Stupid Human Trick
What a day.
First, we had a short ride from our hotel over to Porsche in Leipzig where we toured the cavernous factory that builds 500 Cayennes and Panameras on the line each day.
After a factory tour (it was so clean and efficient), we went through the Porsche store (1375 euros for a Porsche Blackberry, anyone?) and
the vintage Porsche museum.
Then it was lunch in the Porsche restaurant followed by Porsche espresso made by a Porsche coffee machine (it was fast).
But all of this was a just an appetizer. Now it was time for the full meal – a one hour guided driving seesion on the Porsche test-track driving a variety of 911’s (the Cayman S was my favorite).
The test track was designed to include corners from 4 of the most famous race courses around the world. In all, I think we drove about 6 cars each.
We didn’t get to drive this one, but we did get to watch the pro’s drive it while they filmed promotional video for the video game, “Need for Speed – Hot Pursuit”.
Most Wanted? Who, lil’ ol’ me?
At the end of the day the pro’s showed us how it was really done by taking us through a “hot lap” where we rode shotgun and they drove GT3’s. It was pretty wild, but showed the difference between pro’s and us amateurs.
And all of this went down while my teams were running the show back at Turbulence Training and ETR.
So here’s the lesson…
Everyone has a skill where they are PRO’s and the rest of the world are amateurs.
Everyone.
Don’t tell me you don’t.
Everyone has their own stupid human pet trick.
Mine tends to be writing these short, little motivational and educational articles and general “rallying of the troops” to get people to take action. Sure, I worked at it, but the work comes as a pleasure to me.
You need to find your stupid human trick and monetize it.
The kids – almost literally – that drove us on the hot lap were no more than 22 years old. They had been driving, most likely, since they were kids (probably learning on souped-up go-karts). Some people in the world, like Wayne Gretzky, have a stupid human trick that is highly (although irrationally) valued.
(Thanks to Matt Smith for bringing the “stupid human trick” phrase to my attention.)
Imagine aliens came to earth, were taught how money works in our world, and then found out how much a guy like Wayne Gretzky got paid for what he did (being the best person in the world as standing on ice skates on a frozen surface, specifically in the area of setting up shop behind a net and finding a teammate that could score a goal…that really mattered for nothing).
Aliens would think we’re crazy.
It doesn’t make sense to pay a professional athlete – in any sport – the kind of money that they get paid.
Yet they do.
Because they are the best at what they do and for some reason humans have put a high value on the task/stupid human trick.
But again, the real lesson is that you need to convince people to value your stupid human pet trick, and that essentially comes from marketing and copywriting.
Bottom line:
Figure out what you can do better – at a PRO level – than most anyone else in the world.
Get people to value it.
Convince people to pay you for it.
And spend 95% of your time on this 5% activity.
“Apply true focus to what you do best.” – Frank McKinney
“Focus most of your time on your core strengths and less time working in areas you suck at.” – Yanik Silver, Maverick Business Rule #20
Recognize what you are not the best at and outsource everything in your 95% to people that are PRO’s at what they do.
Do what you’re best at.
And convince others that it matters,
Craig Ballantyne
There aren’t going to be too many easy days, but you should enjoy the challenges. Work hard, work honestly, maintain your integrity, and work to help others and you will succeed. Now, more than ever, the world needs good people like you.