Often I share a frame of mind with clients that one plus one does not equal two.
This basically means you can’t plant a tomato seed and then a few minutes later get some tomatoes.
People tend to get suck in the one plus one equals two frame when they’re looking for a fast solution out of pain.
1+1=2 is also known as the magic bullet syndrome.
It’s magical thinking and life just does not work in terms of 1+1=2.
Working a job is 1+1=2 however. you show up, work and trade time for money.
Going into business for yourself is never 1+1=2. Sometimes it’s 100+100 = 0.
You get your business cards, set up your office, create flyers to promote your new business, pass 5,000 of those flyers out and wait. Then wait some more. Two weeks later, the phone still has not rung. However, if one keeps changing their marketing approach, over time the phone will ring.
Certainty
People that crave the 1+1=2 frame are driven by certainty. But this is counterintuitive for success and most people can’t withstand the uncertainty of being in business for themselves. So they day dream and get stuck wishing to hit it big ( 1+1= 100 )
1+1= 100 is hitting the lottery. It also tends to be the driving force for buying more “how to” products as if the next one will hit pay dirt. This is magical thinking for sure and the fast track to lots of frustration and less money.
Another way to look at 1+1= 2 is trading with life. I give you this, you give me that. This approach can’t be scaled.
Stuck?
If you think you are stuck in 1+1= 2 thinking, it’s easy to know for sure.
Think about something you need to do. Say, “I need to get a table and chairs for my office.”
Now what thoughts follow after?
Yes but then I have to find a way to get to the store, pay for it, get it back, set it up, etc.
Are you stuck now? If yes, chances are there is a part of your brain that is attached to the 1+1=2 frame. this part of your brain wants to see that if we get those tables and chairs, paying butts will be sitting in them. But another part of the brain knows there is just no way or guarantee there will be paying clients sitting in those new chairs right away so there is a stalemate in the mind. Some faith is needed.
Faith?
Faith is a good way out of stalemates within the mind.
having faith in what you want to do, the big picture, the future and now adds a key ingredient… Pit bull determination.
Success is an interesting phenomena because in the beginning, setting up the systems and structures produces no returns that can me measured. However over time one can build a business that when it starts producing results, it’s hard to turn it off.
Farming?
Success is also like farming.
You plant seeds, water them, let the sun shine on your buds, pick weeds, etc.
Sometimes the weather takes your harvest or most of it.
Sometimes you have bad seed.
Sometimes the rats take 80% of your crop.
But you keep going and focus on what you can do and not stress about things that are not in your control. You keep investing because you have a vision and will do whatever it takes to make that vision a reality.
