Imagine you’re on a tour bus driving through a beautiful countryside. The bus is packed full of travelers all onboard for the scenic view. However the bus has its window shades drawn down and the passengers are all arguing. They debate who should be sitting where, and who should be listening to who.
Many times we embody this bus. Instead of enjoying the world around us, we get caught up on inner-chatter and zero-sum games. What’s that person think of me? Who is going to get that promotion? How could I have done that differently?
By getting stuck on these questions and thoughts we are no different than arguing passengers; focused on the wrong thing(s) we miss out on the present around us. It quite literally passes us by.
Next time you find yourself chattering, think of the tour bus.
You only have one life; that’s one metaphorical ride.
“You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin the less likely you are to find it at all.”
Robin Williams
Finding your voice isn’t easy. It takes many iterations and a lot of time to discover what is meaningful to you. It’s a never ending process that contains bumps, turns, and unplanned pit stops. In fact, developing a unique perspective can often take decades.
But every adventure needs to start somewhere.
Robin is right, the longer you wait, the more likely you’ll never begin at all. What a pity it would be to go through life choosing to sit idle, preferring comfort over something more meaningful.
This reminds me a bit of Lord of the Rings (LOTR). Bilbo is asked at dinner about going on adventures and he responds, “Nasty, disturbing, and uncomfortable things. Make you late for dinner!” This isn’t shocking because that opinion is actually shared by all hobbits, not just Bilbo.
But another hobbit named Froto decides to overcome this criticism and go on a journey anyway. Throughout the series we’re constantly reminded of his choice as others attempt to dissuade him. Luckily he keeps going, and because of that, we get to enjoy Frodo’s travels and experience his transformation as a character.
A key point is that without Froto’s choice there is no story to write. From Tolkien’s own description,
“This is the story of how a Baggins had an adventure, and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected.”
I’m a big fan of Disney just on the fact that they’ve been able to sell something intangible; the perfect family experience. What will parents pay for a safe and fun weekend with their children? It’s priceless.
Disney deeply understands this and has built a product/service that completely nails it. My friend Ken, who has 3 kids, once told me – “It might be more expensive, but you can’t go wrong.”
One way they are able to achieve this is by focusing on components that nearly everyone overlooks. These are details that the majority of people think “wouldn’t matter.” Steve Jobs is also famous for this when it comes to his design techniques. Based on his biography, he learned at a young age the importance of making every part to a product perfect, even the parts nobody ever sees.
So what minor detail did Walt Disney want to focus on for his theme park? Trash Cans. Boring old waste.
He focused on three questions:
How many cans are needed?
Can they be designed better?
Do they have to be ugly?
1. Walt did research on how far apart trash cans needed to be. In other words, how far will the average person walk to throw out waste? To test this he decided to remove every trash can and wait to observe where litter would accumulate. He found that 30 feet was the magic number and by letting people throw trash on the ground, he was able to better decide where to place bins. Brilliant.
2. Trash cans in the 1950’s were boringly standard. They looked a lot like the cans on Sesame Street; silver with a removable lid. Walt wanted to make them easier to use for guests. In a stroke of genius, he redesigned them to have swinging doors which solved two problems. Not only would these save time to use, but the new design would better contain the smell.
3. Why do trash cans need to be so ugly and do they need to look the same? Those were questions the Disney team arrived at once they finally figured out where and how to place the bins. Instead of keeping them silver (which would definitely stick out), they decided to turn them into art. Cans were decorated to perfectly match each respective theme of the park. What used to be viewed as gross was now added to the fun.
By focusing on garbage and employing extra workers to change trash more regularly, Walt was able to accomplish a key feat; guaranteed cleanliness. While other parks might be able to provide fun, families going to Disney would never need to worry about stepping in gum or walking around empty soda bottles.
Which brings to the ultimate point and business proposition of the park; Disney packages an unparalleled experience considering every detail.
Or as Ken puts it, “you can’t go wrong.”
What are your trash cans?
In business, what are features that competitors don’t care about? How can you use that to your advantage?
In life, what are habits that most people overlook? What’s something small that you can easily achieve that will help you improve the most?
Figuring this out is the hardest part, but once you decide, it becomes much easier. The more rare and unique the attribute, the better the return will be compared to the average.
The lesson on garbage is actually a principle; small details transform outcomes. Be thoughtful and design for what can make a difference.
I absolutely love this picture because it exemplifies an important concept, which I call “Same situation, different story.”
Here we see a man trying to catch a ride home. Like any good hitchhiker, he’s written out a sign for passing cars. The picture shows two sign options (A) To Jacksonville and (B) To Mom’s For Christmas.
In both cases his situation is the same – he’s trying to get home to see his family. But the key difference is the narrative that he’s chosen to focus on. On the left, he’s letting cars know the destination, and on the right, he’s connecting the purpose.
Both are trying to achieve the same goal, which is to get a ride. Both are also legitimate facts. However each option will likely lead to a significantly different outcome. Perhaps he eventually gets picked up based on (A), but he’s more likely to be relatable with (B).
Same reality, but different story; therefore, different outcome.
Much of our life and human potential comes down to the narrative we decide to focus on.
> Are you an overweight person or isn’t it also true that you lost a few pounds this month?
> Did you miss that promotion because you’re not good enough or are you already in a respectable job (one that others would give up a promotion to have)?
> Did you fail or are you stronger because of a setback?
Are you choosing the right facts? Focus on the narrative that is conducive to success… the rest will follow.
Biz Markie is famous for the hit song, Just a Friend.
Even if you’re unfamiliar with the artist you will immediately recognize his song once it’s played. Specifically the big chorus, “OH BABY YOU…”
Here’s the kicker, Biz was not meant to sing the chorus himself. Unfortunately, when recording, none of his backup singers showed up to the studio. Running on limited time, he had two options; drop the song or sing it himself.
What happened next surprised everyone. Biz’s off-key chorus went on to propel the song to become a classic. It makes your wonder, even if he were able to re-record it with the right vocalists, would it even be as good? My guess is no. There’s something about the raw individualism that makes Biz’s rendition feel so pure. It’s almost impossible to even think about it any other way.
For fun, here’s the original the song is based on.
There’s a neat lesson in Biz’s story – sometimes the wrench thrown in our plans actually makes our plans. Seems really bizarre, but perhaps it’s less about following through and more about adjusting.
Next time a curveball comes your way, slow down, adjust your swing and make contact with the ball anyway. Who knows, your hit may become a classic.
