Sold On Outcomes

As an entrepreneur, I'm slammed with Facebook ads every day with all kinds of promises. 

That if I try X system, I'll see better results from our marketing.

If I use this one-of-a-kind system that combines technology A with strategy B, then I'll experience results I never dreamed of.

I've bought several of these systems. And, have any of them worked as advertised?

Not really. Not by a long shot.

Does that mean the advertisers were lying? I don't think so. But, I do think they left out a critical step.

And that's the amount of testing you'll have to do with any system, technique, or practice before you can expect to see results.

I have all confidence that the promoters of these things saw results. But only after many, many failures on their way to get there.

But, that's our challenge as consumers. We can't be sold on a process. Even when it's necessary.

If I saw an advertisement that read...

Amazing new system to get marketing results you never dreamed of! But, this system is just a starting point. You will need to withstand several dozen failures, and spend thousands of dollars in testing before you can expect to see the results we know you can achieve using this system.

...then I probably wouldn't have bothered. Even if the process could have paid off in the long term.

Same goes for learning a musical instrument. We're sold on the outcomes we want to achieve, and then figure out the process along the way. But, if we read an advertisement like...

Want to make music a meaningful part of your kids' lives with piano lessons? Our teachers will connect with your kids and build their piano skills step by step through fun, engaging activities.

Along the way, there will be many moments where it gets hard for them and they want to quit, so you'll need to push them to keep them going. That's just how learning any skill goes. But we'll support you every year as you grapple with the annual decision whether or not to stop lessons, so that you can help your kids become the musicians we know they can be.

...that wouldn't be so exciting to a parent approaching piano lessons for the first time. Right?

We're sold on outcomes. And we should be sold on outcomes. Because the process can be a little intimidating if we don't have something to be excited about on the other side.

But the key to learning anything is understanding that there is a process. There will be ups and downs. And that's okay. That's the way it should be. 

Because when you achieve that outcome, the journey to get there makes it all the more exciting.