2-3-4 Friday: Let them come
‘Seeking to spark the most potential within you per word of any online newsletter’
1 thought
Let’s say you’re looking for a new job. Or you
want to raise the salary of your current job. Often, the easiest thing to do is to go out and hunt for a better paying job.
Or you want to find a partner. Well, you’d go on dating apps.
Or you want to build a business. Chase leads, cold email, call people.
That’s what you can start doing. But in
Sheng Siong’s Annual General Meeting, Lim Hock Chee, the CEO shared an important concept.
Previously, I asked him why he didn’t go to the bigger shopping malls. It seemed a no brainer. He would set up shop in deep heartlands, deep within neighborhoods, rather than in malls, where most foot traffic was. Why? Was he stupid?
No, clearly not. Yet he articulated his
thinking very clearly in his remarks.
“When we go to people, and when people come to us, the terms are very different.”
His negotiating power lies in his ability to wait for things to come.
So today, let me ask you a simple question.
How patient are you in waiting?
And whilst you’re waiting, what are you doing?
Because Sheng Siong shows an important principle in business, that can also be applied in life.
The importance of letting them come.
Letting opportunities come your way, rather than purposefully chasing them, with more grinding, and little outcomes.
I will be the first to admit that in my early years, I chased every opportunity
I got. I even nominated myself for social worker awards.
Yes, don’t roll your eyes.
I was (and still am) an arrogant prick.
The turning point came when a misunderstanding over this award nomination resulted in me being asked to leave. I was filled with a sense of injustice, but also a point where I thought,
hey, maybe there’s not much point
chasing these awards any more.
I could focus on different things.
I could let the opportunities come, whilst working on my core competencies.
1 talk
When you’re famous, people buy
you.
Before you’re famous, people buy your product.
- Michael Port, Heroic Public Speaking
1 tip
What does this mean?
Michael Port, the speaking coach says
it best.
He says this in the context of helping speakers to sell keynote presentations for $30k per speech.
If they are not a Barack Obama, Lindsey Lohan, or a major celebrity, (which I’m guessing you’re not too) meeting organisers are going to pay for how great your speech is.
This means, work
on your product, before you work on your marketing.
Because many times in life, we chase the outward opportunities, without thinking,
do I even have the exceptional skills to be contending against the best?
Because if you don’t, then you should really, keep working on your
craft.
Let them come.
And whilst waiting, keep working on your craft.
And how do you know how to work on your craft?
- Understand what your strengths are.
- Use those
strengths
- Grow it intentionally.
For example, knowing that my skill lies in writing, I’ve
systematically tried to improve by:
- Working with the best editors in Singapore
- Writing for bigger publications so that I can get exposure, and more feedback
- Turning out better works
What is your strength? What are you doing to grow
that?
John
Live Young, Live Well - Work Your Love