Tune Into The POWER of Targeted Thinking

“It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no person can sincerely try to help another without helping him or herself.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson

Revolution, Disease, Starvation… Every day we are bombarded with problems that seem to defy solution. We are puzzled and upset by national and international calamities even though there is very little that we as individuals can do. We may write letters or join groups, but most likely the root causes are economic factors beyond our control. The greater our distance, the less effective we can be in curing the misery that we see in the news every day.

Instead, if we focus on hardships that we personally experience at home or in our community, then the chances of making a positive impact are much greater. However, when confronting our problems, we are often reluctant to examine them directly. Frequently, the solution can be quite obvious: we need to create more income. Each of us has a flow of money going in and going out, and when expenses are greater than income, life becomes a constant struggle for survival. Helping neighbors becomes less of an option. Sometimes, you have to help yourself first.

We may try to economize, but we rarely can save our way to prosperity.

The real goal should be to increase the money we make so that it exceeds expenses. By enhancing our own standard of living, we are thereby more able to help others. The key to accomplishing this is by applying targeted thinking.

Too often, we are trying to solve today’s problems from the government on down by relying on yesterday’s metrics and methods. World conditions, local opportunities, and technology keep changing at an accelerating rate. Old solutions quickly become obsolete. It is vital that we learn how to target our thinking so that we address today’s problems with the very latest solutions. In other words, we must focus on the present and do our research with laser-like precision. As I note in my recent book, The Evolution of an Entrepreneur, “Attention to detail is paramount for success. Lack of attention is a recipe for failure.” (p. 92)

Even successful models from the past do not necessarily work in today’s marketplace. Defining and continually updating a company’s mission is critically important. For example, many of the newspapers and magazines that are folding today did not understand they were not in the printing business but really in the business of communication and analysis. Another outdated model involves the sad demise of Kodak. This iconic company invented digital photography, but subsequently, it collapsed by trying to maintain its primary but dwindling business of selling film and photo-finishing supplies.

As a global entrepreneur for nearly seven decades, I have evolved to the point where I can analyze current situations in real time and profit by using all my experiences, targeting my thinking to get positive results.

At this point, I am eager to share the “Nadel Method” with as many would-be entrepreneurs as possible. The Nadel Method is not difficult to grasp, but it does require a disciplined approach. It starts with attacking each problem as a separate issue and putting the power of mind to work. Over the years entrepreneurs have strived to exceed their predecessors by doing a better job, and now is a wonderful time for you to take this challenge.

When I started in my career, everybody followed the model of IBM, also known as “Big Blue.” We all dressed in dark suits with white shirts and ties. We were told what we were to sell, how we how we were to sell it, and who our prospects were. Everybody was given the same sales pitch in their training sessions. Today, on the other hand, successful companies emulate models like Apple and Google. They rely on collegial, campus settings and devote significant resources to encouraging and rewarding innovation. Even the executives dress casually. Customized solutions have replaced the one-size-fits-all philosophy.

The lesson is clear. Instead of following a single template for training and preparation, target your thinking so each prospect is approached as an individual with his or her own set of problems and solutions. Search engines have shortened the investigative process, and pinpoint advertising is the new norm. Focus groups have given way to faster and more varied forms of feedback, and every day the value of targeted thinking is proven.