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What if you already know enough?

Defection

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

I chose to clear my head not fill it.

I know it's an old thread, but these quotes are gold. I feel that a lot of the newcomers to this forum can benefit a lot from what has been mentioned here.

At the time I read this, I had accumulated around 30 tabs at the top of my Chrome browser with threads that I was planning to read next.

I try to consume everything in one go instead of breaking things down into chunks to make them easier to digest.

I was also wondering how on earth @Andy Black finds the time to provide as much value to the forum as he does. The reality? I'll be reading 30 threads, he'll be implementing work.

I needed this today. It's time for me to start getting sh*t done. Thanks Andy!
 
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D

Deleted74396

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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.

Andy the way you write and get across ideas is amazing, it's inspirational, I always get pulled in when reading!

I wasn't a great student and only reluctantly went to college at 16, but I feel like after engaging with too much of the ClickFunnels community I started to consume and research too much.

After stopping letting those take up my free time, I soon felt better about myself. Before I found FLF I was actually the opposite of what you mention at the start here!

I thought I was an incredible Facebook expert who could do anything, then I joined FLF (thanks to a Reddit suggestion) and saw that I don't have all the answers and do have more to learn.

Or at least, even if in practice I knew what to do, I'm not able to communicate these ideas effectively prior to experience with them. Talking to people with businesses totally different to ones I've ran, I've realised I don't have all the Facebook marketing solutions yet

I actually referred another Redditor here as I couldn't answer his social media marketing question, and it's only the part of his business that he's really struggling with. I want to help him so bad but I just haven't been able to. One thing I like about FLF is that there are so many people willing to help.
 

Andy Black

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Thanks for reading, replying, and your kinds words.


I've realised I don't have all the Facebook marketing solutions yet
You don't need them all @elusive97. You just need enough to help someone.

Business is simple: Help people. Get paid.

Now then... maybe this call might help you:
 

Leo Hendrix

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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.

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.

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?
 
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Andy Black

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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.”
 
D

Deleted74396

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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 an 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.”

But don't you need to learn quite a bit in advance to show you can solve the potential clients problem before they start paying you? For example those people I said I wasn't sure how I was able to help, had I been a call, even just saying 'honestly I'm not sure how to do that, but I'm a quick learner and will figure a way' isn't going to inspire much confidence and lead to a sale surely?
 

Andy Black

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But don't you need to learn quite a bit in advance to show you can solve the potential clients problem before they start paying you? For example those people I said I wasn't sure how I was able to help, had I been a call, even just saying 'honestly I'm not sure how to do that, but I'm a quick learner and will figure a way' isn't going to inspire much confidence and lead to a sale surely?
People want to hire problem solvers. Sure, they would prefer to hire someone with a track record of solving the problem they believe they have. But if you’ve solved similar problems then that’s often enough.

“Hey Andy. Can you help me run the Google Ads for my shepherd business?”

“Hmmm. I’ve only run ads for blacksmiths. I don’t know if will work exactly the same. At a guess I’d try A, B, and C. I think we’d know in a month or two if it’s going to work. Do you want to test it?”

“Sure. Let’s try that process and see where we end up in a month.”


I have a process and people buy that.
 
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Deleted74396

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I have a process and people buy that.

That's a great way of putting it! I think the process is what I'm still figuring out, I need it to be broader than my existing one (when working for myself) to apply to more businesses more effectively
 

Andy Black

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That's a great way of putting it! I think the process is what I'm still figuring out, I need it to be broader than my existing one (when working for myself) to apply to more businesses more effectively
Just apply your current process to one business? Your process will evolve the more times you apply it.
 

knz

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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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A

Anon79341

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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".
 
D

Deleted78083

Guest
Many of you are straight out of school or college.

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

Whenever a new challenge comes up you’ve been programmed to search 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.


On point, massive cognitive dissonance.
 

Chasta_tea

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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 on how to start a business.”

Here in this forum we’d call any 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 hidden rabbit-hole lying in wait for you 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 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 wouldn't have known 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 notebook.”


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.

Whenever a new challenge comes up you’ve been programmed to search 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) 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.

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.

WOW! @Andy Black once again with the knowledge bombs! Couldn’t agree more with this post and this is coming from someone who read 6 books 2-3 times each in a matter of 6 months! In the interest of not sounding like a hypocrite, I do credit those 6 books for creating an essential paradigm shift in my way of thinking. Reading is such a passive, no-action oriented task that it bleeds non-productivity to me. This is why, to this day, I cannot sit with a physical book in my hand and read it. Not when the minutes, hours and days are putting me one step closer to the grave. However, when I was a broke single mom tethered to that cold dead cubicle, I utilized audiobooks to pump life into my 8-hour shift during periods of down. This in turn shifted my thinking from “let me suffer through this” to “let me get the heck out of here”. Lol

In this day and age, I would even say creating a website is not even the first thing you need to do anymore when you start down the path of entrepreneurship. Not when most everyone skips your website to find your social media page. Prior to my paradigm shift, I created a Facebook page for a niche group, shared nothing but memes about how tragic the life of a single parent is and started gaining 100s of followers. I honestly didn’t even understand what was happening until I began seeing the world through the eyes of the mentors (both dead and alive) who had shown me the path through those few books I read. Now I understand why I gained those 100s of followers is because I wasn’t trying to sell them something they didn’t need. I was relating to them and the pain they faced on a daily regular basis by sharing my own vulnerabilities as a single parent.

So, at the end of the day, put the book down and get out there. I promise anyone they are an expert at something or many somethings and don’t even need a book to tell or show them that.

Thanks for sharing @Andy Black!!
 
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Martin Boeddeker

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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 on how to start a business.”

Here in this forum we’d call any 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 hidden rabbit-hole lying in wait for you 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 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 wouldn't have known 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 notebook.”


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.

Whenever a new challenge comes up you’ve been programmed to search 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) 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.

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.

I've read this post for the first time but very well said! Thank you, even though it's almost two years later. :)
 

themarkboogie

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

And that he was streets ahead of me.
100%. As MJ says: the best book is the one that solves the problem right in front of you.
One of the better analogies I’ve heard about this is imagining your knowledge destination is a wall. Every book you read or podcast you listen to gets you halfway closer, after a few you are pretty close, but no matter how much you read or study you will never actually reach it.
A Japanese Sensei took me and another enthusiastic beginner aside and asked us if we knew the secret to learning faster.

He leant forward and whispered: “Teach”.
Make it a goal to not consume any new info for a week. Use your current skill sets to take action. Then in a week evaluate whether or not you need more knowledge to execute. If not, then keep executing. If you do, then go learn whatever it is you need and repeat the process.
The truth is you don't know anything until you get started.

Content knowledge and experience knowledge are not in the same league at all. Ten hours of content knowledge is worth less than one hour of experience knowledge.
"It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child."
--Pablo Picasso
The way I see it, book readers and resource resource consumers are motivated, they know what they want, but they want to perfect it, the first time. They also want it easy, so they get stuck building the foundation before the castle (I know I did).
They want to work towards their goal but have no room for error. If they do leave error and it doesn't take off, they will have to sit and stew in their corporate cesspit for 5-6 months while their business ramps up. Why do this when you can just read one (or two or three...) Magical books and wind up in a lambo cruising down main street tomorrow?

It's a question of risk acceptance and risk mitigation, unfortunately acceptance is the only truly fastlane path.
“Overthinking is the art of solving problems you don’t have.”

So many of these quotes hit close to home for me. I've always been a thinker but I believe my focus on school to get me from the sidewalk to the slowlane severely impacted my thought processes and instincts. I find myself often overthinking and looking for books/content to teach me the "secret sauce" rather than just trying something. This paralysis is mentally draining and leads to lost confidence and continued inactivity. It really is a vicious cycle.

Thanks for the reminders, Andy, as well as the rest of you. Today I made a conscious decision to move forward with an idea and take action for the first time since I started a clothing brand in high school. Time will tell if I'm successful or not, but your production of this content contributed positively to my dream and I thank you for that.
 

Andy Black

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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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woken

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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.

This is awesome and helpful, as always, Andy.

Also, a small thing to add is don’t go from one extreme to the other.
Meaning don’t start writing yet another business book :rofl:
 

ExaltedLife

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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 few 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 on how to start a business.”

Here in this forum we’d call any 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 hidden rabbit-hole lying in wait for you 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 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 wouldn't have known 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.”



Many of you are straight out of school or college.

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

Whenever a new challenge comes up you’ve been programmed to search 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) 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.

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.
I finally understood this recently after letting it stop me for years. "Learn by doing" ought to be the entrepreneur's education philosophy
 

Itizn

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There are very successful people in my industry who have come to me asking for my advice and help with their problems situations.

Wouldn't have happened if I didn't just "pick up the phone and start dialing"
 
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Andy Black

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There are very successful people in my industry who have come to me asking for my advice and help with their problems situations.

Wouldn't have happened if I didn't just "pick up the phone and start dialing"
Good example.

I think learning is a comfort blanket for many.
 

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Bump.


Your goal isn’t to “learn” anything. It’s to help people, then help people and get paid.

Down your books and spend your time helping people. Do it without expectation, and without being desperate.

The best learning is on the job anyway.
 

Andy Black

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Bump for those who have a New Year resolution to “learn more”.
 
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DMass

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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.
 

Andy Black

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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.
 

Thapaqazi

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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 few 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 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 on how to start a business.”

Here in this forum we’d call any 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 hidden rabbit-hole lying in wait for you 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 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 wouldn't have known 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.”



Many of you are straight out of school or college.

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

Whenever a new challenge comes up you’ve been programmed to search 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) 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.

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.
Well, thank you Andy. There is so much to take in from this and realize but what it all boils down to I guess is the last line.
 
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Peter Kay

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Better do today or even instantly as you read this. Put everything else aside.

There has been some research on this. If you don't start within 72 hours from your decision to start, the probability that you'll ever start drops radically (I believe even below 1%).
Thinking about this makes alot much more sense. There are times I have noticed this about myself that most of the things that I was pumped to work upon died as ideas after a week of not trying to even do it.
 

DumplingEveryDay

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Many of you are straight out of school or college.

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

Whenever a new challenge comes up you’ve been programmed to search 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 found this really insightful. This is something I hadn't considered before. It really hit me deeply. I appreciate you sharing it.
 

heavy_industry

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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

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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.
As MJ says, the best book is the one that solves the problem in front of you.

Otherwise we’re overthinking (solving problems we don’t have).
 

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