Читать книгу Your Next Big Thing - Matthew Mockridge - Страница 15
ОглавлениеI focus on two principles to guide you to success: Substance and Practicality.
This book is intended to help you generate the highest return on investment (ROI) in terms of time and money, and as quickly as possible. During the research for this book, I was inspired by two basic theories of physics—to create optimal “Stability” (or “Substance”) and “Impact” (or “Practicality”).
I had a clear conceptual vision while writing this book: I wanted to structure it in a way that I, as a reader myself, would enjoy it. I usually prefer to absorb knowledge in short bursts; I prefer short articles or chapters, as opposed to long passages. Because of my passion for systemization, efficiency, and high-leveraging, I focused on the Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule: “Which 20 percent of my experience is responsible for 80 percent of my success?” (More on that later.) In other words: “What is the essential?” When I listen to (short) interviews with experts, I expect dense content, and I’m interested in the essentials. I conceived Your Next Big Thing as a collection of important and clearly structured ideas and action steps—no fluff and no confusion. This structure was a no-brainer for me.
Let’s go back to our basic principles: Stability and Impact. I wanted this book to “be like a nail”!
Wait… a nail?! Let me explain.
(I have attached a definition of the word “nail” to the end of this chapter in case you are unfamiliar with it.)
Stability
Imagine an old fakir lying on a bed of nails. Why do none of the sharp tips pierce his skin? Because his weight on the board is evenly distributed. Through distribution, the pressure is relieved, redistributed, and the danger averted. Tada! Similarly, the information contained in this book is organized in a way that keeps you from being overwhelmed by the incisive ideas needed to bring your most brilliant ideas to fruition. Although every idea in this book is important (sharp), what makes it work is the arrangement of these ideas (the nails), which together create a truly stable platform. Confusion becomes clarity, and to your enthralled audience, you become a seemingly invulnerable fakir, with fascinating magical tricks.
Impact
Carefully chosen and properly arranged, the individual “nails” of this book are indispensable tools for constructing your most creative work—and your best life. The ideas I share allow you to cut through the fog, use your resources to create new structures, and break the status quo. These ideas are both the foundation and the results of any endeavor. Together, nail-by-nail, you and I will examine the structure of success, back to its logical source. Every method in this book helps you construct “your next big thing.” Our examination of your inner life will change your perspective forever.
Nail
/nāl/
noun
A small metal spike with a broadened flat head, driven typically into wood with a hammer to join things together or to serve as a peg or hook.
What Is a “Next Big Thing”?
Before you can understand how to develop your “next big thing,” I should first clarify what attributes make something a truly “next big thing.” We will use those attributes (or values) as a guide or checklist when considering different proposals. A real “next big thing” includes all or some of the following features:
Meaning/Value
A real “next big thing” costs time, energy, and attention. It becomes an integral part of its founder’s life, and is closely connected to a team, an environment, customers, and partners. Questioning the meaning and value of the “next big thing” opens the dialogue about the conviction (the “why”), and the vision that form its foundation. In any company, the emotional appeal of a project (the “BIG” in “next big thing”) is missing unless there are enduring values and “real” meaning.
Fairness
Right is right, and wrong is wrong. A real “next big thing” must consider the principles of morality and ethics—whether it’s legal, fair, and honest.
Problem-Solving
Big problems set the stage for big ideas. How big is the question that will be answered? How big is the problem that will be solved? Your next big problem will open up a market that has big potential.
Scalability
A true “next big thing” is always bigger than the single brain behind it. Can the idea really scale, function, and grow, even without the founder standing next to it? Scaling-up creates exponential growth and paves the way for long journeys.
Optimized Risk
The market rewards risk and brilliance. A smart “next big thing” generates profits inversely proportional to the risk. A true “next big thing” is smart, doesn’t financially paralyze you, and clearly tells you when to collect your chips and leave the table.
The System Behind the Chapters
Read the table of contents like a blueprint. It is a set of systematic building instructions for successfully constructing your next big idea. An important note: only one of the five chapters deals with the brainstorming process. Of course, your brainstormed idea sets the foundation of your “next big thing,” but you need all the other chapters to build on that foundation. Imagine that you are building a house:
1 The first chapter, with its ten thoughts on creativity, deals with the mechanics behind your vision. There’s no house yet—just a plot and a vision. The more clearly defined your vision is, the more likely your house will fulfill you in every detail. It is an art to have visions, and not everyone can see them.
2 The second chapter presents ten practical tools for brainstorming and finding ideas to help you design your house. You will create the plans and technical drawings, evaluate all the material requirements, and create the (theoretical) foundation of your house.
3 The third chapter provides ten tools for evaluating ideas: your construction plans will be checked by “structural engineers” with tests on safety, stability, durability, efficiency, and common sense. If your plans pass our inspection, your house will be structurally sound.
4The fourth chapter introduces ten success-focused ideas for powerful implementation. It will guide you through the construction phase of your house. You will learn how to lay the foundation and set the first bricks so that your vision can become reality.
5The fifth chapter provides ten thoughts on world-class leadership that will transform you from simple homeowner into full-blown winner in the game of the best version of your life. Your vision has been realized, and your plans fulfilled: your house is standing and it’s filled with great people who inspire you. Now the task is about having a household that not only works, but is also fun and fulfilling, bringing many happy moments to you and everyone else involved.
