Incentives

Financial incentives are only useful insofar as they help people fulfill their physical and emotional needs.

Great marketers and entrepreneurs are able to circumvent the financial bridge and help people with these deep seeded human needs directly.

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Broken car = broken life

The title of this post is a philosophy I have. People often disagree siting financial hardship, opportunity, income, age… you name it. They can argue all they like but it is true. People who look after themselves, have pride and a solid work ethic have nice cars. Not necessarily expensive cars, but cars which are washed regularly, are tidy inside, and don’t have any obvious dings or fractures which are to be fixed.

Keeping a clean car doesn’t really cost any money, just a little bit of time and effort. In fact it usually saves people money, just like servicing a car does. Sure, cars get smashed, need repairs and are generally a necessary expense and not an asset. But like all things, delays in making it right will have a compound effect. Dints which aren’t fixed get rusty. Unserviced cars break down more often.  Trying to save money letting your car go, just costs money in the long run. People with unbroken lives know this. It also has an important impact on your own self worth and psyche. Not to mention other peoples opinions of you, rightly or wrongly.

Show me an adult with a broken car, and I’ll show you a person with a broken life. (students are the exception)

Below is a classic example. Both cars of similar style and age. The first is owned by a person with a broken life, the other with by a person with a great attitude.

Crappy car

Classic Car

Do the test for a week or two. Assess the people you know and the state of their vehicle. It tells a very clear story.

Startup blog says take pride in all you do and all you own and your life will be better.

Entrepreneurial Chat

Here’s a Skype chat I had with a fellow entrepreneur I am fortunate to know (Michelle) who runs the super terrific Deck of Secrets business:

The chat revolved around a few topics, But I thought I’d share my pearls of wisdom from the chat, as they were written. There is some Adult content – a little swear word or two… but who am I to censor reality?

Steve Sammartino
Yeh, Here’s my new web marketing policy… are you ready?
Michelle Matthews
hit me with it.
Steve Sammartino
It comes with a warning of Adult content…. Still wanna hear it?
Michelle Matthews
now you’ve got me scared but yes i’m ready
Steve Sammartino
do lot’s of sh*t… do it quick as f**k
Eventually something will stick….
and be a tight arse… get that shit free
Michelle Matthews
I like it. Its suits my non-planning, do what you feel like ways.
Steve Sammartino
Planning is a joke – I’m serious. rentoid plan. 1 page.
Companies do it to justify wages… of people who do f**k all
Michelle Matthews
Planning looks good and big companies do it longish term to mess with the small players who can make things happen over night except that they weren’t booked in 18 months earlier.
Steve Sammartino
Well here’s my view on plainning….. This is serious. 1 page per million of revenue. No more than 10 pages of planning regardless of revenue.
Otherwise It simply cannot be strategic.
Michelle Matthews
A friend of mine wrote a book a while ago called Things Big Businesses Do , subtitle that small businesses should do (Mark Brownley) When will you publish the reverse?
Steve Sammartino
I will publish the reverse…. (personal view is I disagree with that maxim…) Companies over plan when they don’t know what to do, how to do it, or how to motivate people to get it done….. Do is key. Mistake quick and often. Find what works, the truth is no one really knows what works because we live in a state of flux.
Michelle Matthews
it must be illustrated
Steve Sammartino
Most of the good shit that has happened in life and business for me has been through experimentation, not planning. Even my life plan is a simple Venn diagram…. wanna see it….
?
Michelle Matthews
Mark had some good lessons but with the pace of change now and the loss of confidence in big companies and governments there has never been a better time to learn from dynamic, nimble companies.
Steve Sammartino
Agreed
Michelle Matthews
yes, please show it to me.
Steve Sammartino
Like you – rockstar… Hoping some will rub off
Michelle Matthews
When I start raking in the $ then I will feel like I’ve made it. Because then I can indulge in more of my ideas.
It’s not about the $ though.
Steve Sammartino
Just look at the visual: Venn
Success = The progressive realization of a worthwhile ideal (as you say $ is not mentioned)
Michelle Matthews
I’d like the $ so I can scoop up all the talented people out there and pay them good $ for them to put their talent to satisfying projects.
Steve Sammartino
Scoop them up now so they can share your success and make it inevitable….
provide ‘options’ for sharing wealth… while you share your dream.
Michelle Matthews
I like your diagram. I think I saw it at breakfast that morning. I should have a crack at my own but Ross keeps distracting me with places to visit on the internet.
Steve Sammartino

Yes – Ross…
hmmm me too – I’ve been getting a bit hungrier lately…. gotta make it happen this year…. my opportunity cost is very high to forgo wages….

Some interesting insightsin the chat. Take from them what you will.

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