Jesse Horowitz
April 18, 2002, 06:56 PM
Greetings Sowpubbers,
Undoubtedly, one of the favorite topics of this board is the concept of LEVERAGE. Which is one of the qualities that makes it such a high caliber board.
Attaining true leverage can single-handedly have more of a positive impact on your life, both professionally and personally, than just about anything else I can think of.
So here's a unique twist on the idea of Leverage, which will hopefully provide a breakthrough spark for someone.
Every now and then, someone will "hit a jackpot" and create tremendous leverage almost instantaneously. And that's wonderful.
But for the rest of us, true leverage does not happen overnight.
It requires persistence, passion, trial & error...and most of all, VISION.
You see, leverage is actually a perfect paradox in most cases.
Here's what I mean by this.
Those who embrace the fact that creating maximum leverage often starts with having NO leverage at all; are usually the ones who end up with the ultimate scenarios of leverage.
For instance, when creating a model for a business system (SYSTEMS are the key, not projects), I have less leverage in the early stages as a teenager flipping burgers.
I'm doing my research...evaluating potential markets...writing copy...creating back-end systems...forming strategic alliances...doing some small scale testing...etc.
And meanwhile, little, if any revenues at all are coming in. I'm working *more* hours than the burger flipper, but getting paid less! Doesn't seem fair, does it? "What's this leverage stuff? I'm a grossly underpaid professional!" I used to think to myself.
But then a beautiful thing happens.
Little by little, the tides start to turn.
Some data starts to emerge from my tests. I start to gain some intelligence on what's working and what's not. Maybe I even get a few orders.
I make some tweaks and forge ahead.
Now I might have pulled even with the burger flipper.
I still have a ways to go. But each step becomes easier than the last. And each subtle tweak creates a greater and greater increase in the results.
Slowly but surely, exponential growth begins to occur. To the point where 5 minute tweaks now may translate to hundreds or thousands of dollars of revenue.
Why?
Because the model is now in place.
Because the desire to create LEVERAGE was so strong, that I was willing to work for NO leverage at all in the beginning.
And the end result, if you hit upon a winner?
You'll be among the highest paid professionals in the world. Your SYSTEM that started with a vision and NON-leveraged work can now very feasibly generate more money in a DAY, withOUT your involvement, than the burger flipper can generate by working for an entire month -- all 160 hours worth.
You'll literally have instances where you take off for a trip, and upon your return, things are even BETTER than when you left them.
Why?
Because true leverage takes on a life of its own. It does not require your physical presence or participation.
I certainly have not yet reached the highest pinnacles of leverage. I've got a ways to go. But I'm pretty happy with where I'm at, and leverage is one of the greatest blessings in my life. I'm a "leverage junkie" and am always looking for ways to maximize my leverage from almost any endeavor.
I hope my musings were of value to some of you.
Remember the power of vision, and leverage onward!
All the best,
-Jesse
Undoubtedly, one of the favorite topics of this board is the concept of LEVERAGE. Which is one of the qualities that makes it such a high caliber board.
Attaining true leverage can single-handedly have more of a positive impact on your life, both professionally and personally, than just about anything else I can think of.
So here's a unique twist on the idea of Leverage, which will hopefully provide a breakthrough spark for someone.
Every now and then, someone will "hit a jackpot" and create tremendous leverage almost instantaneously. And that's wonderful.
But for the rest of us, true leverage does not happen overnight.
It requires persistence, passion, trial & error...and most of all, VISION.
You see, leverage is actually a perfect paradox in most cases.
Here's what I mean by this.
Those who embrace the fact that creating maximum leverage often starts with having NO leverage at all; are usually the ones who end up with the ultimate scenarios of leverage.
For instance, when creating a model for a business system (SYSTEMS are the key, not projects), I have less leverage in the early stages as a teenager flipping burgers.
I'm doing my research...evaluating potential markets...writing copy...creating back-end systems...forming strategic alliances...doing some small scale testing...etc.
And meanwhile, little, if any revenues at all are coming in. I'm working *more* hours than the burger flipper, but getting paid less! Doesn't seem fair, does it? "What's this leverage stuff? I'm a grossly underpaid professional!" I used to think to myself.
But then a beautiful thing happens.
Little by little, the tides start to turn.
Some data starts to emerge from my tests. I start to gain some intelligence on what's working and what's not. Maybe I even get a few orders.
I make some tweaks and forge ahead.
Now I might have pulled even with the burger flipper.
I still have a ways to go. But each step becomes easier than the last. And each subtle tweak creates a greater and greater increase in the results.
Slowly but surely, exponential growth begins to occur. To the point where 5 minute tweaks now may translate to hundreds or thousands of dollars of revenue.
Why?
Because the model is now in place.
Because the desire to create LEVERAGE was so strong, that I was willing to work for NO leverage at all in the beginning.
And the end result, if you hit upon a winner?
You'll be among the highest paid professionals in the world. Your SYSTEM that started with a vision and NON-leveraged work can now very feasibly generate more money in a DAY, withOUT your involvement, than the burger flipper can generate by working for an entire month -- all 160 hours worth.
You'll literally have instances where you take off for a trip, and upon your return, things are even BETTER than when you left them.
Why?
Because true leverage takes on a life of its own. It does not require your physical presence or participation.
I certainly have not yet reached the highest pinnacles of leverage. I've got a ways to go. But I'm pretty happy with where I'm at, and leverage is one of the greatest blessings in my life. I'm a "leverage junkie" and am always looking for ways to maximize my leverage from almost any endeavor.
I hope my musings were of value to some of you.
Remember the power of vision, and leverage onward!
All the best,
-Jesse
