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Achieving Large Goals Through Small Steps

Here are some practical ways of achieving large goals through small steps:

Start - staring is always the first, and one of the most important steps

Educate - Seek knowledge which is specific to your field and apply it in real time.

Clarity - have a clear vision and use it to break down into micro visions.

Momentum - make sure you keep your output going on a consistent basis.

Positivity - Always remain positive and learn to embrace and enjoy challenges. It's the hard times that make your stronger.

It's important to approach large goals one step at a time. Nothing happens over night. Building anything substantial requires large investments of time and the ability to keep going no matter what obstacles come into your path.

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The Drug Called Achievement

Nothing can be more satisfying in life than to look back on something you completed, feeling satisfied and knowing you did something worthwhile. A billionaire once told me, "life is about achieving things." Nothing could be closer to the truth.

Many times we find ourselves looking up to high performers, athletes, business men, doctors and even actors. What do these individuals have in common? They get things done.

The ability to zero in on your goals and follow through on them is the closest you'll get to possessing superpowers. Think of it, If there is an objective in front of you and you commit all your faculties to getting it done, you are literally create an Ideal environment to make anything happen.

Developing follow through is the single best way of inching yourself closer to any set objective. There is nothing more powerful than someone who has an addiction to achievement. How can you compete with someone who has an unhealthy obsession of being better than he was yesterday?

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The one skill that rules them all

There exists a skillset that rules every aspect of our lives. The moment we wake up in the morning to the moment we go to bed. It reflects on how happy we feel, it influences our professional and private lives and most importantly, It plays a role in how we view ourselves. This skill is called communication, and the better we are at, the more impact and fulfilment we experience in our lives.

Most people have the idea that good communicators are simply born with these skills. Fortunately, this is not always the case. Although someone can have a natural tendency of being a good communicator, communication skills can be developed through practice and hard work.

Here is a list of observable characteristics good communicators have:

Empathy - The ability to understand, connect and consider the perspectives of others. This helps them formulate and personalise the right approach to anyone.

Body Language - Good communicators understand the power of non-verbal language and use it to establish clearer and more dynamic communication outcomes.

Active Listening - Listening allows good communicators to establish deep connections with their audience which allows them to feel understood.

Authenticity - Being genuine builds deep levels of trust and allows others to perceive you as sincere and transparent.

Clarity - Expressing your thoughts clearly and concisely creates a powerful channel for understanding and eliminates confusion and misunderstanding.

As with any skillset, practice is the mother of skill. Being a good communicator means constantly developing and using new skillsets in real environments, practicing and testing your new capabilities in real time.

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The Stoic Mind In Business

Using Stoic Concepts In Business

In the ever-changing world of business, entrepreneurs and leaders are always seeking ways of become more dynamic and effective in facing challenges and achieving long term success. As a society we often look into the past to understand the present and plan for the future. One philosophy that offers powerful insights is Stoicism, a school of thought that was born from one of Rome's greatest emperors Marcus Aurelius. Self control, rationality and the art of living a virtuous life are all concepts that can take business professionals to new heights by improving decision-making, creating strong resilience and producing more balanced leaders.

One of the fundamental concepts of the Stoic life is the principle of focusing on what is within your control and having enough self awareness to understand that which is not. By letting go of the things that are beyond our control we free up valuable internal resources to focus on the things that truly matter. Much like market fluctuations or unforeseen events, letting go allows us to redirect our energy towards constructive actions, leading to more effective outcomes and reducing unnecessary stress.

In business, failures and setbacks are inevitable. Stoicism encourages us to embrace the hardships and understand that difficult circumstances create big opportunities for growth and self reflection. Individuals that adopt this mindset can face adversity with peace and confidence knowing their actions are fostering and inspiring resilience within their business structures and teams.

Being present in each moment is one of the leading attributes of true stoicism. The idea that the present moment is the only moment in existence allows one to center themselves in complete self awareness. In the fast-paced business world, It's very easy to sink oneself in future anxieties, stresses or past regrets. By staying fully present in the moment, business leaders can make more logical decisions, communicate more effectively and forge more meaningful relationships with partners, clients, and customers.

Using Stoic concepts in the business world can be game changing for both organizations, leaders, and their teams. Stoicism practices transform the way we look at the world and turn a mirror on ourselves, allowing us to see a clearer picture of who we are in connection to our environment and our fellow man.

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THE RISK

Reality has a way of reminding us that without risk, there can be no reward. For what comes easy, fades into the irrelevant. That which is fought with danger deserves much reward. The dragon always defends the gold.

And so the same concept lies behind start ups. The bolder the move, the bigger the chances of gaining exponential reward. Not taking risks always limits your upside. The definition of innovation itself means taking a risk, trying something that has not been done before.

If your goals are to build a billion dollar company, you cannot do it on a safe bet. Truly successful entrepreneurs are always doubling down and pushing their boundaries. It doesn't take much to understand why, simply look at the most successful companies and it will become clear they took massive risks, hanging on the verge of a cliff and ultimately winning the game.

If you are not a risk taker, you might want to consider another profession.

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PITCH

Pitches should be short, sweet and to the point. Have it ready to go at all times.

Follow this basic structure:

Introduce yourself

Introduce your company

Describe your product/service

Describe your customers

Explain the problem

Explain the solution

Talk about what makes your product/service stand out.

Always practice, refine and continue to become better communicator. The biggest investment is self investment.

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READING YOUR CONSUMERS MIND

Every successful business creates something that people find truly useful. They use clear validated language to improve all aspects of their clients experience.

Validated language allows companies to connect with their clients on a deeper level because they tap into the primal centres of their mind. When they look at your product/service, they are not thinking by logic first. Their subconscious mind is literally in a primal mode looking to satisfy their urges. This process takes nanoseconds.

The average individual does not care about product features or marketing platitudes. Rather, most human beings operate with doubts, fears, struggles, hopes and dreams. Taking this into account, one must always connect with the customer from their internal world. Take your time to study your consumer, ask them questions and try to really get an Idea of what drives them and what problems they are struggling with.

Here are 3 simple steps to unlock this powerful dynamic:

LISTEN

Uncover their internal world through questions. Attempt to get a deeper understanding of their drives, doubts, fears and hopes.

RELATE

Use what you've uncovered with your questions and feed it back at them, build rapport and validate their patterns. Once they feel understood, you have a much better chance to take them to the final stage.

TRANSITION:

Provide a solution based on their internal representations, create a seamless transition, and get them to take action.

The most powerful thing your company can do is seek to truly understand the inner workings of your customers mind. After that, everything becomes a simple step by step guiding process.

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IDEAS - Know thy customer

The key concept when developing ideas is to base them on fact. Always use the problem solution model. If you're constantly facing a problem in your life and other people are also experiencing that problem, chances are, It's a good idea to invest in.

Tackling problems that you experience yourself gives you clarity and insight, you understand exactly what you need and all the issues involved.

Use the following questions to guide you:

What is the problem?

What is the solution?

Who is the customer?

What are the benefits?

What is the market size?

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COMPETITION

If you can be the first to enter a market with an idea that’s proven to work, there’s a lot of capital to be made. Look at what you competitors are doing right, and apply it into your own strategies. Most innovations are based on things that came before them. In most cases, your competition has invested many hours and large sums of money to get ahead in their business. You would really be missing out if you didn’t take advantage of everything they have learned.

Smart business individuals venture deep into enemy territory. If they are to win the war, they need maximum amounts of intel on the enemy. Knowledge is the key to victory.

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MONEY TALKS

Once you find your crew, keep them close. Running a startup is an all or nothing game. In most cases, you’re either going to become incredibly wealthy or nothing at all. There’s no point in being stingy, offer your people equity. Use that precious equity to attract the highest performers in the business and build your dream together. That is what equity is for.

Recruiting the top individuals is essential and the more value they bring, the more you should compensate them.

Once you raise a good funding round, start paying your team, you want everyone to stick with you to the end. Money speaks volumes.

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IDEAS & TEAMS

An Idea without data is called a fantasy. You may have the most amazing business in the world, but until you can show evidence that it provides substantial value to your customer, It’s only a dream locked inside your head.

Always maintain flexibility with Ideas. Some of the most successful companies in the world started with the wrong Ideas but later discovered the right one. Therefore what’s more important is to recognise opportunities and then back them up with rock hard data.

Focus all your energy on bringing in the most talented people - nothing will have a greater impact on your business. Once you have a solid unit, It’s like raising a child together. Hold off on developing your Ideas until you’ve built and developed a powerful team.

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INVESTORS AND CAPITAL

As and entrepreneur, cash is the fuel that powers your company, and without it, you’re in the the ditch with an empty bottle of whiskey.

The key is to validate your assumptions and spend the absolute minimum money and time. Surround yourself with people that work for equity, the reason this works well is they are right beside you working on the vision.

As for raising money for your startup, there are many options. Avoid credit, don’t be a leech and ask for money from your family or friends. Banks can work but they are conservative. Investors and venture capitalists are your best bet. Make sure you have a sound business plan, gather as many qualified opinions as possible, validate all your data and present it to them in the best light possible.

Self Investment is the best investment. Educate yourself, always keep growing, become a master in networking and communication, build strong relationships, constantly work on improving refining your craft. Keep growing and the Investors will show up.

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STARTUP - THE RIGHT REASONS

DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS

The first and most important point in this stage is to have a clear understanding of why you should not get into the startup industry. The reason this is important is because, just like with anything you must know what you’re getting yourself into. Once you have this understanding, It’s easier to make an informed decision and get a clearer perspective on whether it would the right fit for you.

If you want to change the world, add meaning to your life, add a bit of excitement, escape a boring job, be your own boss or become famous, creating a start up is not for you.

The right reason to launch a start up would be because you have a specific problem you are hell bent on solving, and you’ll do almost anything to get there. You may not have the answer now, but solving this problem would be hugely valuable to either a business or to humanity as a whole.

If you want to challenge yourself, enjoy gambling, living in complete uncertainty and possess high levels of self awareness, a startup might just be the thing sent down from heaven.

In summary, DO IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS - If you don’t, you’ll pay the price.

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THE DEPTH OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS

THE DEPTH OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS

The underlying beauty of life is inherently found in the depths of what we call complex systems.  These systems are the core fabric of reality. They are the reason you can comprehend this article, they allow you to feel emotions, they are with you every time you go to work, when you workout in the gym and when you pay your taxes. Complex systems are the basis that life itself is built on. From the interactions within the biological world and all the associated structures, to the vast financial super computers working on big data computations, complex systems work in the background to make it all happen.

Complex systems are made up of numerous interacting structures, these structures are also called agents and most of them work on non linear and emergent behaviour. These structures can be biological, physical and also social. They can also interact in multitude of ways through direct or indirect channels. These interactions create behaviour that is not always predictable, and can lead to a large variety of patterns and structures as well as new and unclear phenomena. 

As you can imagine modeling and figuring out complex systems can be a challenging endeavour due to the huge number of variables and interactions that are involved, made even more challenging by the lack of clear cause and effect relationships.

You can probably see why our forefathers loved chopping wood for the winter, talking about horses and sitting around a campfire telling stories. There's a beauty in simplicity, but for simplicity to be enjoyed there must be an equal measure of complexity.

Most of us enjoy the simple things in life but some of us can't sleep trying to figure out what's behind the veil of reality, pushing the boundaries and attempting to find more insight. One could argue knowledge is infinite, but that does't mean a few twisted individuals won't want to push themselves and see how far they can go in the pursuit of attaining more.

Thank you for taking the time to read this rant. Now go out there and live life abundantly, for the clock is ticking and the swan is swimming to the shore.