Gambling on Success: The Truth Behind Leadership Programs
I took a chance at listening in on a LinkedIn Live event hosted by Dean Graziosi this morning. I don't know if any of YOU ever participate in events like this... but I see them advertised all the time and I was curious about the audience... the format... the message... how it works?
What Fascinates Me
Like everyone else throughout my life and career... we are captivated by those who appear to have FIGURED IT OUT. We want access to them to not only find a "quick fix" to catapult us to wild success but also visibility so that maybe...just maybe... IF they SEE us... they will...I don't know...hire us... or help us.
In today's world... it is even farther reaching than when I first started out. Now a days everyone around the globe can gain closer interaction through these virtual events and the chance for these successful people to see their live chats or get a shout out. (As a side note... did the presenters think they would have a large audience from Africa or India or Columbia etc. or did it not cross their minds at all?)
Back when I first started it was the chance to sit at the back of a massive auditorium to see a line-up of people whose message... books... tv appearances impacted me. While I enjoyed hearing them live... it was disappointing to have such little access for all the money I paid.
Vegas Wasn't Built on the Backs of Winners
So... as I listened this morning and took in the global audience as well as the sales/marketing pitch... it took me back to all the leadership books I have read... the programs I signed up for and the money I paid out... in the hopes it would change my life.
What I will say is there has never been one magic thing that does it or accomplishes it all. I have also seen friends who "bought into" programs.... and I mean ALL in... life savings... with starry eyes and hopes to achieve the wild success as easy as 1....2....3.
In one case my friends ended up bankrupt... because... if it was THAT easy then we'd all be rich and famous. We need to put into perspective that we should only spend as much as we can afford to lose and know that if we can take away anything that we can build on... then that is all we can expect. Otherwise... we are making our donations to the entrepreneur with an open heart.... we cannot bank on anything in return. Look at it like gambling... maybe you'll win big... but Vegas wasn't built on the backs of winners.... the house always wins.
The Mighty Oak Story
The take-away and free nugget of wisdom I took from today's session was....
He talked about one of his first jobs which was selling wood from an oak tree lot. He broke it down this way....
Did YOU know that Oak trees can be...
used to make toothpicks that are sold for pennies
chopped up as firewood and sold for hundreds of dollars in a load
made into furniture for thousands of dollars
crafted into a violin or cello for millions of dollars
The point was... as people our worth can be variable as well so why not be made into a violin rather than a toothpick. It's the same base product... it's what you do with it.
Who Benefits The Most In The End?
The example this morning really did impact me but maybe not in the way he intended it to.
Just knowing that YOU have more earning potential... and can see that someone else has already achieved it... doesn't mean you can instantly make that choice and achieve it. It would be great if I could go find an oak tree...chop it down... craft it into a violin and sell if for $2M. That is a naïve and simplistic view which pretty much everyone is selling.... and people are buying into.
It's important to look beyond the person and truly understand where the money is made and the role you can play. For example... during the Gold Rush... it wasn't those that mined the gold that made the most money... it was the merchants that sold to the miners. One such company was Levi-Strauss who sold dry goods and they are still in business today.
We can also see that happening as everyone in the technology sector is rushing towards AI and finding ways to incorporate it into their messaging. The long-term winners are still to be determined but if you look at companies like NVIDIA who dominate the AI chip market... they are the modern day merchants selling into those looking to strike it rich.
In Closing...
I'm guessing at this stage in my career I have consumed hundreds... if not thousands of these types of analogies and stories. In the beginning... the a-ha moments and "how does everyone not know this too" was coming fast and furiously. It all made sense and hit home that "that is what I needed to achieve".... what it lacked was my own personal roadmap.... and the context of the risks... investments... time... knowledge... etc... that it takes to be crafted into a million-dollar instrument.
With an open heart...drink in as much learning and take a nugget away from any book... program... inspirational talk... but don't fall for the sales/marketing pitch too hard. Everyone is trying to replicate someone else's success and that ship has sailed. Look at what untapped role YOU can play that sets you up for success in the long run. That is the real secret to what these folks are selling but they won't tell YOU that as long as you rush to jump on the band wagon to pay them to mine on their land.
Leadership Questions of the Week for YOU:
What are the most valuable lessons YOU have learned from events and programs?
How do YOU view YOUR own potential and worth? What advice do YOU have for others to take steps towards maximizing their potential?
How do YOU differentiate between valuable guidance and mere sales pitches?
Have the leadership programs and events YOU have attended truly impacted YOUR career or have they been a financial drain? What program...book or event have YOU found most useful in shaping YOUR career?
How do YOU balance optimism with realism when setting YOUR career goals and expectations?
What do YOU think of the analogies and examples above especially as it relates to something as topical as what we are seeing with AI?
Thanks for reading….and remember…YOU make a difference!
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