Day 133 – Even a Blind Squirrel

When I was a child in midwestern Colorado, people used figures of speech to make light of someone or to clarify a point. Whenever I did something right, they might tell me, “Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn in the forest now and then.” I realized today that they probably never actually crawled around on the forest floor before.

If you have ever sat down on the forest floor around trees that have acorns in them, you will notice that finding an acorn is not that hard at all.

In fact, a blind squirrel might not have that much trouble. That is, unless all the other squirrels beat him to it.

This got me thinking about my predicament right now. Everyone says that my target ideal customer is hard to find and that there is a lot of competition. They say that the one or two I found were just lucky. A blind squirrel could do that. But the reality is that these people are blind to themselves: ideal customers are actually everywhere.

Getting the ideal customer is not that hard at all. In fact, so far, the experience has been just like that forest floor. Acorns everywhere. The reality is that a blind squirrel would thrive in a forest full of acorns.

I have been listening to the wrong voices. The people telling me it is hard have not looked closely at what is actually there. They are repeating what they have heard, not what they have seen. They are speaking from fear, not from experience.

“The reality is that a blind squirrel would thrive in a forest full of acorns.”

So I think I will just ignore these blind men and keep harvesting as much as I can. The work is not to find the acorns. The work is to stop listening to people who say they are not there.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest
2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Betty Radley
Betty Radley
6 months ago

So true! Thanks for encouragement!

Share the Post:

Recent Blogs

Day 340 – Beware the Expertise Discount

The ‘expertise discount’ causes experts to undervalue their easy-to-perform skills, believing them too simple for others to pay for. This often leads them to overcomplicate solutions, while competitors profit from simpler offerings. Recognizing this bias can help experts identify commercially underestimated skills.

Read More

Day 339 – Story Telling is Our Stewardship

The author reflects on the importance of storytelling after witnessing his daughter receive an award for her perseverance. He argues that stories are crucial for passing down wisdom and experience across generations, preventing the loss of valuable lessons learned through life’s challenges.

Read More

Day 338 – What Is Humility?

Humility is often misunderstood as self-abasement, but it’s actually the ability to accurately perceive oneself, including strengths, weaknesses, and dependence on others. This perspective allows for easier learning, improved judgment, and better interpersonal relationships. Humble leaders foster open communication, and embracing humility can be incredibly freeing.

Read More

Day 337 – Principle Artifact Confusion

The author draws a parallel between the barefoot running craze and the current hype around AI coding tools, highlighting the danger of “Principle–Artifact Confusion.” This occurs when a sophisticated practice is reduced to a product, and the product is then mistaken for the underlying principle that made the original practice successful. The article emphasizes that AI should amplify good fundamentals, not replace them.

Read More
2
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x