In Journey to Ixtlan Don Matus tells Carlos Castaneda, after running at night high up in the mountains, to focus on the shadows of the leaves on one single branch and then eventually work his way to the whole tree and not let his eyes go back to the leaves.
Don Matus says Carlos must learn “to not do what I know how to do”.
Where do you look for opportunities?
Where others have looked… but let’s face it, that doesn’t always work out as intended.
In these uncertain and hard times what worked a year ago won’t necessarily work now. Look at what’s happening to small business in your local shopping centres. A pet food shop opens up for six months and then shuts down. The old space is occupied by a new tenant, and enthusiastic “entrepreneur” who has started a pool care centre. It’s happening all the time. A gift shop shuts down after a year of trading and is replaced by a woman’s clothing store.
In this economy knowing how to come up with new options, new approaches and new concepts can mean the difference between success and failure. You can struggle for years trying to figure it out on your own… or discover the secrets from a resource that shows people who have already successfully done it.
Where do you find out the hidden secrets of creativity to turn yourself into a problem-solving, idea-generating creative person?
The answer doesn’t lie in Googling your way to understanding what is required. Because real know-how comes from real-world experience… and sources of information unavailable or hidden from the Internet.
Knowing how to focus on the foliage, the shadows of the leaves of the spaces in between the leaves shows you the areas of opportunity that are overlooked. If you think you know how to do something based on what you know how to do, you can easily get it wrong… waste time and lose money.
The businesses that are surviving, that are doing well despite the hard times, have found their opportunities in spaces that people overlook and ignore.
In my book “Breakthrough Ideas” I show you case examples of people who have found those spaces and done well for themselves. I cover many simple and practical ways to come up with new ideas. My book is based on real-world experience, research into creativity, proven methods and ideas that have succeeded. By the end of the first chapter, which will only take a few minutes, you will produce new ideas that could spark your personal or even business breakthrough.
When you run into difficulties, where are you going to find your opportunity?
Will it be too late for you?
Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to invest this ridiculously small amount in your future?
