How to Win in the Margins

June 10th, 2009 by admin

Here is an idea from Hugh MacLeod that is brilliant and obvious. In his book Ignore Everybody, he writes:

If I were just starting out…an online…business, I wouldn’t try to quit my job in order to make this big, dramatic, heroic-quest thing about it.

I would do something far simpler: I would find that extra hour or two in the day that belongs to nobody else but me, and I would make it productive. Put the hours in, do it for long enough, and magical, life-transforming thing happen eventually. Sure, that means less time watching TV, internet surfing, going out to dinner, or whatever.

But who cares?

A little bit about Hugh MacLeod. He has a blog, www.gapingvoid.com. His creative invention is drawing cartoons on the backs of business cards. The Subtitle of his book is, And 39 Other Keys to Creativity.

First, he’s talking about a concept I encountered a couple of days ago in a different context. It was Winning in the Margins. That’s the 20 minute web Power Point presentation that you need a keyword, “grassapelli,” to activate.

The presenter is Richard Paul Evans. He gives some of his personal history leading up to his book, The 5 Lessons a Millionaire Taught Me about Life and Wealth.

One of the 5 lessons is “Winning in the Margins.” This is exactly what MacLeod refers to. That one or two hours a day that belongs to you. What you do with that time really makes your life.

Most of us use it for entertainment, to get more comfortable, to enjoy some pleasure. That’s why we get so little accomplished.

If we took the same enjoyment from being productive as from having pleasurable experiences, our life would be quite different.

Maybe it’s all about discipline. That word comes from disciple. If we are disciples of the TV set, well…. What can be expected from us? Not much.

In this short article today I’m recommending MacLeod’s book, of course. I’m reading in a little at a time in odd moments. (I haven’t read Evans book yet.)

The presentation by Evans leads to his advocacy of a superfood idea that I also support. Again the link is WinningintheMargins.com. And the passkey is my alter ego, “grassapelli,” without the quote marks.