bwagy, the blog of Ben Young

When overwhelmed looked at what creates the waterfall, what one problem when solved will solve all the others.

As a startup this is usually just sales, if you have sales, everything else tends to fall into place.

I was reminded of this as we met with an augmented reality company, who said users tended to just focus on the software and lose focus on their surroundings.  Which actually meant they performed much better, as they focused on one thing, and everything else fell into place.

It’s like playing a racing game, you can focus on trying to beat your competitors, watch the clock, avoid obstacles, use boost and upgrades to win OR you can focus on great driving and just that.  It’s great driving which wins the race and everything else falls to the wayside.

Focus on the one issue which drives success of everything else. Finding this issue or problem, which in solving, solves all your others.

You can be really really specific with your market.  In fact squeeze it.  Make it small enough that you can deliver insane value to this subset.

The intriguing thing? Once you get this market – because you’ve been so specific, delivered insane value, your customers help you grow the market.

By squeezing and focusing you can actually grow your original market.

It’s easy for someone to say you should be doing blogging, or tweeting or vlogging…

You can’t.

You see you ought to zoom in on what you’re good at.

If you’re not good at writing – don’t write.

If you’re not good in front of the camera – don’t do it.

No time for tweeting – don’t do it.

There is ZERO value in using a tool if you don’t do it well.  Let me repeat that – zero value.  If you’re in the space you need to own it.

It’s the same old business principle, 80/20 analysis of what you’re good at, then push that button and keep pressing it.  That’s the smartest form of leverage.

Watch this quick clip of Will Smith receiving his award at the Childrens Choice 2005.

Makes sense now that he is one of the most successful male actors of our time… in summary:

1) Any problem you have had someone has already experienced it & solved it before (potentially in a different context but same framework).
2) Running (or any exercise) forces you to push yourself and squash the quitting voice inside you.

Why do I have Monday Ideas Post?

Firstly it fulfills my criteria of being, short, snappy digestible bites that make you think.

It has a dual edge though.

As an entrepreneur (or just someone that questions everything?) I come up with ideas all the time, as I’m sure a lot of my readers do or at least someone you know.

Quite often we will hold these ideas close to heart, not express them, only to regret it.

Or we lose focus with every new idea.

This is the dual edge, Monday Ideas Post also let’s me have an outlet for ideas I come up with so I can remain focused but also as an opportunity for discussion.

It’s about making you think just as much as its about making me think.

So

What outlet do you have? How do you get ideas out there? What do you do to find out if your idea is rubbish so you can remain focused or move onto the next great thing? 

(Hint: like any muscle, the more you exercise this part of your brain, the better you will get at it)

Now take it.

Chances are you will be on the wrong path.

It doesn’t matter, your moving.

You can always change or create a new path later.

The biggest inherent problem we all have is lack of focus.

If you pick a path stick with it.

You will find fantastic things will happen.

It will be tough at times.  But persist. Keep at it.

Perseverance is genius.