Publication: Tayo Solagbade’s Weekly Public Speaking IDEAS Page (PSIP) Newsletter

Date: Monday 25th February 2013

No: 78

Title: Success Is A Lousy Teacher – Bill Gates

Author & Publisher: Tayo K. Solagbade [234-803-302-1263]

Blog URL: http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/blog

Archive (For E-mail only version started 14th May 2012): Click here to view

Archive (For Blog version started 24th September 2011): Click here

Hi,

Please find below the latest issue of my weekly Public Speaking Ideas page for 2013. 

No. 78: Success Is A Lousy Teacher – Bill Gates

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NB: If you ever find yourself wondering what else I’ve written, some days after you’ve read THIS Speaking Ideas newsletter I send out on a Monday, here’s what you can do to find out: Point your browser to www.sdacademy.org to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule

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The above title is a verbatim excerpt of the first of two phrases comprising an insightful quote credited to Microsoft founder, Bill Gates. When I first read it, I instantly said to myself: “That’s TRUE!” And Mr. Gates should know – having enjoyed years of continuous successes prior to his anti-trust experiences.

The quote reads in full as follows:

“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can’t lose.” – Bill Gates (Source: Page 163 of Readers Digest, readersdigest.com 8/2010)

Success Can Set You Up To Fail, If You’re Careless

Sometimes a person succeeds at first attempt in a chosen endeavour. It could be a totally new field or one previously existing. In some cases, she may inherit success from another e.g. a successful family business passed down from parent to child.

However, except proper orientation/coaching is given to her, there’s a real danger she may be unable to maintain that level of success, once she’s left alone.

That’s why I believe that a person who claims never to have failed (if he’s telling the truth) has yet to fully test himself in the sea of life’s challenges. Indeed I would argue that such a person is not yet fully formed, and can lay no legitimate claim to being successful in the real sense of the word.

This is because success on its own lacks the ingredients to deliver adequate useful instruction for its perpetuation. That crucial input is most often provided by failure. I say this from very personal experience – and also from studying the lives and writings of many successful people.

Below, I discuss 3 major areas in which I’ve found success to be a poor teacher:

1. Success Will Not Drive You to Constantly Create & Innovate

It’s failure that does that. When you become successful as a speaker, unless you’re disciplined about it, you may feel no need to keep creating and innovating. After all, you’ll be getting invited and well paid to speak. And you’ll be applauded often.

But that’s where the danger lies: Successful people tend to be in great demand. This leaves them less time to “think” of ways to improve. Some become complacent as a result, so that when more competent rivals show up, they end up losing out.

Question: Have you recently created any new speaking programs, materials, and other useful content that you can offer your target market? Do you have a plan for researching that, so you can always offer a constant flow of new content to attract meeting planners? Have you considered converting your content to formats that could generate passive income for you – and at the same time consolidate your brand presence?

Click here to view examples of thought leading information products created by Burt Dubin, with some of the world’s highest paid speakers attesting to the value he offers.

2. Success Will Not Compel You to Monitor Important Trends

Again it’s the experience of failure that does that. People who failed often admit looking back to analyze why. Upon identifying the cause of their setback, they formed the habit of monitoring relevant trends, to avoid a future mishap.

Again it takes being disciplined to keep this up once success has been achieved. For those who fail to establish that mindset, they end up losing when they least expect it.

Question: What’s changed (or changing) in your target market? How are events being organized or sponsored now, compared to last year or two? Is there something you can change in your marketing strategy to get better attention from potential clients? Are there new topics that seem to interest decision makers more, that you need to develop your expertise on?

Burt Dubin’s Speaking Success System is based on over 2 decades of relentless research on the latest developments and trends in the speaking business. Click here to learn more.

3. Success Will Not Challenge You to be Frugal

Success allows you to get easily reckless if you choose to. Unlike failure, which causes you to stop, step back and think more carefully, about all you did, and want to do.

Dan Kennedy once wrote that he had become convinced that being adequately capitalized can actually be more of a curse than a blessing for a business.

And that’s because human nature thrives most when a little deprivation exists. The truth is that an atmosphere of abundance does not evoke the desire to conserve resources.

A successful person is so described because she’s doing well. Quite often in society, that implies she’s getting handsomely rewarded in material and monetary terms. Such absence of lack can make the uninitiated individual fail to apply common sense. So you could have her failing to be prudent in spending/using resources.

Question: Does it make sense to go mailing out volumes of printed information pack to meeting planners you’ve never spoken with? Email can be used to make first contact and establish potential interest in your speaking services. So can the telephone. They help you reduce the number of people you may have to use expensive paper based correspondence to initiate contact with.

Signup for public speaking mentoring with Burt Dubin, and learn his proven secrets for achieving speaking business success, without throwing your money away. If you’re based in Africa, tell him I sent you, and he’ll make you a surprise offer you’ll find hard to resist.

Need More Details of How to Make The Above Ideas Work for YOUR Company?

If you need more specific details of how to make use of the ideas I’ve shared in this newsletter, call me on 234-803-302-1263 or email tayo at tksola dot com.

Alternatively, send me a message using this request form (with “Re: Success Is A Lousy Teacher!” in the subject line).

Have a lovely week!

Tayo K. Solagbade*

Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist

*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa

Mobile: 234-803-302-1263

http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com

Tayo Solagbade is a Performance Improvement Specialist & multipreneur. He works with individuals/businesses who want to achieve highly profitable outcomes, and also with parents who want to raise real-world competent children.

Tayo earns multiple streams of income providing clients with performance improvement training/coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).

When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).

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Have you been undecided about whether or not to become a paid speaker? Or have you been trying to get your speaking career off the ground with little success?

Here’s a tip: Burt Dubin works with people who want to be speakers, and with speakers who want to be masters. Click here to visit his website NOW and submit a contact form message telling him what challenges you’re facing, and how you’d like him to help you. Tell him I sent you, and you’ll get a pleasant surprise offer from him.

Comments?

What do you think of the above message? Do you have any personal experience to share on this subject? Are there some other points you feel can be added, to help persons looking for answers? Please share your thoughts!

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What fears or doubts are keeping you from (a) taking up Burt Dubin’s monthly speaker mentoring, or (b) buying his products?

You can choose to purchase Burt’s mentoring at any of the three (3) levels listed below:

1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Burt’s three mentoring packages can be likened to the seating options offered by airlines: Budget Delight (Economy); Mid Range (Business); and Top Shelf (First Class).

At least that’s how I like to think of them!

All three will get you to your desired destination of “speaking success-ville” – so long as you meet the requirements/play your part well (your fare, abide by the set guidelines etc). During the “flight”, the seat you have will determine how much personal service attention and preference the provider will accord you. It’s that simple

So, make your choice:1. Top Shelf [Click here] | 2. Mid Range [Click here] | 3. Budget Delight [Click here]

Send me an e-mail with your questions via tayo at tksola dot com. In the meantime, why not get started by subscribing here to get his 7-Part Course (How To Succeed And Get Paid As A Professional Speaker) .  . . and receive his monthly newsletter (Speaking Biz Strategies Letter) at no cost.

For over 25 years, Burt Dubin has provided a variety of speaker mentoring products and services to clients worldwide. Download this flyer as PDF: http://tinyurl.com/bdubin-africa