Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 19 seconds.
TODAY’S IDEA: Alchemy
— From 80/20 Sales and Marketing: The Definitive Guide to Working Less and Making More by Perry Marshall
In his book 80/20 Sales and Marketing, sales and marketing guru Perry Marshall refers to another book—Paul Zane Pilzer’s Unlimited Wealth—where Pilzer says that the essence of economics is alchemy.
Whaaaaat??
Yes, alchemy: “Lead into gold; creating something from nothing. Turning sand into Pentium chips. Turning a grassy field into a farm and crops. Transforming immaterial ideas into software and websites. Converting chaos into order.”
Marshall goes on to explain, “Even agriculture is alchemy. DNA, water and sunlight transform dirt into corn and grass. Corn and grass turn sperm into cows. DNA is instructions for turning minerals into living creatures and food. DNA is information. It’s an idea, a plan written in digital code.”
“Ideas are the basis of all creative acts. Thus, the most important resources for modern alchemists—you and me—are knowledge, imagination, and inspiration.”
The author recalls having a conversation with Richard Koch, author of The 80/20 Principle, where the latter said, “it’s human energy that creates the magic.”
How is this possible?
Think about it for a moment: “centuries ago, most people in the world went to bed hungry… many women died in childbirth, populations succumbed to famine and smallpox. Today, people at the poverty line enjoy more comforts than kings and queens of long ago.”
That’s alchemy.
And this should be the reason, says Marshall, “to be optimistic about the future, instead of getting seduced by the negativity and panic of the news media.”
Examples of alchemy abound: “An interior decorator walks into every room and considers how she’d re-do the furnishings, paint and decorations. A contractor drives by a dilapidated house, re-arranges everything in his mind and says, ‘I fixed it!’”
“Everywhere you go, every business you walk into, you think of ways to improve their traffic, their conversion, their economics.”
Perry then points out that, “YOU are a builder, a developer, an improver, an alchemist. You can’t walk into a pub or visit a website or buy a product or let the lawn service guy into your house without considering this.”
It’s true. We are all alchemists and our power resides in our ideas—and their execution—wherever we go.
Marshall closes beautifully by saying, “You are an alchemist. Create. Invent. Imagine… in such a way that the world is a better place because you have lived.”
ACTION
TODAY: Find out what your alchemy is. What kind of ideas do you come up with and execute? What’s your superpower? Be generous with it and you’ll reap the benefits.
FUTURE: Keep a notebook of your ideas. Author James Altucher has a habit of writing down 10 new ideas every day. This is brilliant. The more ideas you write, the greater an alchemist you will become.
Know someone who is an alchemist? Please share this post: Email, Facebook, Twitter. Thank you!