A Lesson On Perfection From Jeff Bezos, Founder Of Amazon

It’s common knowledge that when people obsess over ”things not being perfect” it can cause them to become frozen with the fear of failure. Still, many people still struggle with it. So, what can be done about this?

Whenever I’m struggling with whether or not to implement a plan or idea because “it’s not perfect” I take a look at great leaders and entrepreneurs who launched services and products that weren’t perfect. The one who has been coming to mind as of late is Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon.

[VIDEO+ACTIVITY] Duncan Nugget® #103: Focus On The Task At Hand

Picture this:

I’m standing 3 feet away from my 5-yr old son, Mekhi. I call him. He doesn’t answer. Hmm…

I say his name a little louder, “Mekhi!”

Still no response. Grrr…

“MEKHIIII!!!”

Believe it or not, he still doesn’t respond. I’m thinking, “Oh lord! My child is deaf.” But that’s not it. He can’t hear me because he’s watching his show. He’s focused.

If you’re a parent, you’ve experienced this. If you have parents, you’ve done this!

You’re probably thinking, “That is not focus. He was ignoring you.” Ha! I can see where you’re coming from, but wait. Isn’t that what focus is?

The ability to ignore anything that has nothing to do with the task at hand. 

HINT: When engrossed in something you are passionate about, you have that ability.

Million-Dollar Question:
What are you so passionate about
that you ignore all distractions and
focus on the task at hand?

[VIDEO] Duncan Nugget® #311: The Amazing Effects of Your Expectations

Three psychologists conducted an experiment. They gave hundreds of customers at a bar a choice between a free glass of beer from pitcher “A” (regular beer) or pitcher “B” (laced with a small amount of balsamic vinegar.) People sampled both beers before making their choice.

When people knew nothing about the vinegar most people chose pitcher “B”.

When told about the vinegar ahead of time, people cringed in disgust when they tasted the vinegar-beer. When told about the vinegar-beer after they drank it, not only did the majority still like it, they asked for the recipe!

This effect happens to all of us.

If you are convinced ahead of time that something is going to be bad or good, chances are it will be. Not because of the experience, it’s because of the amazing effects of your expectations.

Million-Dollar Question:
How are your expectations
impacting the outcomes in your life?

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

[PICTURE] Duncan Nugget® #14: Your Performance Today

Million-Dollar Question:
If your life was
remembered based on
how well you performed today,
would that be okay with you?

LEARN. DO. IMPROVE.

TODAY

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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS/ACTION STEPS

[VIDEO] Duncan Nugget® #149: The Aspects Of What You Expect To Accomplish

Recently, a friend of mine gave up on his business.

“Al, I wasn’t prepared for the financial aspect of running a business.”

He’s not alone. Many people fail to reach their goals because they lack understanding about aspects of what they are trying to accomplish.

Plenty of great musicians have been taken advantage of because they didn’t understand the business aspect of the industry. There are leaders who expect to be successful, but become demotivated because they weren’t prepared for challenging aspects of leadership.

Regardless of what you expect, ask yourself questions like: What do I have to sacrifice? Time? Money? What problems could arise? What additional knowledge and resources do I need?

Answers to those types of questions will help you to master the aspects of what you expect to accomplish.

Million-Dollar Question:
How well are you prepared for the various aspects of
what you expect to accomplish?

[VIDEO] Duncan Nugget® #197: Protecting Your Momentum

There are few things harder than starting.

Starting what?

Anything that’s a worthwhile endeavor.

It takes a lot of energy to get started. The Space Shuttle uses the most fuel during take off. Your car uses the most battery power when it’s starting up. Think about that. It recharges when it’s running.

Getting started in school or starting a new job, exercise program or business, is challenging because you’re creating momentum and fighting inertia: the natural tendency of an object to resist a change in motion.

Be careful. It’s the start-up phase that breaks a lot people. But not you, right?

You want to take at least one action step, daily, that will help you build and protect your momentum because one thing that’s harder than starting is starting over.

Million-Dollar Question:
What are you committed to doing to
build and protect your momentum?

[VIDEO] Duncan Nugget® #214: Potential and Performance

How much is your potential worth?

Nothing. Unless…

…you combine it with exceptional performance.

You might get praised for your potential, but you only get paid for your performance.

You might get noticed because of your potential, but you are remembered for your performance. Whether it is pitiful or exceptional.

Million-Dollar Question:
How much is your performance worth?