Here's why you're not rich yet
"Intensity is a differentiator in life."
F#ck!
And I don’t use this word lightly.
Yesterday, I had such an intense AHA moment, it still reverberates through my body.
blew my mind.It’s not that his message was something I didn’t know intuitively.
It’s that he put it in front of my eyes in a way so clear, so powerful, so absolutely undeniable — I saw it in a whole new way.
I saw the whole unsightly truth about why I’m not successful yet — and it has nothing to do with platforms or growth hacks.
It has to do only with me. It has to do only with you.
What am I talking about?
Your lack of intensity.
“Most people lack intensity.
They’re lukewarm about their lives. They’re too patient. They have 10 year timelines for goals that should take less than a year.” — Tim Denning
Sounds about right?
Yeah. If you think you could've achieved more by now, you’re probably right.
Here’s one of the stories Tim shares:
“Facebook bought Instagram a few years back for $1B.
That’s common knowledge. What’s uncommon about this story is how Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg did it.
Kevin Systrom founded Instagram. He worked with Twitter founder Jack Dorsey at another startup. When Instagram gained traction, Jack tried to buy it from Kevin.
He offered $500M for it.
Given Kevin and Jack were friends it was the most obvious and easiest deal in history. The big sum of cash was intense. It was bold. It was the obvious right move.
Mark got word that Instagram might be sold. He texted Kevin and tried to get a meeting. Kevin thought it was a bad idea to meet because it would obviously piss Twitter off.
It’s now Easter. Mark insists on a meeting at his house on Good Friday, while Twitter employees are taking it easy and Jack is distracted. Mark’s at level 100 of intensity in the meeting.
He refuses to leave without a deal being done.
Mark offers to match the $500M. Kevin says no. Mark then doubles down and offers $1B. This was the most money ever offered for a mobile app at the time. It was record-breaking in every way and would obviously make headlines.
For a company with zero revenue and 20 employees that offer seemed stupid.
Kevin and Mark agree to stay together for the rest of the Easter weekend and try to write up a deal. Mark wakes people up from their holidays and gets lawyers to draw up a deal that would normally take a year, and do it over Easter weekend.
By the end of the weekend Instagram sold for $1B to Facebook. Twitter were shocked. An easy deal was taken from them because they lacked intensity. They got comfortable. They had no urgency.
Intensity is a differentiator in life. It makes impossible things happen, faster.”
This is NOT about self-criticism.
The last thing I (or Tim, I bet) want you to do right now is to sink into ice-cream-covered self-pity.
Instead, get pumped up. Actually do the things you want to do.
Did you know I’ve postponed the creation of digital products for years? What to create? How to create it?
Last month, I built & launched 2 niche courses in 2 consecutive weeks and made $1000+ in sales.
During those weeks, I also worked with clients, and the weekend in between, I travelled to London for a work event.
I literally launched my first course at the airport.
By the time I landed, it had sold 10 copies.
I’ve had so much time to do this, why did I do it right in the middle of this madness? I think I just had had enough with myself. I was sick of postponing, half-assing things and then wondering why they don’t work.
What are you postponing? Why? Because you’re fine with not living your dreams a little longer?
If I didn’t succeed in kicking you into gear, go read Tim’s full piece here, because he definitely will.
Do you postpone because you lack the process?
Creative minds need processes.
If we don’t have a process, we spend too much time thinking and feeling—and not nearly enough time doing.
If your goal is to build an audience, the Audience Builder will take you through the exact steps to get your first or next 1000 subscribers FAST.
It’ll also give you a process for producing great content, day in, day out.
Didn't know that part of the deal, that's crazy. And such a cool example to tell the story.
I still feel a slight anxious pinch with the word "Intensity" 🤣. But I guess if I would not have even decided to turn paid subscriptions on next week, now I would for sure.
Great article Maya!!