“When I open my eyes in the morning,” said Colin Wilson, “I am not confronted by the world, but by a million possible worlds.”
There is a theory in quantum physics which tells that that it is observation that makes things real. Right now this minute I am surrounded by a million possible outcomes, even a million possible worlds. It is the one that I choose to observe that becomes real to me.
We see what we want to see, or what we expect to see. I spent five minutes searching the fridge for the ketchup bottle, but I could not see it because it was in front, on the top shelf, right in front of my nose. Exactly where I did not expect to see it. (I needed my wife to point it out to me.)
Quantum theory doesn’t tell us that what we’re experiencing isn’t real. It IS real. But at the same time, there’s another whole world that we can step into, right now, just by observing it.
I recall the two shoe salesmen that were sent to eastern Africa. One of them called the office and said, “I want to come home on the next flight out. There is no opportunity here, because no one wears shoes.” The other called the office and said, “Send me everything we have in inventory! There is unlimited opportunity here, because no one wears shoes!”
There is opportunity all around us, if only we will slow down enough to observe it. Of the two show salesmen, which one do you think had more sales at the end of the year?
As a sales person, sometimes I don’t like what I’m experiencing. No one is buying. I’ve run out of leads in my pipeline. Bob just rejected me.
I can shift that. I’m building a huge pipeline of prospects who are getting ready to buy. There are dozens of people I haven’t made an offer to yet. Bob just told me when his budget cycle is so I know when to go back to him.
One of our coaches, Steve Chandler, says that if you slow down and look at the last 10 people who emailed you and really think about how you can serve them, you’ll find lots of opportunities.
We’re familiar with the adage that our best prospects are our current and past customers. But how often do we take advantage of that? Who have you not talked to in a long time?
Get creative. Frustrated by the long line at the store? What does that indicate about what’s going on in their world that there might be a need you can solve.
A lot of people say that their best ideas come to them in the shower. Or while they’re sitting on the beach, and supposed to be relaxing. It may seem to be the water that’s the common factor. But the truth is that there are good ideas all around us, but we’re too busy running around to see them. Where else can you create space in your life to allow the good ideas to float in? One habit that can greatly increase productivity (and opportunity) is to go for a long walk every day.
When you catch yourself looking at a limited universe, slow down and see what else you can see.
Steve Johnsen is a marketing strategist, a business coach, and the Founder of Cloud Mountain Marketing. He is also the author of the Amazon #1 best-seller, 5 Easy Steps to Make Your Website Your #1 Employee.
