I certainly hope you’re wondering what Jerry Maguire, Seth Godin, and cash have in common with fear. Allow me a moment to explain.
I spent a couple weeks up late at night scheming and planning. I’d been sketching and strategizing toward the final stages of my big idea and presentation to our owners.
I’d done my research and there was undoubtedly merit to the plan. Two core business elements would be repackaged and sold as a combined offering to our clients. The client would benefit and so would our business.
As stated, I spent a couple weeks working through the particulars: sales, training, process, execution, client enrollment, external marketing and internal marketing. All of these elements were combined into one well thought out plan (my opinion) ready to be put in front of our ownership the day before everyone departed for Thanksgiving.
Imagine something along the lines of Jerry Maguire, without getting fired afterward of course.
I ventured off to Copyworks the evening before the presentation to ensure I had professionally bound materials ready for the following morning. I was going to have eight of the documents printed in sharp color and bound for an expert touch. To be taken seriously I was going to make serious moves!
When the booklets were completed the charming yet shy girl at the front desk asked me how I’d like to pay for the books. I politely asked if she took American Express and replied with, “Yes, it will be $90 sir.”
WHAT?!?! Are there gold leafs in the booklets? How on earth could this cost $90?
I was confused, frustrated, and for some reason embarrassed. Maybe I should’ve asked (before I was in such a hurry – typical me!) what the price was, but it was a little too late for that. I handed her my credit card and she completed the transaction. There were a couple of books remaining to be assembled so I grabbed a seat in a stodgy old chair by the front store window.
I starred off into the cold dreary street and I got to thinking. Was I really upset about the $90? I certainly shouldn’t be. I mean, I had the $90 and I knew it was going to cost something. I didn’t plan on bartering for the goods. That’s when the real question hit me.
“Zac, do you think your idea is worth $90 or not?”
I had a fear of putting the concept out in the open; to our ownership nonetheless. I was taking a chance. The perfect idea lived in my head and on paper, but it might as well have been in a vacuum. Certainly no one was going to benefit from a idea in a vacuum. It had to see the light of day and breathe in the cool wintery Iowa air.
Taking time to reflect, I’m glad the books cost $90 to print and assemble. It made me take a good hard look at the material and the confidence in my idea. After all, it only took $90 to get my mind right! Thousands of people waste much more than $90 trying to find confidence in the midst of fear.
As fate would have it, a couple days before I published this blog post, the email below appeared in my inbox from the remarkable Seth Godin.
ACTION ITEM: Don’t let $90 keep you from your idea, concept, or business plan. I promise you, It’s not the money you’re worried about. The sooner you understand this, the closer you are to launch.
PS – When you do launch, I encourage you to scream “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” It feels awesome.
