GarthBox

You can’t move a mountain in one day. You can’t really move a mountain at all.

What you can do is a move a rock on that mountain. Day after day.

Before you know it people will be saying you moved a mountain.

 

Stay Positive & Rock By Rock

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On your pursuit of doing and being more, you’re going to have people tell you that your goal is unattainable, that your expectations are too far out there, that you’ll have a much more difficult time than what you think.

More often than not they take that stance because they’ve never seen it differently. They don’t share you’re passion. They’re afraid for you.

In one sense, it’s worth listening to them, to double-check that the foundation you’ve built is strong enough, that you’re ready to work around the devil’s advocate. Listen to be prepared.

But by no means should you fall into the camp of it being undoable. It may not be in the sense that they see it and maybe not in the sense as you see it now. There will be pivoting. There will be sacrifices. But all that matters for you is the end goal, no matter how you get there.

On a day like today, it’s worth being thankful for all those who have said you couldn’t, and all those who will watch you do it anyway.

 

Stay Positive & Onward

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The project you’re working on?

You couldn’t do it without others (i.e., mentors, friends, customers, family, competition).

While you likely need more information to create a more remarkable project or business, don’t be too quick to think it’s information gathered from a book or by doing more.

What you’re missing is the information about your target’s story.

What do they do before they get to you? What did he eat for breakfast? He didn’t? Why?

What were the last four Google searches she made? Were they about credit cards? Why?

The why, of course, is only confirmed by observing, listening and connecting on a deeper level.

 

Stay Positive & Ready To Learn More?

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You can show someone the truth, but they’ll still believe the story they tell themselves.

No matter the possibility or the likelihood of a particular event occurring; no matter the amount of evidence you have to support the stance; no matter the gumption to show that your prediction is built on a foundation of reality–if it doesn’t align with a person’s story, they won’t believe it.

To persuade, you have to become part of another’s story.

 

Stay Positive & That’s The Best Part

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Most people have values they strive to uphold, but they’re lacking the checks and balances system to ensure they are upholding them.

We’ve all done something we said we wouldn’t do (and the other way around, too).

Like any good brand strategy, it’s worth assigning personality traits to each value.

Value honesty?
Have a personality of transparency.

Value craftsmanship?
Have a personality of getting down and dirty, hands-on, and filled with gumption.

Values are like worldviews. It’s your personality that gives them life.

 

Stay Positive & Personalities Are Easier To Measure (And To Connect With)

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Customer stories don’t start at the door.

They start before they’ve even thought of you. The person who purchased a scone from you? Her story started this morning when she didn’t have breakfast because she was rushing to work on the weekend.

Her story continues as she walked down the main city strip and decided a scone (not yet yours) would be the perfect thing since she’s in a hurry. She’d love the warmth of a shop because it’s cold outside, too.

She picked your shop out because of the steaming coffee sign outside. She decided then a coffee would go good with the scone, too.

This is where many a store owner and marketer think the story starts: She walks inside.

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Customer stories don’t end when they leave, either.

In fact, if you’ve created something remarkable, then the story never ends.

The lady who purchased from you gets to work–scone and coffee in hand–and sees her coworker. “Ugh, you got breakfast? I didn’t have time to make anything this morning,” her coworker said. “Here have half,” your customer responded.

They split the scone.

The story element of warmth you gave her, grew stronger with a sense of friendship.

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These are the stories that matter. That help you make decisions on a daily basis.

Do you raise the temperature a couple of degrees in the shop or keep it cooler because you’re hot behind the counter? Do you have light jazz music on or techno? Do you stop at a “thank you and you’re welcome” exchange? Or do you wish them a productive and fulfilling day?

Have you rehearsed your customer’s story? Are checking the decisions you make with the story?

 

Stay Positive & Figure Out The Story First, Then Make Decisions

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One of the fastest ways for you to get a promotion is to laser in on how to make the life of the person above you easier. It’s thinking as they think. It’s striving to fill their shoes.

At the same time, you’re making their lives easier and allowing them to put more time in work of those above them. There’s a positive domino effect to this.

From larger tasks like writing out paperwork and creating presentation decks to research to writing an email that’s easy for them to copy and paste and send to who they need to.

This way of working isn’t just benefiting you from thinking and working like the title above you, it’s benefiting the entire organization, and when the organization wins, you win.

 

Stay Positive & It Starts With You

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