Q: How Do You Wind Up With $1 Million
in Las Vegas? A: Start With $2 Million.
Dear Business-Builder,
Actually, we only took $10,000 to gamble with – and after six straight days of playing blackjack from morning ‘til morning, returned with $10,500. So, no harm, no foul.
In truth, The Redhead and I had a fantastic time. She wants to find the guy who invented room service and give him a big hug. That’s OK by me. Because you know what happens after room service? CUDDLING, that’s what! 
At any rate, I’ve now had my vacation and the inevitable “vacation from my vacation” – and I can now assure you from personal experience that Las Vegas is, indeed, still there – and despite all the scary news about the economy, the casinos are still packed to the rafters.
And I can also assure you that there is, indeed, more Ketel One in Vegas than any one person can possibly consume (although there does seem to be a serious shortage of Grey Goose!).
One of the best things about the trip was meeting fascinating folks at the tables:
- The husband and wife who sell pharmaceuticals and who warn that Obama’s national health care scheme will kill both the quality and the availability of medical care in America …
- The young Canadian commodities analyst who told everyone at the table that we can expect $300 oil, $15 gasoline and $3,000 gold next year …
- The dozens of folks from the UK, Europe and Asia who have evidently found a new favorite hobby: Needling us Yanks about how worthless the dollar really has become (“Yay, I won! Wait – you’re only paying me in DOLLARS? Don’t you have any REAL money here? Yuk, yuk, yuk.) …
- The marketing director for WebRoot software (SpySweeper, et. al.) who, I suspect, is even now reading this and making sure his underlings do, too …
- And of course, the octogenarian who announced he was marrying the love of his life at 2:00 PM … and just wanted to get a few hands of blackjack under his belt before the big event (they dragged him away from the table at 1:45).
But the best part of the trip by far was completely disengaging from marketing and copywriting and allowing my mind to dwell on larger things. In short, backing away from the tactical trees and taking a good, long, hard look at the strategic forest of my life and career.
Mostly, I thought about my little marketing agency, ResponseInk. About how talented and dedicated our people are. And about how I could – should – best leverage their abilities in the year ahead to make them a ton of money (and create a tidy payday for the Makepeace household in the process).
Because no matter how great a company is, no matter how gifted or committed its people are, it really is all about the leadership they receive from the top. And no leader is worth a bucket of warm spit unless he or she has a specific vision – a dream – and the passion and focus to achieve it.
Easy to say. Not always so easy to do.
Because it’s all about hunger. But to be honest, I haven’t been hungry in years.
In my early days in this business, I was as poor as a church mouse. I was motivated every single day by the need to put food on the table for my wife and two kids. Put simply, acquiring money was my passion.
The mere thought of financial depravation – of failing as a provider – instantly dumped gallons of adrenalin into my bloodstream and gave me almost super-human energy and the willingness to do the difficult … the unpleasant … even attempt the impossible … to avoid failure.
Later, when we were doing “OK” – when the likelihood of poverty seemed remote – two very different things drove me:
- The desire to provide better things for my family and myself. Nicer things for my wife. A better education for my kids. A grander home and cooler cars and motorcycles for me. And richer life experiences for all of us. And more importantly …
- The need to validate myself. To do something great in my field of endeavor. To prove my worth as a marketer. To earn the respect of my peers.
Now, at the ripe old age of 56, I feel I’ve accomplished those goals – at least to my own satisfaction. “Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt,” as they say.
So what’s next? What’s my vision now? Where do I want to be in ten years? What new memories do I want to find myself reveling in on May 12, 2018?
More importantly, where will I find the passion – the hunger – that’s going to energize me and inspire me to accomplish those things?
And MOST importantly – because despite all appearances – this isn’t really about me at all …
Where are YOU going to find your passion?
See, success isn’t just about learning a craft. It’s not about learning the nuts and bolts of marketing or about how to write a world-beating promotion.
It’s about finding the strength you’ll need to put what you’ve learned to work – along with a heaping helping of your own genius and creativity – the morning after you’ve just had a devastating setback. It’s about working through intimidation, boredom, discouragement, self-doubt.
And the only way I know to do that is to have a crystal-clear vision of your destination – a vision that ignites passion within you.
The great news is, you don’t have to take a week off or fly to Vegas to find your vision. You can do it right now, right where you are.
All it takes is the commitment to focus for a time. To clear your mind of the static and noise of your current reality. To set aside the minute-to minute pressures and distractions of your work-a-day life. And to lovingly paint a vivid, detailed mental portrait of yourself, your life and your career – one year, five years, ten years from today.
If your painting is compelling enough, contemplating it for a few minutes each morning will give you all the energy and inspiration you need to persevere. And (you can trust me on this!) there will be times when that portrait – and the passion it fires in you – is the only thing that keeps you going.
Well, that’s all I have for you today – hope it helps. Next week, we’ll dive back into the tactical stuff.
Yours for Bigger Winners, More Often,
Clayton Makepeace
Publisher & Editor
THE TOTAL PACKAGE™
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Join the Discussion!
Let us know what you think. Or ask us anything. Or offer your own sage advice.
The only rule: RESPECT THIS HOUSE! Postings that contain abusive language and/or personal attacks will be cheerfully VAPORIZED. One cross word and – POOF! – your well-thought-out post will be gone in a puff of smoke.
– Clayton
Comment by CHUKS — May 12, 2008 @ 11:34 am
Clayton that is such a motivating comment. I feel I need some inspirations at this moment. I have several projects I am working on and I need to continue attacking my work regardless of the obstacles I encounter.
Chuks Uwaechia
CEO Winston Luxury Retailer
http://www.winstondale.com
Comment by Lara — May 12, 2008 @ 11:44 am
Great post again Clayton! Thank you.
I agree with you about creating a vision- I’ve recently begun developing my vision for my life 15 years from now (and taking it backwards step by step until I arrive at this year).
It does take some time and effort but it’s fun! And it’s helped me move to the next phase - leaving my full-time corporate job to working part-time for my clients and part-time at another company. It’s a bold step for me but I’m loving every minute of it!
BTW, Webroot is awesome! They are a great bunch of people who are headquartered in my neighborhood.
Glad to know they are reading you! I know you’ll help them reach even more customers.
Thanks again,
Lara
Comment by Rick De Lima — May 12, 2008 @ 11:55 am
Welcome back Clayton and Wendy. Clayton I think you’ve hit the spot with post. Maybe hitting middle age is the only way most of us will figure out what’s really important to us.
I always wondered what I would be when I grew up. I guess the last 40 years or so drove me to become a direct response copywriter.
I’m in 100 % agreement with you on drawing out your personal picture and reviewing it every day. It acts as a subtle reminder and guide to where you want to go in life.
It’s easy to wander off down an intersting path only to discover you fell of your personal canvas. You could think of it as an unfinished paint by numbers painting. You need to keep checking to see if you put the right colors in with the right numbers.
Either way you’ll get there. But your journey will be smoother if you check in with your iner-self once in a while to make sure you’re still on the canvas.
Take care.
Rick
Comment by Michelle Kapty — May 12, 2008 @ 12:11 pm
Clayton, welcome back!
So glad you and Wendy had a great time!
I’ve been looking forward to your words of wisdom, as I knew you would return with a ton of them ready to blast at us!! One part you said is exactly where I’m at right now. Pushing my new company to get off the ground, these are basically the same things that go through my mind and is how I feel daily…."The mere thought of financial depravation – of failing as a provider – instantly dumped gallons of adrenalin into my bloodstream and gave me almost super-human energy and the willingness to do the difficult … the unpleasant … even attempt the impossible … to avoid failure."
Yet at the same time, I already have my vision in front of me, and my picture half painted. I am on the road I want and need to be on and it feels amazing! To have acomplished what I have in such a short time, with the help of TTP and a couple of "others", I feel like I am on top of the world and it’s only going to get better from here! At least I know I won’t stop till it does! After all there is no room for failure.
So from all of us little guys, thanks for all your thoughts, input and wisdom! It is truly priceless!!!
Michelle
Comment by Gary Raimo — May 12, 2008 @ 4:11 pm
Thank you Clayton for honest, heartfelt, perspective. It is more valuable than words can express!
Comment by Sharon B. — May 12, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
Hi Clayton–
My vision is complete financial independence by age 45. My fiancee and I will be living in our own home instead of renting. He will be enjoying success with his future internet business instead of going off to a job he hates every day; and I will be a full-fledged copywriter. I will also have my non-profit up and running.
I draw my passion from my current circumstances–my desire to move beyond them is what drives me. As challenging as they sometimes are, I am glad they are in my life. I would not be half so motivated if I had a "regular" place to live (one with clean water, ventilated rooms, and grass instead of gravel and trash). As it is, every day I have to live here is another day I stay on track. My circumstances are all the reminder I need to "stay on the path". I don’t know too many people as lucky as I am. Thank you for today’s post–it reinforced the reasons that I push myself so hard right now. –And yes, the thought of financial deprivation is a great motivator also.
Comment by Richard — May 13, 2008 @ 2:59 am
Have to love the Europeans and their forgetfulness! (lived here 42 years)
USA And its people are the only;
++ Economical Superpower, and
++ Military Superpower!
* Every time the USA has an economical hiccup - the rest of the world feels the seismic shock waves.
* Every time military intervention is desired or thought that it could be needed - USA
What weakens the U$ ? Balance of payments! Long story short _
US imports are helping to support the lifestyle of the biggest critics!
Great blog Clayton - Yes, Define the dream and FOCUS - without failing to smell the roses at appropriate intervals.
Comment by Carroll — May 17, 2008 @ 11:19 pm
Thanks for sharing your inspiration and wisdom Clayton.
I respect you for your well earned success.
I admire you for your compassion.