There is a single skill that will make you successful in anything you do. It’s not one of those “silver bullet instant millionaire” remedies, but every successful entrepreneur I talk to agrees with me.
What is it?
Hustle: the ability to just get things done.
Once you know something needs to be done, act. If you can master that, you’ll be successful in anything you do.
On the surface it seems simple enough; make a plan, execute it. But there are entire industries dedicated to helping people just DO something.
Motivation is clearly not enough. So how do we become masters of the hustle?
No, not that kind of hustle.
Master the Hustle
I’ll give you some tips and then we’ll end with a challenge.
Don’t plan until you’re not scared, act until it works or doesn’t. Worry is crippling, but it never solves a problem. You’ve got to act until you know you’re wrong, instead of letting worry stop you because you think you’re wrong.
Don’t worry about what you can’t control, because you can’t do anything about it. Don’t worry about what you can control, because you can do something about it.
It’s easy to poke holes in other’s strategies, but ultimately you haven’t created anything. Business success is about creating, not criticizing.
Business success and failure is generally not precipitated by bad ideas. Businesses don’t fail because their idea was bad, they fail because they lack determination, and they stagnate because nothing gets done.
Want to be successful? Act.
Want to get better at acting? Try this.
Being a “Yes Man”
About two years ago, I saw the movie “Yes Man.” The movie was worth a chuckle, but I saw an opportunity in the premise. How would that work in a real-life scenario?
I decided that I’d try the experiment out, that I’d say “yes” to ANYTHING that was asked of me over a weekend. I kept a notebook with me, and I wrote down everything I agreed to do, whether I thought I would have done it or not.
The results were staggering. I mean, besides the fact that I spent upwards of $150 that I wasn’t expecting to during that time.
By forcing myself to act on everything I was asked, I became adept at getting things done quickly; I had so many requests that I was forced to use my time wisely and hustle. I fell asleep, completely exhausted, every night. I also felt great.
I ended up buying lunch for several co-workers, making a 3+ hour trip to see family I would have refused, and even committed to go skydiving (didn’t happen, but mostly because they backed out of the deal). I tried foods I ended up liking, I exercised when I didn’t want to, I cleaned when I thought I was too tired to move. I helped more, I was happier. It was easy to find the best in each situation I was placed in, because I could remind myself that I was the one that decided to say yes to everything. I could see the good in each situation, because I owned my decision.
The Challenge
Want more hustle? Try the experiment.
For the next few days (or whenever you decide), try saying “yes” to everything (with a few obvious caveats). This forces you to act. You MUST ration your time, because you end up with infinitely more to do than you have in the past. Keep a notepad/note app handy, and make a note of everything you did during the contest. You’ll be amazed at what you end up doing. More, you’ll be amazed at HOW MUCH you end up doing, and how good you feel.
Record what you do. Whether it’s a blog post, a video, a journal entry, or a comment right here, let everyone know how your experience goes.
If the idea of doing this challenge doesn’t scare you, then you’re not taking it seriously enough. I’m not saying you need to accept a contract to kill someone if someone asks, but you need to be ready and willing to do almost ANYTHING that’s asked of you.
I promise you won’t regret the experience.
Expert level: tell your co-workers you’re saying yes to everything. See how you do.
