So what does cause SUCCESS?

One of my favorite...if not the favorite business author is Richard Koch, who wrote the powerful book, "The 80/20 Principle" and in 2001 came out with the equally compelling "The Natural Laws of Business". I enjoy Mr. Koch's viewpoints because quite frankly I agree with them. Not only does the things he says make sense...but you can see them in motion as you would go through (as Gordon would say) your 'Parade of Life'.

He is one example of Mr. Koch's thinking:

"It turns out that most things in the world, and certainly some of the most important--including the weather, the brain, cities, economics, history, and people--are 'nonlinear systems,' which means that they don't behave in the straightforward way assumed by Issac Newton and all the scientists up to the end of the nineteenth century."

"Nonlinear systems don't have simple causes and effects. They don't behave like mechanical objects. Everything is interrelated, equilibrium is elusive and fleeting, small and even trivial causes can have massive effects, control is impossible, prediction is hazardous, simple systems can demonstrate incredibly complex behavior and complex systems can give rise to very simple behavior. In this weird and wonky world, intelligence, common sense, and good intentions are no guarantee of good results. Instead, unwelcome and unintended consequences are endemic."

This is certainly one of the most powerful concepts I've ever read...and since I read it last November, have thought about a great deal. And the more I think about it and observe the concept in action the more solidly I agree. It didn't alter my original thinking (before I read the book), just cemented it into place even further.

One of the things I do is help businesses get started as a paid consultant for the County in which I reside, plus I help existing businesses grow, usually through better marketing. Quite often I talk to people that want to start a business but want to have 'control' of all the variables going in...I say (reinforced by Mr. Koch), that this is impossible. If you have a concept that makes sense to you, then go with it. As said before in ad nauseam that action, any action, is good action. Why? because the 'non-linear' quirks of the world may (and quite often do) open up worlds of opportunity. You look at any successful business out there and I guarantee they were helped along by some fickle happenstance that occurred (and they were able to recognize it) ONLY because they were at a point in their business lives that they could read, accept and then act upon it.

Look at Ben Suarez...his mail order was a flop until Gary Halbert gave him a tip on selling Astrology related products.

One of my mentor's, Johnny Berguson, started out selling audio programs (self published) on horse training. This opened up the door to expand to a $50,000,000 per year business that sells mostly blank audio tapes and high-speed duplicators to the religious market. But this would not have happened without the foray into the audio publishing business first. One door led to another.

John Rigas of the recently pummeled Adelphia Cable, started out with buying a movie theater in Coudersport, PA back in the early 50's. This, through a number of twists and turns, led to the purchase of his first cable company.

Microsoft certainly could not have business planned the need of IBM for an operating system (later to become MSDOS) AND the knowledge of someone (I believe also in the Seattle area) that had an operating system in place that Microsoft could purchase for $50,000 and then tweak and sell to IBM.

Stuff like that just can not be planned for.

Why do we even try? But time after time we hold off doing everything until the 'time is right' and (we think) we control ALL the VARIABLES, which usually means 'we are guaranteed of success'. That might happen in a linear world but not where I live. There are too many things lurking behind corners, some good, some bad, that I can't see and neither can you. But the only remedy is action. Any action.

Do you agree with what Richard Koch says?

Take care,

Mike Winicki