and publishing software to make custom graphics, creating websites, integrating them with CRM software, creating custom emails (graphic), copy writing, learning SEO, learning keyword research, AdWords, Social Media - - - and combining ALL of this together as a marketing machine - WHILE creating the actual content/message/sales techniques along the way. One side (the methods) cannot exist without the other side (the product/service) and they have to mesh together at multiple levels. Oh, and better track it all the while, and do some A/B testing too. I also embed hidden codes in everything so I know what is most effective and thus where to concentrate my resources. I'm not saying I'm good at this. I am acceptable. I am a mere beginner, I'm sure, to many people here. In my industry, however, I'm a giant. It's all relative - I'm both a peon and a super hero.

The reason I mention all of this is this... there is no way on Earth anyone is going to jump into that and learn it as they go.

I recently finished my first phase. A phase is I have a product/service and the means to launch it full force. A ton of work. But guess what? Now that it's done, I have cloned it six times. It's targeted to six distinct audiences, tailored to fit key search words/phrases exactly. Within 24 hours I will modify it to approach a different market, and clone it again six times. After the third time, I'm going to focus one one segment out of my six markets and really work to boost that up. Then the next, etc.

Although it took me 3 long agonizing months (actually 6, if consider a work week to be 40 hours) I have now reached the finish line. For the first "phase" of the relay race. Or the first "inning." From here on out, it's divide and conquer.

Just wanted to show you a different perspective.

It's like learning Chinese. Sure I can do it. Anyone can. But it isn't going to happen within a month or two. Maybe a good year to have an acceptable level. Not good, but perhaps acceptable at least.

Here's one TINY thing, just as an example of what I have to wrestle with. I just found the answer tonight, actually. You can't embed short code text into a button that links to a URL. That seems stupid to me, but my tech support says it can't be done. Programmers can figure out things, but they can't think too broadly. This should be an easy function to implement. It would be a great feature for the SAAS crowd out there to figure out. If you don't know what I'm talking about, skip it and consider yourself lucky. It's crap like that which I've been studying for months.

This has been the most frustrating thing I've ever done. Certainly the most concentrated. I hope it turns out to be worth it ~ Now back to work.

 

[Real Deal Denver]

27 how'd you guess?

You have 27 written all over you!

That's a very good thing, by the way!

I started my first company when I was 25. Over the years, I've noticed that 25-35 are the peak years for most men as far as drive and focus. After that, the drive decreases, but is compensated in other ways.

But at 27? Whoa - you're a wild mustang full of vigor! Enjoy that, because it won't last forever. Since I'm so much smarter now, one of my projects is a time machine. Yeah, those late 20's/early 30's are a great time in your life!

Thanks for the additional insight, by the way. Your posts are always at the top of my list to read.

 

[Ernman]

Great thread Andy - thanks for kicking it off. For what little it's worth, I agree with your position. Research is important, but at some point one must do something to really learn. For instance, I recently started a YouTube channel. First it was watching various types of YouTube channels, then how to vids, then a YouTube for dummies, then...ok just start the channel and really learn. That forced me to learn how to use Camtasia and Snagit. Turns out there's was a lot more I could do with my Adobe photoshop that I wasn't aware of. And each post is - I believe - better than the last one. As human we are experiential, so we need to get out and experience things.

 

[Lee H]

@Andy Black this is a brilliant discussion. Thanks!

It's interesting to come across it now. I've been listening to an audiobook called "How I Made My First Million" and the thing that is clear from almost all of the 16 millionaire entrepreneurs that contributed is they just got started. No over analysis, no VC investment and very little in the way of business plans. They just started helping people get what they wanted, and scaled it.

You and they have taught me loads!

 

[BaraQueenbee]

How I have missed these posts @Andy Black (due to my own absence)

Just be aware that time spent consuming is time not spent producing.

This is something that I can get lost in myself, so a wonderful and great reminder.

Thank you for writing out all of this!

 

[Andy Black]

I have always been against the way our school system teaches. I believe it creates more of an employee mindset.

Agreed. School is there to create workers in the factories.

 

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[Cvince]

Agreed. School is there to create workers in the factories.

It's refreshing that many are starting to wake up to this fact. I think school is for people who want to be become certain professions, ie; doctors, lawyers, etc.

 

[Andy Black]

Thanks Andy.

How does this contrast with just in time learning? What if what you are working on is best not learned on the job or as it comes up, and preparation is necessary for better execution/production?

I love just in time learning. I try to focus on the hurdle in front of me and not the one way beyond, and that’s what just in time learning is about.

Though I’ll say again that I’ve nothing against learning per se. I’m just aware that it can be a slippery slope as well as an action fake.

The lines that keep me in check are:

“You can’t invoice for input.” (Blaise Brosnan)

“Overthinking is the art of solving problems you don’t have.”

 

[knz]

Fantastic post, thank you. I'm often stuck with this in my mind and have a great example of it. Maybe it can help anyone here I always feel very much annoyed with myself when I notice I think a lot beforehand and then take action on the background before getting out there. Gotta get it out my system.

Now the example is the following. I'm seen as an expert in my industry (gaming and esports) which makes things easier and more difficult. Working with great brands approaching me and being in media often having interviews for example. But, it also makes people ask me stuff which can distract me. Now, since 2016 I give workshops and presentations for parents with gaming children, it has my biggest 'why' due to personal experience.

For the past year I've been thinking about scaling this online, as workshops and presentations aren't CENTS as you can imagine. For over a year I've been creating some products, got a logo (yup..) for a name I thought off, thought of the models and things to teach in modules (didn't yet produce that yet), and gave a company the task to develop a new platform (instead of using kajabi or something similar to start with.)

In other words. I now realise I could've ''been out there'' already using things that are there. I could've helped parents already through online courses and forms of support which in return would generate income to eventually fund the platform I'm creating. You can guess the issue here is that in such a situation, also income can sometimes be a struggle. Looking back is always easier. PS: I read TMF and Unscripted in the past 1,5 month.

At the same time, happy to say that in about 1 month it will go live. But I could've taken another approach the past year and already be out there for 11 months let's say.

This is a great lesson I've learned and something I struggle with regularly. I hope many of you won't fall for the same trap. I think it's perfectly fine to create a platform, work hard behind the scenes to create something long-term. But, it doesn't have to be perfect. Which is another weakness I have. Go out there and be active in the field, test along the way and create along the way as well. It is easy writing it here, but in practice not as much sometimes hehe.

As far as 'focus' goes, MJ talks about focussing on 1 thing. Build it, and whenever wealth comes your way you can have fun with multiple companies and such. They didn't start that way. The ''shiny object syndrome'' is something many experience.

The past year I worked with companies like vodafone, kia motors and spinnin' records to help them enter the gaming and esports domain. Great source of income to fund my parents project and such. I've been thinking about building another online course for this target audience. Basically, going from 1-to-1 also to 1-to-many (with 1-on1 still being an option, just being able to help more people).

Its been only in my thoughts, I didn't really took that much action yet. I'm thinking about doing it the other way around compared with the Parents project I do. Create a presentation, make a video or webinar, get on the phone with leads and test the market for interest. If someone registers, develop the content along the way and see where it goes. Action > thinking.

However, I realise it takes me off route from the parents stuff which makes me feel in doubt. On the other hand, I still do things with schools, municipalities, or companies regularly to have some extra income. This is 1-on1 work, meaning a course would be more beneficial time-wise and ability to help more people at the same time. Do it, or not do it. Would be interested in hearing from any of you about similar situations and what you learned from it. It's another interesting decision with a learning curve right behind it Wouldn't take too much crazy effort building the course as the steps I take with parents and businesses is stuff I already know. Just put it together and improve it over time.

Hope some bits were at least useful. Get out there!

TLDR:
- Get to the forefront and learn and develop stuff along the way on the background
- Don't let yourself be distracted by others asking things of you
- It doesn't have to be perfect. Being out there is more important
- Would you have business A and then start business B while still building A? It's the same industry, just another target audience.

 

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[Anon79341]

Wow, I think you couldn't be more clear. In the last time I've been quite obsessed with gaining more "knowledge" about business, but the only thing i got from it is feeling like I'm "not good enough" and is really frustrating.

Last summer I went door-to-door offering to restaurants a special variety of tomatoes I grew, I designed and built a nice cardboard box, emphasized they were organic and started selling them. I didn't succeed as the demand was too little in my town, but I'm proud I put myself into real world and took action.

That made me realize I'm ready to start something, the only challenge ahead is getting rid of the negative self-talk which makes me think "I need more content".

 

[Andy Black]

Bump for those stuck in the learning loop because you believe you don't know enough.

Think about what you'd do right now if you already know enough.

Do that.

 

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[Andy Black]

Thanks for this @Andy Black, and for everyone else who has contributed.

This came really timely as I was just about to post a thread about “Self Help vs Helping Yourself”. I’ve just been rearranging my office to set myself up for 2022 and it struck me how many books I had that could be classed as Self Help. I don’t mean instructional stuff that I have used to study and obtain certifications but books like “Miracle Morning”, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a f*ck” and many others. There must be 50 I shit you not.

All that time I’ve spent reading those books I could’ve been doing something, producing something, giving value to others.

Self Help should be more about Helping Yourself. Stop reading all those books, stop watching motivational YouTube videos, stop listening to those Podcasts. Take a break from all those artificial dopamine generators. Focus on yourself and take action.

Move from Consumer to Producer.

What works for me is to focus on helping others. Then you don’t need self-development books as you’re no longer in your way.

 

[heavy_industry]

Thanks! Very useful insight.

I believe this to be a very clever and well hidden way of procrastination. You don't do anything because you think you don't know enough yet. So you waste time consuming more information that you will never put into practice.

However, I do believe that the opposite of this problem is also a concern for some individuals.
There have been many times in my life where I was so focused on getting things done and working endless hours, but most of the effort didn't pay off because I was simply lacking theoretical understanding of the subject.

I think the best course of action is to just start doing, and when you clearly see that you're lacking skills in certain areas go back to the books. Study those things very well, then go back to working.

So cycling on and off the theoretical learning phase as needed, instead of getting stuck in either one of them.

 

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[Andy Black]

I want to contact a bunch of ecommerce stores about email marketing. I feel like so many stores and agencies place so much importance on advertising and completely underestimate the power of email. I will email the ecommerce stores saying I've designed newsletter templates I'd like to show to them. For the ones that respond, I'll subscribe to their newsletter, see how they do it, and make it better.

Or subscribe to their newsletters and give immediate and quick feedback on them?

I find it best to start by helping people, and without their permission.

 

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[Andy Black]

But we want to do better quality work, not become better quality readers

Exactly.

We get better at what we do more of.

Do we want to be better readers, or better business operators?

Also...

"The market doesn't pay for input."
(Blaise Brosnan)

Reading is input.

Good luck invoicing someone because you read some books.

 

[rensjake]

What a mind blowing facts, Thank you. I was definetly paralized thinking about every problems that could happen, That I forgot that taking action is the best Solution.

 

[Subsonic]

The cycle is act asses adjust.

It always starts with act.

For the longest time I spent 90% of my time assessing.
Now I mostly do act and I got to a point where I make 10x more money than before.
Granted it's still not a lot but I could live off it.

Try living off reading books or watching videos...

 

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[LiveEntrepreneur]

I think it’s a big part of the script.

You need a degree in business or entrepreneurship.

You need to spend money on a course before you’re good enough to help someone.

You need a piece of paper before you should even compete.

Here, get training as part of your package when you come work for us. That training would be thousands if you were to pay for it yourself. You need that additional training to advance your career.

What do you need?

Ah, that makes sense. Though I have a question to you, if you are stuck on a problem you need to use a resource to solve it right? Are you only recommending free solutions like google to avoid the consumer mentality? Though Google I find is full of rubbish most of the time.

 

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[Andy Black]

Ah, that makes sense. Though I have a question to you, if you are stuck on a problem you need to use a resource to solve it right? Are you only recommending free solutions like google to avoid the consumer mentality? Though Google I find is full of rubbish most of the time.

Do what you have to do to get over that hurdle. It could well mean paying someone to teach you, do it with you, or do it for you.

 

[LiveEntrepreneur]

Do what you have to do to get over that hurdle. It could well mean paying someone to teach you, do it with you, or do it for you.

Ok thanks. I am struggling to uderstand it a bit but i think what you are trying to say is. When u have a problem u dont to go out and buy entire courses or books for that one problem. But sometimes it may require it? Is this right?

 

[TreyAllDay]

Agreed. Take action first and learn as you go - that way you know what you need to learn.

Sent from my SM-A520W using Tapatalk

 

[Zach123]

So then what if you’re just 19 and don’t know literally anything about business besides what I’ve read in mj’s books, it seems dumb to just start without knowing anything, or am I just subconsciously using that as an excuse? I have no idea where to start, I’d figure I’d read a bunch of books and study business/entrepreneurship/economics/finance but you guys are basically saying that’s worthless? This is confusing the hell out of me

 

[The Abundant Man]

So then what if you’re just 19 and don’t know literally anything about business besides what I’ve read in mj’s books, it seems dumb to just start without knowing anything, or am I just subconsciously using that as an excuse? I have no idea where to start, I’d figure I’d read a bunch of books and study business/entrepreneurship/economics/finance but you guys are basically saying that’s worthless? This is confusing the hell out of me

As Bruce Lee said "Boards don't hit back."

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[Sprocket]

Thank you so much for writing this. I was completely unaware that I had fallen into that spiral. I’ve been reading and learning (unconsciously consuming) more and more because I felt I wasn’t enough.

I’ve been thinking about your post for two days. It’s changed my thinking completely and utterly. Thank you!

 

[LittleJohn]

So then what if you’re just 19 and don’t know literally anything about business besides what I’ve read in mj’s books, it seems dumb to just start without knowing anything, or am I just subconsciously using that as an excuse? I have no idea where to start, I’d figure I’d read a bunch of books and study business/entrepreneurship/economics/finance but you guys are basically saying that’s worthless? This is confusing the hell out of me

Think of what you hear from even highly successful people, "Ive read hundred of books, I don't watch TV I read books, etc. etc. etc."

Reading and learning is ESSENTIAL. But there is a time when you have an idea to pursue you just have to do it and learn as you hit barriers vs. Learn everything about every possible barrier before its even a barrier.

Don't let this confuse you. You got this man. You are young and you never have more time than you have now. Invest in learning no doubt about it and take action on your dreams and you will learn (probably more) by getting started and doing as well.

 

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[LittleJohn]

Look in the mirror and say: “I am enough. Because I say I am.”

Yeah man Im with this Andy.

If Identity is not in alignment with what you are trying to do your mind will trick you to mentally masturbate some more. I really think that's why some people have to work on removing limited beliefs. Others are just rock stars and lucky I suppose.

 

[Lee H]

It's refreshing that many are starting to wake up to this fact. I think school is for people who want to be become certain professions, ie; doctors, lawyers, etc.

I agree, schools are there to create good employees and consumers. The problem is that the system is broken. Today's teachers are good employees and consumers. It's all they really know because teaching is a profession.

Very few teachers these days have ever been outside of the system.

It's a vicious circle.

We as parents, friends and mentors need to take responsibility and educate our young about how to escape the system.