The Flywheel of Fame

Hard to get started, easier to keep going

I don’t know if you know what a flywheel is, but the picture above will start to give you an idea. It is a heavy wheel that is hard to get moving, but once it gets moving, it keep spinning for a long time. The faster you get it going at the beginning, the more the wheel picks up speed, as its own weight helps increase the speed.

I think this is a good analogy for the process of becoming well known and establishing yourself as an expert. When I first “got the call” to become a speaker and author, I was an unknown and nobody came knocking on my door saying, “We know you have lots to contribute; we’ll hire you and publish your books.”

I had to establish my reputation and learn to get my work out into the world. It was a lot of work, much of it didn’t yield any results, and I was often frustrated or stymied. But gradually, since I never gave up and just kept putting what I was passionate about and thought the world needed out there, little by little, successes and connections began to accumulate.

After some time, I noticed it was no longer me that was trying to convince people to hire me to speak, publish my books, and so on, I was starting to have to turn down offers and possibilities because I didn’t have the time to do it all. The flywheel effect was happening.

My point: The beginnings of your journey into Your Life of Freedom is hard; lots of work, some frustrations, lots of patience. But if you stick with it; work smart; build a reputation as an expert and find mentors, coaches and connection, sooner or later the flywheel of fame effect will occur.

Bucky Fuller and what’s wanted and needed

I was of fan of the late Buckminster (Bucky) Fuller. He had a simple idea:

We’re all in this universe for a purpose; nature doesn’t make things without a purpose.

We’re designed to make a contribution to the planet/species.

We are given intuition to discover what our purpose is.

Then we can simply look around at the world we see and notice what is wanted and needed that fits with what our intuition tells us we are to do.

Pretty simple, really.

So, what is your intuition telling you is your purpose?

And, what do you notice, looking around, is wanted and needed in the world that you think you could make a positive difference and contribution in?

Start now. Don’t worry about the money or how it will be a career. Don’t concern yourself with who will judge your actions negatively. Don’t let yourself be stopped by the “who the Hell am I” kinds of self-doubts.

Bucky believed if we all did this, the world would work for everyone, with no one left behind.

The risk you can’t afford not to take

“There is the risk you cannot afford to take, and there is the risk you cannot afford not to take.” –Peter Drucker (Reader’s Digest, Oct. 1998, p. 61)

I once had a job at a mental health center, but I was growing restless. I disliked the strictures of meetings, unnecessary paperwork and policies, and hours that weren’t right for my temperament.

There was another therapist working part time at the center who was ready to go to full-time work now that her child was school age, so we hatched a plot to switch positions. I would go to part time and she would go full time.

We brought it to our supervisor, who turned us down without explanation. Just said “No, that won’t work for us.”

A few months later, I left to start my private practice. It was a terrible thing to do. I had no clients, no business acumen, and no savings. And it was hairy at times, but it worked out.

I did the same thing when I became a speaker. I just jumped in the deep end, frantically thrashed about in the water and finally found a way to keep my head above water and then later, actually thrive and succeed.

I have never regretted taking those risks. They were risks I couldn’t have afforded not to take.

What risk can you not afford to take right now? Are you ready to jump into the deep end yet?

You are unique, just like everyone else: The Power of Social Influence

I created this audio visual presentation to show the influence social messages and models have on us.

Can you come up with ways you might use this idea and information to help create your life of freedom?

Could it help you break away from some social influence you have found unhelpful?

Could it help you use social influence to increase your positive influence in the world?

Could you use it to influence people to buy more of your offerings?

Errors of ignorance versus errors of ineptitude

In his latest book (The Checklist Manifesto), surgeon Atul Gawande makes a simple yet profound distinction. Some mistakes are made because the person doesn’t know enough or know the right information or have the right skills (these are errors of ignorance), but other mistakes arise from not applying what we know.

In implementing strategies to move my life, work and income in the direction of freeing my time from money and still making a meaningful positive impact on the world, I must admit most of the mistakes and missteps I have made have been from not applying what I know.

I procrastinate on implementing what I know would help move me forward: hiring some more outsourcing help to implement the overwhelming number of ideas for projects I constantly generate; hiring a coach/project manager to “herd my cats,” that is, to help me stay focused and working on the right things and moving projects to completion in a more systematic and timely manner.

So, this post is to get you thinking about what kind of mistakes you make: Do you need more information or skills? Or do you need to use what you already know in a better way?

The case for action

I was recently watching a Charlie Rose episode on the brain and one of the eminent scientists (David Wolpert from Cambridge) made the point that the only reason we have brains is to produce adaptable and complex movement. We only effect the world by action.

He drove home the point by talking about the “sea squirt,” an animal that attaches itself to a rock in the ocean, from which it never moves, and then proceeds to eat its brain. It no longer needs its brain; its automatic nerves and sensory tissues can handle everything it needs to do since it no longer needs to produce adaptable and complex movement.

I took from this a reinforcement of an idea that I have had for a while. The only way to make something happen in the world is by taking action. The titles of several of my books (Love is a Verb and Write is a Verb) reflect this notion.

The world can only teach you what works by responding to your actions. (And I hasten to add that speech is an action.) So, to create Your Life of Freedom, you must take actions.

Then notice what works to move you in the direction in which you want to go, adjust, and take more actions.

What actions will you take in the next period of time to help make Your Life of Freedom closer to reality?

Will Smith’s wisdom – You gotta see this!

I can’t get no . . .

I read the results of a survey by the Conference Board today about Americans’ job satisfaction. It turns out that job satisfaction is the lowest it’s been in more than 22 years. Only 45% of Americans are satisfied with their jobs. Fewer people consider their jobs interesting; they are not happy with their incomes and the high cost of health care.

That was true for me many years ago (in 1981, actually) and, as a result, I left my job and began working for myself. I have never regretted it.

When are you gonna get some satisfaction and start your own enterprise? It doesn’t have to be full time (until you are sure you can support yourself and your lifestyle).

It is easier than ever with the web tools and services available and all sorts of free information about how to do it, including this blog.

Could this be the year that you will fill out a survey like the Conference Board’s and say you are satisfied with your work?

What are you waiting for? The year is already 5 days old. Time’s a wastin’.

Your TALK/DO ratio

Speech is conveniently located midway between thought and action, where it often substitutes for both.
– John Andrew Holmes

Some years ago I read an article by Stewart Brand, the founder of The Whole Earth Catalog. He said that when he met someone, he paid attention to their TALK/DO ratio. How much did they talk about doing things versus how much they actually did things.

Since I was more of a dreamer at that time, this idea had an impact on me. When I first began to write books, I knew I woud have a tendency to be “fixin’ to get ready.” I would read books about how to be a writer rather than write. I would dream about giving presentations rather than present.

So, I deliberately went against my “natural” instincts and just plunged ahead and started doing.

As one of my mentors, Milton Erickson, said: If you fall on your face, at least you are heading in the right direction. Of course, taking action, I did fall on my face quite regularly, but I got books published and I got hired to speak.

My point: Examine your own TALK/DO ratio and adjust as necessary.

Be like cement

I was reading something today that scientists had only recently discovered the structure of cement. Turns out that its molecules are a combination of order and randomness, giving rise to its strength.

Coincidentally, I was talking to my friend Rob today and we were talking about a mutual friend who is very creative but not very grounded.

These two things came together in my mind and I decided to write this post.

In this life, it is important to be creative and randomly generate new ideas and approaches as well as have some order and structure. Having some of both will take you far.

I tend toward the creative and flaky and it takes effort to discipline myself and learn structure and focus and practical stuff.

Which side do you need to lean more toward these days?

And what would that look like?