If you’re anything like me, you are struggling with, or have struggled with, the reality that you’re the skinny kid who’s hiding in the shower costume at the school dance.
You’re hearing me – all 5 foot nothing, 100-pound nothing Daniel Larusso from the Karate Kid. He’s the one with his sweat pants pulled up to his armpits, a black eye and who got a raw egg smashed over his forehead.
In fact, there have probably been a few (if not many) times where you felt like you were the one running from the Cobra Kai across a dark field. These are the times in your niche where you felt overpowered and unprepared for battle, and that you were desperately waiting for a stranger to come jumping down from a fence to save you from a beating.
Everyone Needs a Mr. Miyagi as a Mentor
I don’t know about you, but very seldom in life can I do things on my own. I don’t mean that in a feeble and incapable way, but I’m referring to the business world where I fail to know everything.
Believe it or not, I never graduated college, don’t have formal training in computers or technology and have taught myself everything I know about the internet, WordPress and working online.
One thing that has helped me along the way was having a mentor. I think in some ways, we all have the need to rely on someone to help us be successful. Even professional athletes have mentors – whether it be strength trainers, nutrition coaches or the likes.
What you need, especially in times of struggle, is someone who has walked in your shoes before. Someone who has fought your battle, or knows how to sand the floor. In fact, they should even know how to wax on and wax off.
Do You Know How to Paint the Fence?
How many of you are out there trying to make a living in a niche where you don’t know much about it? One that promised profits and “seemed” like a good one to get into.
Hearsay can sometimes be deceiving.
Just because some tells you to step inside a karate ring because you can make some money doing it so doesn’t mean it’s a great idea. In other words, if you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t step into the ring.
But wait… that doesn’t mean you should (never) step into the ring. It means you need to be prepared to do so.
Let’s face it – Daniel Larusso would have gotten the beatdown of his life had he fought Johnny in the middle of the movie. But with the help of a mentor like Mr. Miyagi, Larusso trained for the fight and learned what he needed to in order to come out victorious. (And he did)
When’s the last time you read a book or took a course about the niche you’re in? Do you consider yourself prepared for battle? Do you have the knowledge and what it takes to come out on top?
When All Else Fails, Clap Your Hands and Rub
So there are times where you’ve prepared for the fight, or to prepared to compete within your niche. You’ve fought a tough fight. You’re worn out and you’ve been back and forth with your opponent(s). Maybe you’ve taken some cheap shots, or they swept your leg unfairly.
Don’t throw in the towel.
When all else fails, dig deep and look within. Seek your mentor and tell them you can’t do it anymore. Tell them you need them more ever.
Because if you reach out for help, maybe your Mr. Miyagi will clap his hands and heal you…
Do you often think about Karate Kid in the shower? (I’m assuming this is the post idea that hit you today)
Just kidding.
Good post Brian.
A lot of people forget to focus on the fundamentals—painting the fence and sanding the floor. And when they try to build their business, the lack of a strong foundation shows in their results.
And on the flip side, there are other people who spend all their time on the fundamentals. They paint the fence and sand the floor, and they NEVER implement it on the karate mat. And that shows in their business results too.
That’s where the mentor comes in. It’s much easier to balance a coin on its side when someone is holding it there for you
Heh, yes – this was the blog post idea that I thought of when taking a shower.
As for your *real* comments… it kinda reminds of me of a blog post Matt Mullenweg wrote talking about the idea that (at times) we spend so much time trying to prepare, we fail to launch. We spend too much time training, that we never actually step inside the ring.
I also agree that many times we jump into the ring, unprepared – or release that product out of excitement without taking the time to test it.
Either way, there’s a balance. And that’s the key.
Awesome!
Thanks!
There is another huge lesson for me in the Karate Kid (yes, I am a bit of fan too). My favourite lesson is that sometimes we don’t even realise the things we have been doing are setting us up to achieve our ultimate goal.
In the movie it is that Daniel does not see the significance of the “wax on, wax off”, paint the fence, etc until Mr Myagi shows him how these moves translate to Karate.
For me, it is the various starts I have made in different directions trying to establish a web based business. I was completely frustrated that none of them seemed to come to anything and was on the verge of giving up. Then came the BFO (blinding flash of the obvious) and I suddenly saw how they all fitted together and had been “training” for the real event. Now I see the big picture I am reinvigorated and ready to step into the ring.
Great insight Warren – my favorite part of the movie is when Miyagi and Daniel are in his backyard, and when Daniel gets frustrated. He thinks that MIyagi is working hi to death, but doesn’t know that in fact he’s been trained. The scene where Miyagi throws punches and kicks and Daniel defends, blocks and evades is easily the best part of the movie.
Great inspirit piece here Brian!
It’s true some times I’m thinking I’m I’ll prepared or “not good enough” in my niche. I sit back and remind myself it’s all relative and I’m just as capable as anyone else.
My mentor is my father as we are working together in our second family business. I also think I’m becoming a bit of a mentor to him – as I’m much more knowledgeable in technology and web professionalism.
Very gratifying.
Great that your mentor can be your father – not many folks can say that!
As for not being good enough, I often feel the same way with my blog here – that anything I write fails to compare to others in the online business world. But I try.
I am reading your articles now for a few years. Each of them. I like them all, Brian, but this comparison is outstanding and has an unbelievable calming effect on me. I don’t know why. Maybe you are transforming from a WordPress designer into an inspiring author… Never knows.
I’d love to write a book. Not sure I’ll ever do that, but perhaps it’s something to put on my Bucket List.
Brian, you should. Start preparing yourself. You can write!
Why not Brian. But you need a mentor. Unfortunately its not me. Hehehe. Great post by the day, reminds me that I have to go out and well practice.. cya all. Happy weekend.
Love The Karate Kid, as do this post. Just came across this blog, and as in the words of Arnie….I’ll be back!
Ha ha… well done. A bit ironic, really, since I had to go back and dig up my “Lessons from the Rocky Balboa School of Freelancing” post yesterday for some much-needed mojo. You’d think all we people do is watch 80s movies and pontificate about business.
Thanks for the excellent post today, Brian.
Hey Lee – you’re certainly welcome. It’s amazing what the 80′s taught us – so much depth, in such corny execution. However, I much prefer it that way, rather than today’s culture which infests us with so much garbage in so many vehicles of communication.
Great post.
Sometimes we forget the simple thing in business.
1. Grab a mentor; 2 heads are a lot better than one.
2. Practice. A lot. Now, being a Clevelander and all, I can’t stand Lebron James. But, he dominates his niche because he practices. All the time. Michael Jordan did to.
The Franchise King®
You nailed it Joel… I once read an interview with ex-San Diego Charger linebacker Shawn Merriman, who said “I’m in the gym all the time, because if I’m not – my opponent might be.”
Practice, preparation, etc is definitely key.
For sure.
I’ll bet that Derek Halpern practices too.
I’m just not sure what.
JL
Awesome post Brian!
I am very lucky to have found an incredible mentor in my Karate training and a few others over the years in business but I didn’t think about finding a mentor for my current blogging pursuits. Sometimes the answer right in front of us does not become visible until someone else tells us it is there.
Thanks Brian! If you even want a student who is willing to paint the fence, sand the floor and drink Starbucks with you, I might know someone.
Thanks Doug – appreciate it. Sometimes you don’t even have to have a mentor with blogging or online business, as once in a while that comes simply in the form of someone to inspire us.
Very true Brian. You are certainly on my list of people that inspire me.
This is a simple yet wise advice
Following someone else shoes is just the fastest way to learn
I’m just wondering why so many people don’t do it