9. RISK and RETURN -Am I being realistic about what I am doing?

One of the observations that I made while listing to the staff that I work with was that they didn't understand the RISK that was making. Their thoughts were on what was needed for them for the coming week or month or two. And very little forethought was given to what my needs were. I talked extensively about timing and getting our tasks done on time. I talked extensively about elevating their work and quality of work.

All the talk seemed just that. I didn't see any real changed in their behavior after nearly two weeks.

So that led me to think about the enormous risks that have been taken. And to make sure that our network grows and develops in an environment that the staff understands the ramifications of what's at stake.

In the current environment there is not thought to that. There is no courtesy.

Thus, I have to make sure that everything works and that I am surrounded by individuals who also understand my needs. Otherwise, no one will be listening to why somethings are happening and other are not and the whole organization that I am trying to build at www.maxsimo.com is not doing it's best.

This is a discussion that a book can be written about, so I will leave it to that.

10. Am I seeking excellence? NOT trying for perfection, but reaching excellence -AM I doing that?

One of the assertions that I have made is that it does not matter what you do.

WHAT MATTER 100% is how you do it.

Having a job is great. Why? Some one is then paying you to build excellence while you are getting paid. What you need to do is build your excellence in everything that you do, and they you will find out that things get better and better. IF it does not, then you are in the wrong organization and it's time to venture out on your own and make things happen.

Anyway, the point is that by learning to do everything with excellence in your work and daily life, when it comes to following your own plans, it's much easier to "translate" your excellence from one success to another.

The idea that things will change and suddenly you'll become worldly successful just by changing locations is not all that accurate.

However, by knowing excellence in one job, and then translating that to any other task is not that difficult.

Just get started. I have worked on this principle for over a year, actively making sure that everything that I do, I do very well. As I said, from after dinner kitchen cleaning to helping with the kids going to sleep, I have made sure that I put 100% effort into it. At times it's not easy at all.

I felt a bit of a bug after the last trip and things did not go well for a week. Then I elevated myself to stop "whining" -not sure IF that is a word. I'll have to check... Yup. Nevertheless, I picked up my feet, kept moving and just this weekend it was gone!

 

11. SOME of the OLD ADAGES: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Am I putting off things that I can fix now?

Let me tell you a story of what happened:
It's my TIRE INCIDENT
The day after my arrival a pair of Associates visited me at the hotel where I was staying. As they were leaving, I noticed that one tire was nearly flat.

So, I mentioned. The next day I met the same Associate at another house where we had a meeting. When he was leaving that, I mentioned again that his tire was nearly flat.

Ok, advice taken and he left.

Then we met again two days later as he was giving me a ride to anther lunch. As I was getting into the car, I noticed the same tire was nearly flat.

So, I asked, this is the third time that I am bringing this up --Did you get the tire fixed? Yes was the answer coming back. So, as we headed to our destination I spotted a tire shop and I said why not get the tire fixed. I was not planning to walk around in the 40 degree heat nor was I going to aide the changing of a tire.

So, he pulled up to the shop and I got out to look around at the shop. Then I turned around to see that he had instructed the helper to pump the car tire once again. I asked my Associate, isn't this the THIRD TIME that you did this? Yes, was the answer. I said IF it was me, the first time I would have noted that there is a problem.

I said, why don't you take the tire off and get it fixed. NOW.

So he did. It took all but 5 minutes to find that there was a 1CM nail imbedded in the tire and that was causing the problem. It was out and the hole fixed, tire inflated and we were on our way.

All this time I was thinking that this is the same guy I have relied to fix our network problems.

Does he fix our network like he fixes tires. Most likely yes.

I cannot work like this. I cannot afford to fix anything like he went out and fixed.

If I did things like that, I'd be on the sidelines watching life go by for many years.

I keep remembering this story as it was a good lesson to see people suffering day in, day out because they fix everything like my Associate fixed his tires.

I cannot.

12. Will I do as the locals do?

Now, that lesson led me to think about the above question. How long would I have to stay in such a place before I end up doing as the local do?

Not an easy question to ask. I don't think long. You may not realize this, but only when you are an outsider looking in will you note that often in certain cultures the collective way of doing things is at the CORE of FAILURE.

Of course the people who are living life that don't realize it or simply don't care one bit.

IF you plan to elevate you work, elevate your personal game, and better your lot in life, you will HAVE TO GET OUT of this PATTERN.

There is no other way.

Now, it does not sound as bad as I have made it our to be. What you need to do is FIND a PLACE where you are that is an exception to the rule.

A place where they may make something that is the BEST of this WORLD. Something that is world class.

No matter what country you live in --well, perhaps, I'll take exception to North Korea, well, I'll have to add perhaps a few more places. Well, odds are VERY REMOTE that you are there because simply put, there is no Internet access where you are. So, that is a different problem altogether.

Now, the point I was going to make is that you need to find something that is made, produced, assembled, crafted, etc., etc. that is the BEST in this WORLD.

Or it can be an athlete or a business person. Then learn from this situation, person, business how they do it.

You will learn from that model HOW the Best in the World can be accomplished ANYWHERE.

It can.

Then you too can do it.

You too can become it.

As I have kept working on doing.

I hope to be the best in the world, and that is what this is all about. Yes, it did get started with the idea of a PENNY and getting that built to TWO PENNIES and then FOUR.

Yes, that was the idea. However, shortly after that, shortly after the exercise began, I came to the core of what I really wanted to do: That was to become the best in the world at something. That something is the World's first global discount card and applications that I have created. I want to keep building that.

You too can find something that you want to become the best in the world at, and then you will realize that it does not matter where you are. What matters is how you think and how you execute the plan that will start building your success.

Yes, it's all in the mind. Your mind set is the most important aspect of this and that is what you must work on first. Then everything else will fall into place.

I am grateful that this is the way I got started. I now know that I cannot have one come before the other. In order for me to create the best of this world in a product, I must become the best in the world and then through that work, build the product that I wish to build.

One cannot get something from nothing... Thus, I need to become what I want to create, FIRST. And then seek to create it.

Then I need to JUST do IT. I am... Sam out for now.