One of the failings of people (myself included) is that they believe  – much like Mulder from the Ex Files – that “The Truth Is Out There”. It is a never ending quest.

And in the process they ignore what they already know in search of new information.

They ignore the customers they have in search of new customers.

They ignore the business they have in search of new ideas and businesses.

They ignore their own wisdom in search of someone who can tell them what to do or know.

The secret to success must be just around the corner. And if not there, then around the next corner after that…

While we search we miss what is at our feet.

Acres of Diamonds is a brilliant story about that very condition, and teaches us that the riches we need are right with us.

And as Jeffery Gitomer says… when you want to lean or read something really cutting edge, just go back a hundred years.

Click Here to download the Acres of Diamonds PDF by by Russell H. Conwell

Good is the enemy of great, so they say.

The logic is that by accepting “good is close enough” then you will never obtain greatness…that you will forever be destined for mediocrity.

However, I think that great is the enemy of good because the need to be perfect stops people even trying.

Brian Tracy: everyone that is good at something once was bad at it. He says this somewhat proudly of himself. Now he is a world famous sales trainer, but admits freely to be awful when he started (did you know you can actually get fired from commission-only sales jobs?!) and it was only because of asking questions and then modelling winners that he succeeded. The lesson: acknowledge you’ll probably suck when you start things – be it selling, or learning Spanish, or playing Stairway to Heaven.

I read a story years ago about Andres Segovia, world famous classical guitarist. He’d get stage fright before concerts, and before one performance – when he came out on stage and sat down he just whacked the strings, making an awful noise on his guitar. He laughed, people wondered what he was up to! He said “it’ll get better now..” and started to play. Apparently the fear of making that type of noise paralysed him with fear, so by making it, it was over at the start. He could move on. The lesson – imagine what worst thing that can happen – and decide if you can live with that.  You probably can.

Sometimes “the worst” is not all bad. I did an email once to a “bought list” that I hadn’t checked properly… I was just too excited about getting my message out to this group of people (72000 email addresses). When I did the email, then I looked at the list and realised it had the details of all kinds of people I didn’t want to email – various suppliers and competitors – for a product I was keeping “secret”. I nearly had a heart attack! Then I thought to myself “well, that was the worst that could have happened. It just happened. It wasn’t so bad.” Then I told a few people and had a laugh about it. The worst was over, and nothing bad happened.

So, while there is another lesson in here (check your lists!) on the balance of things  – action still beats inaction.

Lack of action is often shown in two different ways.

One is perfectionism. The other is procrastination.

They are related. In fact, people who are perfectionists wear it as a badge of honour, yet I think it masks a fear of action. Or a fear of being judged. The perfectionist would have you believe that they will do X when it is all ready to roll out. For now on they are working on it. The flaw in this is that 90% of the things being worked on never see the light of day. So, perfection causes everything to just stall. How many really good books (or songs, or business plans, or proposals…) are left 90% done, and never see the light of day?

I knew someone once (no, not me…) that went on a 7 day holiday by the beach and never went for a swim, because for them a swim had to be planned, kids looked after, the right time of day etc… and this just slipped by day after day. Time to pack up and leave, and no swim.

Procrastination is more obvious, but I think the root causes are the same: Fear of an action with an imperfect result.

I think beginning is the hardest thing. When I used to run I had a deal with myself. If I didn’t feel like running I’d just put my shoes on, take a step outside, and see what happened. The hardest part of getting the mental energy together to lace up your shoes. After that a 10km run just happened. (OK, now I don’t run…or swim, or cycle – you’d guess if we met).

As I am writing this I am thinking… there are things I am guilty of procrastinating about right now because I can’t do them perfectly. It is often easier to to spot these traits in other people (like I did with our friend at the beach) but a great question to ask is “where do I do this?”. This is a great universal lesson actually. When you see someone be rude at a waiter, or rude in a shop… ask yourself “when do I do this?”. It is illuminating.

I don’t know who said it, but a great quote is “The person who doesn’t read is no better than the person who can’t”.

What are you not doing because you’re not great at it?

In your business, this could be finally doing the direct mail letter you know you should do… even if your letter is imperfect. Are the flaws in your letter keeping it from ever seeing the light of day. And to twist the quote above, the person who doesn’t write is no better than the person who can’t.

Phone some customers…even if you don’t have a script prepared.

What can you start and allow yourself to be bad at, so that you can progress through average then excellent…without letting the elusiveness of excellence hold you back. Write. Learn a language. Play the guitar. Put your shoes on.

And don’t allow ‘great’ stop you from being ‘good’.

Stuart

PS Could I have written this entry better? Sure. Could I have researched some more stories? Sure. Could it have just have stayed on my laptop until it was perfect? Sure. Maybe forever. Dan Kennedy says “I’d rather be prolific than perfect”, so I went with that.

Here are some tips to help you understand the pro’s and con’s of being a specialist or a generalist:

For being a specialist

• At a specialist (eg a deli) as a customer you get the best of everything – therefore attracting those clients who are after the best.
• At a specialist seller you pay (and can charge) more.
• Car dealerships specialise in a brand, and they are magnetic. a dealer that sells Nissans AND Mercedes would suck (incongruency)
• As a customer, you assume better skills from a specialist
• You need to choose and stake a piece of turf – by product, channel, needs… lots of ways to choose.
• If the area is narrow enough you can be a leader.
• You attract passionate customers.
• You attract passionate staff.
• Examples – car dealers, lawyers with specialist skills, web SEO specialists.
• By broadcasting what you offer passionately, you’ll attract clients like a magnet.
• As customers get smarter and can find exactly what they need, they seek out specialists. Microscopic differences between models become important.
• As the reach of marketing extends, and the reach of customers’ buying extends, you can serve anyone anywhere.
• Your skill becomes better than advertising.
• What makes you good can cover up things you aren’t good at (think of the iphone’s following, and its low tech specs, or the fanatical following of Harley Davidson for a bike that is technically inferior).
• Reduces the need to “sell”.

Against being a specialist

• People will tell you they can’t find what they want.
• People will tell you your range is limited.
• People will tell you you are expensive.
• In short, you’ll alienate and polarise people. (So… you get a thick skin and help those you want to help)
• You give up some easy business, which hurts.

For being a generalist

• Wide choice = convenience – like a supermarket. As a customer you find “most stuff”.
• No really decisions need to be made as a supplier.
• You don’t alienate anyone by turning them away – you probably have what they need.
• Easy.
• Everyone will kind of like you.

Against being a generalist

• You’ll trail your market.
• You’ll never lead any market.
• People find you for convenience but move on when they get educated about what they want
• You can’t tell a generalist apart – coles v. woolies or kmart v target v big w? they end up competing on price.
• People will move on and find specialists as they learn more.
• You’ll compete on price (if you WANT to compete on price – then great. As long as you’ve actively decided).
• More than one message, and your message will get lost.

My advice

Generalise if you need bucks straight away, but realise it is a short term proposal (months, years maybe…)

Work out quickly your direction, who you want to keep and who you want to not keep as customers.

If you have customers you want to keep but like your current offering, work out how you can keep them.

Work out where you need to get better, and how you can stick out.

Work out what differentiations matter to clients, and which they’ll pay for (keeping in mind that asking people is fraught with danger – people are bad at predicting their future behaviour or correctly attributing reason to their behaviours).

It’s easy to pick the wrong thing to focus on (service is a bad idea, price is a bad idea)

Think of it musically – as a generalist you are a covers band playing whatever people want. This might work for a busker, but if you want to fill a venue you need to polarise you audience – love or hate.

GE was brave enough to exit any market it wasn’t in the top three…investing efforts in those it lead. It grew exponentially.

Look for a niche that is an inch wide but a mile deep (ie drill down) rather than an inch deep and a mile wide (top soil, which appears like an easy choice but there is no gold in it).

If you are not passionate, find something else.

If you could do it for the love of it, what would you do?

It’s easy to slip back to generalisation as opportunities present themselves. Set boundaries.

Unreasonableness is rewarded, eventually.

Why I care

I fight this mental battle daily between what is easy and what I know is sustainable long term.

Further Research Recommended

Seth Godin – Purple Cow
Jack Trout and Steve Rivkin – Differentiate or Die
Markus Buckingham  – Go Put Your Strengths to Work