My friend Russ works behind the counter and always has a smile on his face. It’s funny, he wears a uniform and a red apron, working in a convenient store. Yet Russ has a better attitude than all the A-holes who pull up in their Mercedes, Bluetooth jammed into their ear with important looks on their face.

Back to the story….

I was giving Russ my $1.39 for my 20 oz coffee when I looked over at the newspaper stand and asked “How much for this crap?”

Russ’ answer almost caused me to to have a full blown heart attack right on the spot.

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Those six words really shaped my thought process when I first read them in the book Good To Great by Jim Collins. Collins and his group did exhaustive research on several companies who made the leap from Good to Great over a 20 year period or so, not sure the exact number of years. He also contrasted that with companies in the same industry who remained the same or failed. It was amazing to see the differences in the mindset of the CEO’s who led these contrasting organizations.

I don’t want to make this post into a book report, Lord knows how much I hated book reports in school. However, I want to share with you a concept I remember from the book more than any other. A thought process that has stayed with me to this day and is a part of the foundation from which I have built EverydayIsSaturday.com.

The Fox And The Hedgehog

The story of the fox and the hedgehog goes like this:

Each day the hedgehog wakes up with one thing on his mind: To go out, search for food and feed his family.

That’s it.

Nothing more, nothing less.

Each day he gets that fat, frumpy body moving out of it’s hole and wanders out into the land. He’s thinking “I just want to feed the kids…” Think of the old Dunkin Dougnuts commercial where the man wakes up early each morning mumbling “Time to make the doughnuts.” Same thing.

He goes out for food, comes home. Does it again tomorrow.

Rinse and repeat.

Then there’s the fox.

The fox is this good looking, cunning, clever animal who thinks of new ways to kill his foe the hedgehog every day. Each day the fox wakes up and says “I’m going to outsmart that fat sack of nothing, Mr Hedgehog and kill him! Today is the day…..” Then he exits his den to look for the hedgehog. Once he sees his nemesis he stops, retreats behind a bush and begins planning a new and innovative way to attack. He thinks of ways the hedgehog will never suspect.

And then - Wham! The fox begins his descent on the hedgehog, coming in from a brand new direction, never seen before. There is no way the hedgehog stands a chance this time. The fox has been thinking about this all night over brandy and a few cigarettes. He plotted and plotted until he was convinced the fat, sloppy hedgehog would never survive such an intelligent maneuver.

The fox is just a few feet from it’s target when Mr. Hedhog stops (yawns) and says to himself “Oh no, not this nutcase again. When is he ever going to learn?” Then the hedgehog curls up into a ball and makes damn sure the fox sees his sharp porcupine-like needles sticking out from his skin like razor blades.

The fox stops in his tracks.

Foiled again by Hedgehog.

And the fox retreats to his den, suffering another embarrassing setback in his never-ending war with fat boy. The hedgehog picks himself back up, brushes off his furs and blows a kiss to the fox saying “Peace, out.”

Question: What do this have to do with you?

Answer: Everything

The number one question I receive from clients is “Why isn’t my business working? I love what I do but I just can’t seem to gain any traction.”

Answer: You’re acting like a fox and need to begin acting like a hedgehog.

You have thought up so many different ways to attack your dream but have missed a major point. You can’t keep slicing and dicing different angles with your passion. You have to find a way that works for you and stay with it. Success is not going to happen right away. And while we’re at it, let’s define right away - 2-3 yrs. Yes, I would consider 2-3 years as ‘fast-tracking’ your success.

Do you know how long I have been an entrepreneur?

Over 10 yrs.

For five of those ten years I was a entrepreneur living inside an employee’s body dying a slow death. You know what else I was doing? I was thinking up thousands of ways to get to my Saturday - I had a fox mentality. Had I stayed with my passion from the beginning, I’d be way farther ahead right now. But that’s not how it worked out and that’s not how it was supposed to work out for me. I had to learn the hard way so I could come back and let you know all about it.

In hindsight, it would have been better for everyone involved had I simply launched a personal development business from the get-go and took on the hedgehog mentality. Each day I should have woke up, written articles, blog posts and recorded podcasts about nothing other than personl development. Eventually I got there but not after years of chasing the hedgehog instead of being one.

Here’s what you need to do right now:

- Define what exactly is your Saturday

- Do not waffle one iota from that stance. I don’t care how many people say you’re crazy. If you know in your heart of hearts that this is your passion and what you are meant to do, do it!

- Every waking moment of your business day should be geared around this hedgehog concept. Notice I said “business day” not family time. The reason you are paying the price now is so you don’t have to later. Don’t keep your laptop open around your kids when they want to have conversations with you.

- Stay focused. Why is being a fox so much easier than being a hedgehog? Because there’s no accountability. All you have to say is “Ah, foiled again, darnit. Oh well, I’m a fox and that’s what’s supposed to happen because it’s been happening ever day of my life.” That’s unacceptable. That’s a defeatist attitude similar to “juts my luck”. That doesn’t work in this arena.

- Get the food for your family and go home. By this I mean to keep it simple. Stop over-complicating things. When I have the biggest struggles in my business is when I bring in too many people around me and give up control. I have learned (unfortunately) that nobody has the passion I do for my business and therefore, is not allowed to get close to the action. If they do, ultimately things go awry and I’m left holding the back. Stay in control 100% of the time. Bring in a mastermind team but no partners. Your business is your business and nobody will ever care more about it that you.

Keep it simple.

Get the food and get back home.

When the foxes try to attack, curl up, point your needles at them and say “Get lost.”

Wake up and do it again tomorrow.

Let me know how it goes:)

Sam

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It seems everyone I meet these days is trying to be someone they are not. I don’t know if it’s the narcissistic tendencies that Facebook or Twitter bring out in people, but it is something that I see every single day. For example, you’ll see people with 25,000 twitter followers and 5,000 Facebook friends. They look like the coolest SOB’s on the planet until you get to know more about them.

I can’t even look at some people’s tweets or Facebook status without laughing and saying “Seriously?”

I’m obsessed, I know that has to be the answer, why else would I speak about it every day? Although in my defense, I don’t go looking for these folks, they show up on my screen.

Seriously, my B.S. meter is off the charts! The hypocrisy knows no boundaries of gender, race or ethnic background. Although the biggest offenders (edging out online marketers), is Christians.

First off, if you have to tell me you’re a Christian - game over.

Second, why do Christians feel they have the right to spew Bible verses like a kid with nursery rhymes? It’s been my experience that the ones who know their Bible verses the best, are the biggest hypocrites. On more than one occasion I’ve seen a hand raised to the heavens during Sunday morning worship, then a middle finger raised to the window after being cut off in traffic on the way home.

I’ve purposely taken a leave from my church because I simply cannot get my message from this particular environment. I know I should be bigger than that, I know it’s not about me - but I’m being honest ( another trait lacking in most). I can’t watch the people worship knowing they’re phonier than a three dollar bill, that 24 hrs from now they will be back to their old secular ways.

The difference between me and them: I throw myself under the bus all the time, declaring that I am the most flawed human being on planet earth. I don’t try to be someone I am not. What you see is what you get. Do I let you see 100% of me? No. That person is seen only by my family. I don’t air my dirty laundry in public nor do I pretend to be holier than Thou, I’m just Sam Crowley.

People ask me all the time “Dude, are you seriously that excited all the time?” Answer - yes! But there’s another side of me that others in my inner circle see and that’s a man with lots of concerns. I worry about my daughters. Am I being the best father I can be? Are they OK when they’re in school? Are they enjoying life? Do they know Jesus?

The toughest Christians to tolerate are the ones who constantly give advice to others, while their own life is a complete train wreck. Spouse is cheating, kids are unruly, money is spent on ridiculous things (and very little, if any, is given to the church), they volunteer for the ‘look at me’ factor rather than just doing it.

Here’s my advice: Rather than tell me you’re a Christian, just go about your day-to-day life and I’ll be happy to observe.

The second place winner in the Fake Stakes is a group we’ll call online marketers.

Wowzers.

These men and women are snake oil if I’ve ever seen it.

Now, before you reputable online marketers get your knickers in an uproar, I know there are good ones out there. Relax.

I’m talking about the freaks who constantly update their social media with “I’m in a perpetual state of gratitude because I am free. I found the perfect business for me and I’m loving every minute of it…..(and you can too, just click the link below and go to my site for more info)” {yawn}

It’s ok to be grateful. I have a couple blog posts and videos talking about gratitude, it certainly has its place. But to tell everyone you know, every day that you’re happy, successful and wealthy tells me you are miserable and about to go broke.

Case in point: This past summer I had a guy order my free audio course Six Days To Saturday. He obviously didn’t read the seven references to our monthly continuity program on the sales page and just quickly hit the order button to take advantage of the free product. Thirty days later I get a nasty email from him telling me he was duped (close, but I think he meant he’s a dope:)

He goes on in his email about his credit cards being maxed out, no money, no hope, even his dog doesn’t want him around. At the bottom of the sob story email begging me for a refund is his sig file: “Ask me how I live the life I love while working from the comforts of home.”

What??

Here was Skippy The Professional Refund Artist crying in his Gmail about how broke he is and still keeps his sig file in tact - just in case it may have caught my eye and I wanted to join his team. Now this is a ridiculous - albeit true - example of a poser in action but it’s everywhere online. Next time you log in to Facebook check all the status updates and see how happy everyone is and how their business is thriving and how grateful they are. While you’re reading their updates, I want you to imagine all of them sitting in their home depressed and wishing life didn’t suck so bad. I’ll bet you I’m right on more of these than not.

So why am I so obsessed with all the hypocrisy? Great question.

I think my infatuation began in my former corporate life where it seemed everyone was a liar and it started at the top. From alcohol to adultery to insecurities - everyone in a business suit was a schizophrenic mess and only a few had a chance to witness the dysfunction first hand. The higher I rose on the corporate ladder the less impressed I was with the people I met. It made me sick to think in order to advance my career I would have to keep my mouth shut and take one for the team.

No thank you.

I told my wife I would rather be broke than be a sellout - I’m quitting my job. Well, I was a prophet! I did go broke but I still had my health, family and a great attitude - all I needed to build my dream business. Unfortunately, now I trust very few people - especially in business.

So what’s up Sam? Why the long post? The reason for this message is to avoid online Christian marketers with a Facebook page…..KIDDING! Heck, if that was the case - you’d be avoiding ME:)

I really want you to be successful. Not just in business but in all the relationships you have. The key to being successful is to be who you are all the time, every time - operating with pure motives. We all have skeletons in our closet and the goal is not to put everything out there for all to see. But you better be honest with people because they have a funny way of sniffing out a fraud. Some may tell you, or others may be like me and just never come back.

The Internet is littered with pretenders selling the latest and greatest snake oil. There are very few who have taken the time to build a brand, be honest and work hard at what they love. Don’t go for the easy money and don’t fall for the carnival barker promising an opportunity of a lifetime.

Go deep inside yourself and ask what is it you love to do and then find a way to monetize it. Make sure you have properly identified the market you are going after and come at it with a ‘real’ angle. They will surely appreciate the breath of fresh air.

My promise to you: The more real you are the more successful you will be.

If you’re an idiot 6 days a week and treat people like dirt except on Sundays, please refrain from quoting scripture.

If you haven’t made $.05 online, stop posting online about how successful you have been.

If you’re having an adulterous affair, stop (for alot of reasons).

Life is awesome. It is meant to be soaked up like a sponge. Quit complaining about how cold it is and be thankful you aren’t six feet underground. Stop with the partner who did you wrong, resentment is the equivalent of drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

Wake up tomorrow with a sense of purpose and be you. You’ll be surprised at just how much pressure is off you to not have to be anyone else.

Sam

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