I’m the kind of guy that likes to drive the wrong way down a one way street. It’s happened before in Vegas, and in Chicago, and even in New York City. It was scary, but let me tell you, it sure got people’s attention!
Show me the “correct” way, and I’ll find a better way – I can promise you that. I think it’s just the way I was born. Some things just don’t change no matter how hard you try. That’s one of the qualities that I feel has helped me innovate when it comes to my clients’ needs. They might think that they only have one set of options in front of them, when in fact, they have hundreds.
Brilliant marketing, effective branding, and strong sales come out of the dedication and passion that your team brings to your organization. If you’ve been doing the same things over and over for years, why are you expecting different results? Isn’t that the definition of insanity? Today is the perfect time to change for the better.
Now, I am NOT suggesting that you literally drive the wrong way down a one way street in your town. That could be dangerous. But since I’ve done it accidentally before, I think there are some important things to note. Your business could grow from these lessons.
1. Everyone Notices When You’re Going the “Wrong” Way
I clearly remember almost 10 years ago now when I went down a six lane one way street in Las Vegas in the wrong direction. Horns blaring, people yelling, making all sorts of hand gestures. Yes, I quickly got the message! I was going in a direction that they all thought was wrong. In that case it was wrong, but can you imagine what kind of shock value you could get out of doing something that no one else in your industry does?
Zappos changed the game when they let their customers order multiple sizes of shoes and then send the ones they didn’t want back.
Amazon invented free two day shipping with Amazon Prime and today it is one of their most valuable features.
Apple created iTunes and made it so easy to buy music that they significantly altered the music piracy movement that was threatening to shut down the music industry.
2. You Become Hyper Aware of Every Move You Make
When you’re driving the wrong way down the one way street, all of a sudden you’re forced to become hyper aware of every move you make. One wrong turn could lead to a fatal crash, so you have to really pay attention.
In business, we can become lazy and stop analyzing our own performance. What we need to do is get our heart pumping again, and start to analyze our actions in light of the direction we are trying to go. Every day we are either making an impact, or sliding backwards, ultimately facing an impending crash. Sometimes changing it up and doing something more daring can help you refocus.
If you’re not in the position where your every move makes a huge difference, then maybe you’re moving too slowly, or maybe it’s time to try a new direction.
3. You Realize There Are More Possibilities Than You Originally Thought
For me, the first great realization of driving the wrong way down the one way street is that it is quite possible to do so. Surprisingly, you can navigate cars that are coming your way, and others heading towards you will get out of your way. This might be a surprise to you at first, but what’s exciting is that it applies to many different areas of your business.
There is almost always a way to accomplish your goal – you just have to be made aware of it. In almost every situation where I am brought into consult for a business, the answers to their problems are right in front of them. They just have to be made aware of the possibilities. Until you’ve tried it, you won’t know what’s possible, right? That’s why it pays to do something daring, and try something new.
Take Action Today
What have you been contemplating that might seem to your industry peers like you are “driving” the wrong way? Think of some examples and then give them more thought. You might be onto a game changing idea. You just have to turn things around and give it a try.
Even if you “fail,” you can learn some valuable lessons along the way. I dare you to give it a try. Do something new, and get some new blood pumping in your business.
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