Have you ever seen a dirty penny on the street, noticed it, thought, “Hey! A penny!” but then didn’t pick it up because it’s dirty, tails up (bad luck), because you thought, “Heck…it’s just a penny” or because you were embarrassed to look like a desperate hobo picking up a penny?
Not me.
I dive on any crummy, beat-up, Covid-laced, possibly poop speckled and booger-smeared, bad-luck penny I see. Same with nickels, dimes, quarters and dollars. I don’t discriminate. My kids haven’t gotten old enough to be embarrassed about that yet, but my 10-year-old is getting close. Know what? I don’t care…and here’s why…
I truly believe the universe sends me money. Often it shows up as opportunities, like when Dr. Nido Qubein offers me an honorary bachelor’s degree at High Point University or when Kevin O’Leary said he wants to feature me on his Facebook show for entrepreneurs. Both are very cool and easy to say “Yes” to.
But sometimes it shows up in a lesser attractive package. Sometimes it’s in a successful event or a marketing campaign that just works, like the webinar we recently did that instantly generated 35 appointments in a matter of minutes. I was grateful for that. And sometimes it’s a crummy penny on the street. I believe that not picking up the money (opportunities) in front of you – ALL of them – is disrespectful to the “universe” (whatever the hell that is), and if you do it enough, the flow of those opportunities dries up.
Where does this weirdness come from?
Hell, I’m a multimillionaire now. I don’t have to pick up pennies.
The short answer is that for a part of my life I went without. I didn’t know where my next meal was coming from. I didn’t know if I’d have a place to sleep at night. I truly lived day-to-day – so I made the MOST out of every opportunity that came to me. If someone offered to pay me to clean their house, shovel a driveway covered in five feet of snow, walk their dog, scrub a toilet, clean out a hot garage full of spiderwebs in 100-degree weather, I cheerfully welcomed it. And I do mean cheerfully and gratefully. I would do the BEST job I could and never for one minute think, “Man, I shouldn’t have to do this shit.” Not. Once. Ever.
Today, I don’t have to do those things (although I don’t see myself as “above” it). But in that same spirit, I cheerfully welcome the challenges that come with building and running a business. I don’t waste opportunities by ungratefully proclaiming, “That’s too much work!” or “I don’t have the time!” I don’t think that getting on a call with a prospect who is complaining about something is a task I should delegate – I want that sale and I’m a gonna get it. EARN it. I don’t lament, “Damn, this should be easier!” which is the ultimate entitlement attitude. I embrace it, welcome it. Then I own it.
Napoleon Hill said, “Our brains become magnetized with our dominating thoughts.” Earl Nightingale correctly said that our world is a mirror of our attitudes and expectations. I would add on to that how GRATEFUL you are for every and any opportunity determines how many of them flow your way.
Now here’s an opportunity: I’m going to deliver a killer 2-day event where I’ll show you how to build your MSP to a 7-figure net profit AFTER paying yourself a fair market salary. Not *just* marketing, but what you will need in topline revenue, contribution margins, MRR, clients, staff, etc.
Of course, marketing IS part of this, but strategic marketing to get the right clients at the right price point and maximize the heck out of everything you do to get to that 7-figure net as fast as possible.
Here’s the details on the event: www.ITmarketingRoadshow.com
Question is, will you pick up this “penny,” or are you too busy? Too broke? Too lazy? We’ll see…
