There’s an old saying that goes something like this: only the most foolish of mice would hide in a cat’s ear, but only the wisest of cats would ever think to look there. Now, I love this saying as I related it to a client of mine. I was talking about his business, but I think about this in all of our five to thrive. How often do we, actually, as people that are alphas … We’re out there just doing more in the world, right? You’re listening to a podcast. You’re watching me speak. Whatever it is that you’re digesting this content, you’re choosing to be here now.
That puts you at the cream of the crop, right? How often do we decide to make things more complex than they need to be? Right? I know I do it all the time. Where are we not looking at the obvious? You see, try this on for a second, but my client, for him, what he was doing was complaining that he could not figure out the solution to the problem. He had a high-end client that was worth over a million dollars to his business, yet he just didn’t know how to make this client happy. The client was just continually dissatisfied with the performance that he was getting from my client’s service.
When I started just really looking at it and talking to him about it, he said, “Doug, we put systems in place. We’re redoing our program, everything looks perfect, but this client just doesn’t seem satisfied with this, and I really want them to succeed, and of course, the money, a million dollars to our business is a big deal.” Once I started investigating, I said, “Well, what did the client tell you?”
He said, “Well, let me pull up the email.” He pulled up the email the client sent him. The client said … just basically said, “Look, I really just want to see reports every week.” When I asked my client who is servicing this person, I said, “Are you providing reports every week?” Silence. There was nothing on the end. He said, “Oh my gosh.” He said, “What we’re doing is doing all the things that would make the reports look amazing. We were working on the graphics. We were working on the client’s program. It didn’t dawn on me for some reason to actually just send the reports.”
I know listening to this, this probably sounds completely foolish to you. It’s so obvious, right? How often in our own lives do we do this? How often do we get an email, a message, a text message, a chat on Facebook, or wherever it is, and we misconstrue the message, and actually make it more complex than it is, and we go about solving the wrong problem, and not looking at what obvious is right there between us?
This happens in relationships too. This can also happen in your body, of course, in your mind, and all of your five to thrive. What I’m going to invite you to do right here right now with me is grab your journal, write out your five to thrive, and in those five categories, what I want you to do is look at what is obvious. Where’s the obvious thing in those relationships for you? What are those things that you can turn the needle? Do you have a spouse that just seems angry all the time, or maybe upset? Maybe there’s something obvious that can be changed. Maybe it’s you helping out around the house. Maybe it’s doing the dishes. Maybe it’s hiring a cleaning agent. Whatever it may be, maybe it’s a relationship with a friend. What is the obvious, and where are you trying to make it more complex?
Oftentimes, the obvious answer is the best answer. That’s it for me today. As always, go out and inspire someone by being the author of your own story, and if you enjoy tips like this, and want to do a deeper dive, make sure you get on our wait list for the Author of Your Own Story University. It is incredible. My team has put it together. I can’t take all the credit at all. It is just one of those things that I am just so proud of. I want you to be a part of it, so make sure you go over there right now and take advantage of that offer. Have a great day, and I’ll see you tomorrow!
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