Some years ago, a good college friend of mine named Kevin visited me during summer break. Kevin always had unique ideas, and I always enjoyed his company, his humor, and sarcastic wit.

During his visit, we decided to go to Galveston for a day of doing basically nothing at the beach.  After some sandwiches and more than a few beers, we walked down to the where the waves were breaking on the shore.   As we looked down where the water rushed toward our feet – and back again – we noticed a large dead fish slogging slowly back and forth with each incoming wave.

Another beachgoer happened to walk by at the same moment.  She looked at us, and looked down at the poor, deceased fishy. 

“He’s a long way from home,” she offered as she passed by.

Kev and I looked at each other.   Suddenly, something like a giggle volcano began to erupt.  

Just before it burst, I managed to reply, “Welllll . . .not . . reaaaally!”.

About to bust, Kevin countered with, “But it’s those few feet that really, REALLY matter!”

Several minutes of gut-clutching, tear-filled laughter ensued.  It was one of those times when hard laughter creates harder laughter. We just could not stop.  

In between cackles and short breaths, we noted the bitter irony (for the fish) that more than 71% of the earth’s surface is water, and how unlucky for this poor creature to have just been inches away from his safe living environment.  As we continued looking at our hero, water just rushed over its carcass over and over and over and over.  We laughed some more, and then some more.  We finally had to walk away to regain our composure.  

With all apologies to PETA, this was magnificently funny.  Every time I catch up with Kevin, we re-tell that story and always get a laugh.  Poor unlucky bastard fish!

CREATE YOUR OWN LUCK (STAY ON YOUR POST)

I don’t wish to ruin a good story with a moral, but there’s something to be said for staying on your post.  Lord knows what the fish was thinking as he swam into the shallows, but suffice it to say he didn’t belong where he ended up!  

I don’t need to rehash Do What You Are or The Purpose-Driven Life here.  You all understand your own skills and limitations.  Most of you are also in touch with your dreams.

“But everyone’s telling me – even you, Jeff – that I need to reinvent!” you say.

You do, especially now.  You need to reinvent yourself and your business.  But what will keep destiny from laughing its ass off at you – like Kevin and me at the fish – is that you stay connected to your calling in your reinvention.  There’s a difference between the risk the fish took (dumb) and the risk you should take in your reinvention (calculated).

You can calculate.  You can provide value.  And the steps to get there don’t have to be suicidal.

YEAH, BUT WHAT DO I DO?

Telling you to be more strategic would be useless.  You must return to “Cash Follows Clarity” and the question, “What is the clearest thing about my business?”  Asked another way, “What is the clear value that we provide that drives our business?”  (see last week’s post about this here)

I am beating this drum over and over and over, but a business built around value – and one based on your true asset – is unstoppable.  Once you’ve discovered this, it’s a matter of focus and minding your daily disciplines.  For posterity’s sake, you may review the notes from a recent Reinventing Your Business Class here.  

!@#$%^&*!@#$%^&*(

If you hate the idea of pain, change, and “daily disciplines”, welcome to the club.  But realizing there’s no substitute for training, you should get a trainer to help you mitigate your pain.  Since we can’t ask the fish for any wisdom (dead / can’t talk), try asking a boxer, gymnast, or any athlete for that matter, about the importance of good trainers.  The consensus will be 100%.

As for my reinvention, I’ve got plenty of pain!  So I’ve got three mentors.

You may not need three.  Just don’t be the fish.