I’ve been reading a lot more recently – every day in fact. I’m going to try to post short summaries/reviews of the books I read and the things I glean from them. I’m starting with a book I received for Christmas from a good friend.
The Compound Effect
Basically, the author (Darren Hardy), a successful businessman, says that you should think about your life and choices just like investors think about money and investments. Money that is invested gains interest over time, then gains interest on the priciple and the existing interest, etc. The life application is that the small intentional choices we make daily can compound and produce a real, large, and surprising amount of return far into the future.
Hardy says that if you want to change something about your circumstances, you have to change your behaviour. You need to log/track everything in that area of your life. Whether it’s your health/weight, relationships, money, or athletic performance.
In the realm of changing behaviour, I’ve decided to call/contact three churches every day (on average) about SimpleChurch, the software I sell. Going from no sales/advertising to 15ish calls a week could accumulate or “compound” to a lot of improvement in business over the next few years.
Hardy also says that “…if everyone is zigging, you should zag”. Basically, set yourself apart. By definition, what everyone is doing is average. Don’t be average, be different. He gives the example of when he used to sell real estate. He’d show up at the door of some other agent’s expired listing (he/she hadn’t sold the house), and he’d hand a “Sold” sign to the house owner. He’d then proceed to tell them that they’d need that sign when he sold their house… That takes confidence and it definitely sets you apart.
I’m not sure what my specific behaviour changes are from that point. It’s more of a general take away about being willing to go the extra mile. Do research before sales calls. Go show up at the actual place if the sale is in jeapordy. Those types of things.
There’s a lot more in the book, but those were my take a ways.
Brian