You can accomplish impossible feats by breaking it down into 20 minute increments. Over and over again, Joe Simpson played a mental game: pick a point, look at watch, make it to that point in 20 minutes. He says he became obsessed with the game as a way to keep himself focused not on the miles and painful miles laid out in front of him, but on the moments and seconds within his power. Marketing is the same...you can't rub a magic golden goose belly and transform into a rainmaker. An overall goal is key but the important work is doing the tasks currently within your reach. Then doing them over, and over, and over again. Write the article. Attend the networking event. Reach out to an old colleague. Complete your LinkedIn Profile and connect with others. Now.Believing in yourself is as important as the team you choose. The climbers both alluded to the great trust required of anyone climbing in the Alpine Style. It's not the ropes that hold you, rather the person on the other end of the ropes. This trust allowed the climbers to achieve their initial goal of reaching the summit and part one of the descent. But if Simon hadn't of cut the rope, they both would have been pulled down the mountain. Ultimately, each man was forced to rely on his own will rather than leaning on his teammate. Even if your firm has a well developed marketing strategy and great brand recognition, it is up to you to create new business. Remember the old saying, people hire attorneys, not law firms? This applies to your marketing abilities as much as it does to your legal skills.
It doesn't pay to stay comfortable. At one point during the crawl back to base camp, Simpson said that he almost became too comfortable and slipped into a sleep. Hungry, dehydrated, tired, cold...I imagine that sleep is a welcome state to anyone after such a gut-wrenching ordeal. Had he succumbed to this natural inclination, I'm guessing it would be all the more difficult to wake up and begin moving again, to put himself through the initial shock of pain and desperation. He fought against it and ultimately made it out alive. In what areas of your business development efforts have you become comfortable? Do you talk only to people that you know at CLE events? in the break room? Staying away from the comfort zone is easier than slipping in and trying to make your way back out again.
