In the last Dose of The Prescription, I asked you a specific question about how you react when faced with a difficult problem. How you answer that question is a definite indicator of your prospects for success and for moving into the top 2%.

One of the strongest impressions that has been made on me by the elite group of which I am now a part is that rich people are rich because they are willing and able to solve difficult problems. In fact, most actually thrive on problems. These top performers, people like Tony Robbins and Michael Gerber for instance, are paid huge amounts of money because they solve problems. CEO’s of corporations are paid huge salaries plus bonuses because they can solve problems for the company that nobody else can or will solve. Some are good at what they do and some are way over paid.

If you think about it, everybody who earns a big salary is ultimately a problem solver. And as much as I hate to admit it (because I believe athletes are way over paid for what they do for society) top performing athletes are paid what they are because the team owners need certain “problems” solved.

If you want to be in the top 2% you must become very, very good at finding creative solutions to what may appear to be impossible problems.

So, how do you do that? How does one pull a solution out of the air?

Well, education is a great place to start. I remember vividly being able to close a large number of mortgage loans for clients who had been turned down by other companies. And the reason I was able to do that is because I studied the business. I knew what programs were available and I knew the guidelines at least as well as most underwriters.

The second problem solving trait I see in all highly successful people is an unwillingness to give up.

When I was thinking about how to explain this trait, I remembered an article I had written a couple of years ago about my sons and lessons that could be learned from video games. I’ve dusted off that article and updated it a bit. This is not laziness on my part. I just remembered how appropriate the essence of that article is to our current discussion. Hey, Good Material is Good Material. So, I have added the revised version below…

Marketing Ideas I learned from Video Games…

Those of you who are new to The Prescription may not know that I have two sons, a 27 year-old and a 7 year-old. No, that’s not a typo. Yes, my sons were both born in January, 20 years apart; and Yes, they have the same Mom. Actually, my 27 year-old is technically my step-son. But, I’ve been in his life since he was 10 and I have always thought of him as my son.

Growing-up, Rob (the oldest) loved going to video arcades. I can’t tell you how may dollars were spent one quarter at a time; trying the same game over and over and over, feeding quarter after quarter after quarter until he got good enough at the game to move to the next level.

Now, my younger son Cameron, has fallen in love playing games on the internet. He has a special computer here at the office that can only get onto Toon-Disney and Cartoon Network sites. He loves playing. What I’ve noticed is the same persistence his brother had when playing these games. Once in a while I’ll hear an, “OH MAN” coming from his “office.” But for the most part he keeps on playing the same game over and over until he gets good at it and can move to the next level.

What does all of this have to do with business and more importantly problem solving, and getting into the top 2%?

Actually, quite a lot.

I get calls periodically from members complaining that their marketing is not working as well as they had hoped and are on the verge of giving up.

My first question is always, “What all are you doing to solve the problem of lack of leads.”

Inevitably, they’ve done one thing, one time and are expecting some sort of miracle wave of bodies flooding into the door of their business. Now, while the proven marketing systems they are using will in fact generate a flood of new clients when used properly, what is usually happening is the member has no patience and no willingness to be persistent.

Just like problem solving, marketing is an ongoing activity, not a one-shot try it and forget it action.

My members who are consistently getting the best results, generating the numbers of leads they want, and making the kind of money that can provide them the lifestyle they desire, are members who follow the plan, examine the results, make a minor tweak or two and try it again, then repeat, then repeat until they get the results they want.

Solving difficult problems can be done the same way.

You see, what I learned from my sons, watching them play video games is that they never think in terms of “I lost that game.” They think in terms of, “What did I learn from that game that can make me better in the next game.” Put another quarter in the machine and try again.

The most successful people in the country think exactly the same way.

There are two key thoughts here:

1. Every effort you make, whether it is in marketing or problem solving, should be looked at as a test. If you think in those terms, you can learn from that effort and make the next one better. 
   
2. If you are not getting the results you desire, Stop, examine the variables, make adjustments and try again.

This is exactly what my boys do when playing video games. Every game is a test to see how far they can go. When they don’t “win” they reflect on what when wrong, what changes they need to make in their playing and then, try again.

I haven’t played golf in a number of years. I stopped playing after I fell off of a ladder and shattered my hip – I can no longer pivot and swing through the ball. However, I do follow golf - at least a little bit.

I remember hearing Tiger Woods in an interview. If you don’t know, there was a period in his career when things hadn’t been going all that well for Tiger. In the interview he stated that every time he goes onto the gold course, he considers it a test. No matter where he finishes the tournament, he considers it a test and he looks back and examines what he did correctly and what he did poorly. He goes back and tries to recreate the things he did correctly and make adjustment to improve the things he did poorly.

Tiger said, “That’s the only way I’ll ever get back on top. Try, adjust and try again.”

Now, it think we would all have to agree that Tiger Woods is definitely in the top 2% of successful people.

And that is exactly how you should approach solving difficult problems. Try something, examine the results, adjust and try again. The worst mistake and greatest waste of your time, money and effort is to try one thing one time and never try it again.

In my next posting I’ll be interpreting your dreams.

Until then, this is Doug Huggins reminding you…

“Big Shots are only little shots who keep on shooting”
- Christopher Morley