Last week I was emailing back and forth with a frustrated business partner. We'll call him, "G." Like you, G works hard to support his family, but he's in a niche industry and he doesn't see a lot of room for improvement. On the other hand, I do, and I truly believe there is huge potential for his business. But he's hung up on one thing that's making him really unhappy.
So let me tell you a little bit more about G. First, he's an industry veteran and expert. That makes it tough, as you can imagine, to watch young upstart folks with less experience just burst into the scene and start making gobs of money.
Do you ever feel that way?
I think almost everyone does, regardless of how successful they have been in the past. It's human nature. But you don't have to let it get to you.
Unfortunately, G's frustrated because he sees so many "mainstream products" making money faster than he is in his smaller niche market. And that's okay. We all get discouraged from time to time.
But there's no point in comparing ourselves to anyone else because that only brings one thing that I'll reveal in a moment.
Back to my email conversation with G. I started explaining to him why he needs to forget his fantasies about having a Mega-Mass-Market-Product-
Here's the exact email I sent to my friend...
"G, trust me, it's best that you don't even bother thinking about trying to sell to the mass market at all. Maybe one day you'll have some mainstream breakthrough, but until then you are so much better off putting your energy into niche-related relationships and promotions.
At the end of the day the main benefit of your program is also admittedly the main limiting factor in the road we've chosen to travel with your business. Your solution is not one that everyone wants or even has the ability to use.
That's a fact of life and we need to make lemonade out of the lemons.
Now while that brings down the total pool of customers, and I know that's a little disheartening, there's still plenty of good news.
There's still so much untapped opportunity among your Niche Market connections that you'll do fine. The growth potential is easily 3 times in 2013 and 5-10 times today's numbers by the end of 2014.
I want you to take this advice. First, don't get discouraged for too long. If you start feeling that way, give yourself 10 minutes to mope and then hit the reset button. Never forget that we still have easier lives than 99% of the world and remember this quote when you start comparing yourself to others:
'He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.' - Epictetus
More important, stop comparing yourself to others. It's the source of almost all unhappiness in life.
Instead, put your energy into your Niche Market scene and look at any promotion from a Mass-Market partner as a bonus.
What will help more than depending on others is to become the most helpful and giving 'business guy' in your Niche industry...meaning that you go out of your way to help anyone and everyone with a Niche-related business.
Listen, you know a lot about how marketing should look and how it should be written. If you visit someone's site and it needs help, email them a tip. If you're on someone's email list and they could use your help, reply with advice. If you see someone putting out a flyer or advertisement that could use improvement, write them a note about how to make it better and teach them the 'reasons why' behind your ideas.
Always make people better and smarter with each interaction you have with them. Help them and teach them something. You'll gain lifelong valuable friends and partners that way.
One of my mentors tried to teach me something over five years ago that unfortunately took me too long to understand. Now that I'm finally getting it, breakthroughs in my life and business are coming faster than ever. Here's the lesson my mentor has been telling his stubborn student for years:
'You cannot out give the universe.' It's one of my favorite Yanik Silver quotes. Now I live it everyday and it's true. It really is. You just have to trust it, and trust the universe, to take care of you once you focus on taking care of everyone else first.
The more you help those others, the more you will help yourself.
As a high level expert in your Niche market (with elite and well-respected technical certifications to prove it), that means something. That puts you ahead of 80% - if not more - of all the other experts in your Niche. Leverage that. Combine that leverage with being the most helpful guy in your Niche marketing scene, and that's where your growth potential is to be found.
The people in your industry need help like this. They all have plenty of technical skills, but they are clueless about building their businesses. You can be the hero and help them with this. You can ease their pain and frustration and turn them into great potential business partners.
the bad habit causing you to fall into this trap in your niche, you build your own sales force that will help promote and support one another to grow the entire industry pie bigger. You make everyone's world a better place.
Trust me, I could go on all day about the potential that is right in front of you. Believe me when I tell you that there is more opportunity out there than you and I could ever get through in our lifetime. You just have to open your eyes and realize that it is ALL around you.
Seek out the opportunity to grow other people.
And try, just try to out give the Universe. I dare you. And I promise you that you'll never beat the universe, but you'll win at the game of life when you give-give-give."
I hope that helps you if you're struggling in your business or career.
The bottom line is to avoid getting sucked into the downward spiral of comparing yourself to someone else. When you find that happening, switch your attention to giving. Give of your knowledge and energy to helping others, and it will set you free of any jealousy or envy that you might have.
It works for me.
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