Stand in the orchard and give the tree a good shake

Shaking an apple tree is one of
life’s magnificent experiences. 

There’s the excitement of locating the most
prolific tree in the orchard. There’s the anticipation of gripping the trunk
and steadying your legs for the drop. There’s the exhilaration of shaking the
tree and feeling the unrivaled sensation of the apples thumping off your head
and onto the ground. There’s enthusiasm of gathering the biggest and best ones
into your bag. And finally, there’s the gratification of cooking and eating
your own apple pie later that night. 

It doesn’t get much better than that. 

In fact,
every entrepreneur in the world should be required to go apple picking as part
of their training. It’s a perfect metaphor for how business works. Because apples
can fall unpredictably into your lap, but it’s much more likely to
happen if you go stand in the orchard and give the tree a good shake. 

Luther
actually made a brilliant observation about this very process. Here’s what he
said over five hundred years ago:

First I shake the whole apple tree, that the
ripest might fall. Then I climb the tree and shake each limb, and then each
branch and then each twig, and then I look under each leaf. 

Who knew the leader
of the protestant reformation knew so much about business? 

And yet, it’s a
strategy that veteran entrepreneurs forget. We assume that our reputation and
portfolio and platform and client history and positive word of mouth and
accumulation of value in the marketplace will speak for itself and create a
force of gravity that allows apples to magically fall into our lap. 

Which can
be true, but not consistently. There are no guarantees in business, only
gambles. 

And so, doing a great job and waiting for the phone to ring is no
longer sustainable business model. We actually have to get out there give the
tree a good shake. Every single day.

Otherwise we might go hungry. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

How many people did you ask to buy your product yesterday? LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For the list called, “99 Ways to Think Like an Entrepreneur, Even If You Aren’t One,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.  

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com

Never the same speech twice. Customized for your audience. Impossible to walk away uninspired.

Now booking for 2016-2017.

Email to inquire about fees and availability. Watch clips of The Nametag Guy in action here!