Putting Something at Stake

By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

Last week I talked about "betting your car" when you are procrastinating about a marketing project and need to prod yourself to take action.

Putting something at stake is the key here.

The problem with the "bet your car" technique is that it only works for a limited time. It may put something immediately at stake and get you moving. But if you are procrastinating, or resisting or fearful, what's at stake has to be bigger than your car.

No, I'm not talking about putting your house at stake.

You really need to put your whole life at stake. And I'm not talking about human sacrifice here! I'm talking about what's most important to you, what's at your very heart.

If you are doing your business just to get by, or even just to be successful, you really don't have a lot at stake. After all, what's the big deal if your businesses isn't that successful? You can let things slip by for a week or a month. New work will come to you; it always does.

You can really have two things at stake. One is external (like the car) and the other is internal. Let's talk about external first.

If you have a mortgage to pay, kids to support and a "nut" to make every month, that's what you have at stake externally. And this isn't trivial.

I noticed that when I got married in 1994, I had a lot more at stake. My whole future was before me and I wanted to do the best I could to provide. I wanted to have a secure financial future and I wanted to live comfortably, not hand-to-mouth as I had for so many years.

Soon after this I launched my web site, this weekly eZine, and created online products to sell. I started to make more money than I could have previously imagined.

But even this has its limitations.

After all, it can soon feel like you're in the rat race, keeping up with the Jones's and never feeling you're making quite enough. Sure, you have something at stake, but it's easy to wonder if all the hard work is really worth it.

There are limitations to this game; doing more, earning more, and being increasingly successful can only take you so far.

Perhaps then you discover that you need to put something internal at stake. Now this can be a dead end, too. Chasing happiness and fulfillment can be elusive. After all, how happy is happy?

My discovery, the thing that ultimately gets me up in the morning, is making a difference, making a contribution. When you put this at stake, everything seems to change. When your focus is the welfare of others, you win every single time.

If I write an article or an eZine, if I give a talk, or help a client, if I share a realization or a strategy, it's all about making a difference.

For some reason, humans are built to get ultimate fulfillment by making a contribution. The timeless golden rule is based on this principle. If you do unto others as you would have them do unto you, you're automatically making a contribution.

Businesses based on this principle thrive. Businesses that don't, ultimately implode. We've seen that a lot recently. "Do for yourself first, (and screw the other guy)" has serious drawbacks!

So the thing to put at stake every day is the contribution you make. "Today I'll run my business, my marketing, my life to make a contribution. What's wanted and needed right now where can I best make that contribution?"

If you get to that place, then procrastination, delay, fears and worries won't have such a big part in your life. You'll write that article; you'll get your eZine done; you'll give that talk; you'll go the extra mile for a client.

What are you going to put at stake?

By the way, it's also important to make a contribution to yourself as well. Perhaps I'll talk about that in next week's More Clients.

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The More Clients Bottom Line: When you put something at stake much bigger than yourself (usually others who mean something to you), motivation won't be a big issue. You'll just find yourself getting the job done.

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What's something bigger than yourself that you'll put at stake? Please share on the More Clients Blog, Just click on the comments link below.

Comments

[ntathu allen]

Powerful words. We all make a difference, somwtimes just smiling at someone in the lift
Makes their day, when wew consciously align ourselves with our inner
Knowing, that contribution is so much more powerful. Thanks for the reminder.

[pam bell]

Robert,

It is rare that one integrates consciousness and spiritual principals with business practices. This article is a perfect example of how this can be done. Thank you! We can all practice this same intention in everything we do but clearly there has been a line drawn between what we do for "pay" (our work) and what we do on Sunday's (to connect with our divine nature). It's simple really, the more we help others, the more we all benefit.

Giving to others is so rewarding, it's a wonder we all don't just chuck our careers and become professional volunteers!
Though I know by having the intention to "contribute to others" in our work, we can still greatly benefit humanity. Plus, we begin to feel such a deeper sense of purpose with the way we are spending our time, otherwise you're right, who cares about acquiring yet one more trinket sports car? :-) Ok.....well maybe that!

[Stacey Morris]

I completely agree with this notion Robert. I know I do better work as part of a team because I feel that I'm contributing to a bigger picture.

But working on my own has always been a struggle because no one relies on me.

Three solutions I've thought of are to partner more with colleagues, volunteer my copywriting services to causes I feel strongly about, and do more free strategy sessions.

But the last two don't pay the bills. And I get frustrated with all the bigwigs that talk about contribution once they've made it.

Any ideas on how to contribute and still pay the rent? Or is it just a matter of mindset?

Thanks.