Actually, it took a few hours to sink in and now I am realizing something quite profound.
To win at marketing YOU MUST ENJOY THE GAME!
Many people engage into marketing like chore!
They look at it like something painful that should actually not be there.
They think, that once they market, they will be able to go ahead and do what they really like once they are done with marketing.
That's simply the wrong mind set and creates an ongoing inner conflict!
It doesn't work to look at it that way.
You need to totally shift your mind and realize that the game of marketing is THE goal by itself!
You must play the game AND enjoy it, otherwise it is painful + you waste tons of time and energy!
How can you go a field and play soccer if you really would like to do something else!
How can THAT work?
It simply doesn't because your passion is not with it!
Marketing IS A GAME!
It is a competitive and performance driven activity in which you must be at your best to win!
It's COMPETITIVE!
And competition is in the NATURE OF LIFE!
It starts with hunting millions of years ago!
It starts with survival, with finding a shelter to be safe!
That's the nature of life!
It is fight and competition!
Think about your love life!
Think about you crushing on this guy or girl who falls for someone else!
It's again competition to win in someone's heart, right?
Think about your school years, your studies, your profession, your relationship with a boss or setting up your own business!
COMPETITION! COMPETITION! COMPETITION!
IT'S EVERYWHERE ALL THE TIME!
You better enjoy it because it will be there no matter what you do!
That's the game of life!
It's not the only game but it's one that is at the core of human existence and any form of life on this planet!
Think about a forest! Trees that need to grow faster to reach the light!
Think about hunting lions on an African Savannah!
It's competition again!
It is the survival game!
Business follows the same type of rules and to win, you need to fight AND compete all the time!
Now, when you have been trying a bit and feeling defeated, the game can become a bit... painful!
You might start avoiding playing bit because every time you lose, it's a bit of rejection that you take in!
So, after a while, negative emotions associated with the marketing game accumulate and you might give up playing altogether!
You are NO defeated!
You simply give up because it's too challenging!
So...
If you want to play, your mind MUST be with it!
You must be 100% together, wanting to be right there in the middle of the field!
Marketing is NOT something that you do on the side waiting to be done with it!
It's not something you do before or after doing the real thing!
Marketing IS TH REAL THING!
It is not more real that doing scientific research or teaching in schools or building homes!
All these activities are real!
But... The point is that if you want to win at the business game, you need to realize that you ARE in business and that marketing is 100% part of it!
It is THE GAME!
So pick up the challenge and PLAY TO WIN!