I’m not sure I’ve ever told you the story of THE lowest point of my career.
Laura and I drove from Chicago to Nebraska over a steamy hot 4th of July weekend in our $1200 1985 Honda Civic whose engine had just $$$ blown out 3 months before. We were buying gas on whatever fumes were left on our credit cards.
I’d been demoted from my sales job to production manager at a tiny manufacturing company. Now I was earning zero sales commission. To try make up the difference I took home “outsourced assembly” projects from work.
My project that weekend was tiny screw assemblies. We took the box of parts with us and one of us would assemble while the other drove. We got paid 4 cents for each one. 5000 assemblies, 200 bucks. Woo-hoo!
In the middle of Iowa, our car engine started sputtering. Had to stop for the night. No money for a hotel. My brother in law knew some people in Cedar Rapids and we stayed at their house.
He made some comment like, “Hey I thought a young sales exec like yourself was supposed to be earning big commissions.” Bit my lip. Built screw assemblies and watched TV.
Took an extra day for somebody to fix the fuel filter. Had to call my boss & explain why I wasn’t coming into work that day. One more step closer to getting the boot.
Who’s gonna hire a sales guy who’s been at it for 2 years and hasn’t hardly sold anything? What engineering company is going to hire an engineer who’s left engineering and spent the last 2 years in sales?
DANG. THIS TOTALLY SUCKS. I felt totally, completely trapped.
Fast forward 6 months.
It’s 6:30 in the evening on a freezing cold January night in Chicago. Everyone else has gone home. There’s only 2 people in the office, me and my new boss Mike. It’s been a good sales day. I’ve just gotten my December check and it’s the biggest commission of my life.
I’m going to be late getting home from work. . . but Laura’s not going to be upset with me this time. I know that when I come in the office tomorrow there’s going to be more fresh hot sales leads waiting. More opportunities, more adventure.
The conversation Mike’s having with me is: “OK Perry, so what do we need to do to get you to stick around???”
In 180 days my life had done a complete 180.
I’m saying to myself: “Self, you and I sure could get used to this. Are you sure this is really happening?”
Yes, it was really happening. There were no words for the elation I felt. And it was only the beginning of a new and rewarding season. Of finally being useful to somebody, finding my groove, and digging myself out of the giant hole I’d created.
Last week I did a conference call with Drayton Bird, the great UK advertising legend. He said, “Good times breed bad habits. Bad times breed good habits.” How true.
It was at that low point in Iowa that I finally began to throw the useless cargo off the ship.
It didn’t *seem* useless at the time. But it was holding me back. When you begin to ask yourself the questions you’ve been afraid to ask, when you start listening to the right people, situations change. And they can change *fast*.
Some people are doing extraordinarily well right now. But admittedly, most people are wrangling with tight credit, reluctant customers and broken systems.
Now is the time to fix those systems. The marketplace is beckoning you to move from where you’ve been to something new… and it’s asking you to do it with existing resources.
The good news is, you aren’t confined to your existing knowledge. Almost every problem you need to solve has already been solved by somebody else, somewhere. Within the existing resources you have is some new configuration that offers 10X more value to others than what you’re doing now.
Within your reach is someone for whom your skills and your offerings are highly prized.
The other good news is, you only have to get about 5-10% of it perfect. A handful of the right ingredients can create a huge success story. The rest can wait.
And here’s something you can ABSOLUTELY take to the bank:
While the rest of the world roils in chaos and waits for “something to happen”, we proactive alchemists are quietly re-engineering our offerings, our systems and our priorities. We’re still reeling in customers because we’re focusing on the core essentials.
We’re not listening to the naysayers. We’re not reading the morning paper. We’re getting up in the morning and focusing on what’s POSITIVE. We’re building on what’s GOOD.
Today is August 3. On February 3, 2011 you can look back on your 180 day 180. My friend, you win in the end. IF you ask yourself the right questions. IF.
Don’t be afraid to ask. And don’t let anyone steal your victory. It will be yours to keep and celebrate forever.
Perry Marshall
What’s your #1 business challenge?
CRUSH it in 48 hours.
September 14-15 in Chicago.
http://www.4ManIntensive.com
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About the Author
Perry Marshall has launched two revolutions in sales and marketing. In Pay-Per-Click advertising, he pioneered best practices and wrote the world's best selling book on Google advertising. And he's driven the 80/20 Principle deeper than any other author, creating a new movement in business.
He is referenced across the Internet and by Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, INC and Forbes Magazine.
46 Comments on “The 180 Day 180”
Great story Perry! I’ve been following your teachings/writings for nearly a decade now & every email you send inspires me to become a better copywriter (but my stories don’t end up nearly as compelling.)
I could just FEEL myself sitting in that car with you & I may as well have been in that assembly line helping you assemble the screw assemblies too.
Actually, my story is somewhat similar… I had no air conditioning during those long road trips, my “screw assemblies” were hand-made gold-filled wire braided rings I sold at “hippie fairs”, and because I couldn’t afford a new car, found myself inventing make-shift “convection ice AC trays” that hooked in front of our vents just to keep us cool.)
Perry: I love your writing style. That story kept me glued to my monitor.
It sounds like this “4-Man Intensive” is for experienced marketers, not beginners. Is that correct?
That is correct. Mastermind Club is a great place to start, with access to our private forum for less experienced folks: http://www.perrymarshall.com/mastermind/
Hi Perry,
catching up with your blogs, I discovered this little treat!
I was talking to a mate of mine the other day and he was whingeing about the economic situation – it isn’t so bad this side of the Atlantic, what with our super-tough regulations for lending and so-on – but it has still had an effect on us. I just said to him that what we needed was contracts, not a good economy: it is like hitch-hiking (which we did when we first moved to Germany) Steve would complain that there was no traffic stopping. I just said that from all the cars that passed us, we needed only one that was going our way! It worked all of the time, even when it was late at night and we had just emerged from the “Berlin Island” near Helmstedt and found ourselves on a deserted motorway station in the dark. Steve started complaining and having dug my hands into the pockets of my jeans said the usual whereupon a car stopped behind us and gave us a lift to our friend’s door in Hannover.
The situation might not be so great out there, but it does not take that much to support one woman who can beat the pants off her opposition through hard listening and hard work – not to mention quality! I am pretty well booked solid by clients who want more work done for them.
I might not be the greatest sales-person ever, and even your magical Mendy* could not do much for me, I still have that “glass half full” attitude that says that there is still half of the glass to enjoy!
Best wishes, Gemma
(*I wish her well with her new one, by the way)
Gemma,
Keep impressin’ them clients!
Hi Perry
As always useful and inspiring. There are a great deal of comments here about taking this challenge forwards; what I’d like to see is some accountability. How about you instigate a review in 180 (less…) days and check the feedback? It would be great if those that have got the guts to make a change can tell the rest of us about it!
Thanks for your input.
Best regards
Paul
The telling of your own experience with extreme hardship has the possitility of helping at least some (and perhaps many) of your readers who are experiencing similar difficulties. For that, you have my respect and gratitude.
Hi! Perry,
I just wanna say thanks for the great and inspiring post.I´ll send you an email on February 3,2011 and let you know about my victory!
Blessings!
When all the studying gets too much, I like to listen to an inspiational song to help me feel better. My favourite one is that little girl who sings amazing Grace, which at
http://www.tangle.com/view_video?viewkey=e39d4b967f3be67ff60f
There’s no way you can watch it without crying. It is great for when you feel sorry for yourself because you have studied too hard
Very inspirational. Thanks Perry. Can’t believe it’s taken me so long to find you. Of course, “when the student is ready…”
Thanks again.
Mike
:)
Excellent post
very inspirational – should go into more detail
Perry and Laura,
WOW! Thank you for this post! I have to tell you, my wife and I have recently started a coaching and consulting business because of the demand for our knowledge. This post could not have come at a better time! I know without a doubt that in 180 days from now we will have done a 180. It is amazing to think just how fast your life can turn around when you focus, become disciplined, and just flat out make things happen! Thanks for your amazing story you shared as well as you continuously brilliant writing. Where did you learn to write so well anyway? I have always wanted to ask you that?! :)
I will be sure to update you of our progress in 6 months…
My Best Always,
Eric Henderson
Eric,
I’ve always been able to write well when I felt inspired, but that wasn’t very often. Writing almost every day for the last 10 years has helped a little :^>
I really look forward to hearing your update!
Perry
Thanks for your response Perry! You are a true professional!
Will keep you posted… :)
One of your biggest fans,
Best Always to you and your family,
Eric Henderson
Hello Perry, What a great story I appreciate you sharing with us. You are very fortunate to have Laura. There is nothing like support and understanding of family. Thank you for helping me get thoughts together. Thanks, Andrew Gallop
So Perry, when are you going to run for president? Imagine how many more people would be inspired by your messages!
I got to love it.
Perry,
Just this one post of yours alone teaches sooo much in regards to copy writing, online marketing, behavior marketing & content marketing.
as usual, you have outdone yourself.
WOOHOO
Another Engineer leaving the confines of engineering to go into the work of Sales and Marketing.
Nice to see great minds think alike!
Another gem Perry! Thanks!
Truly inspiring, Perry! What really hits the nail on the head is this, “Good times breed bad habits. Bad times breed good habits.” Now’s the time to lose the bad habits and stick with the ones that are producing results.
My wife sometimes wonders when all this pounding away at the computer will pay off, but bless her heart, she indulges me and has even started to seem interested in some of the techniques I’m learning. Thanks for sharing your great story and never quit looking for the light at the end of the tunnel…it’s there!
Blessings!
What a great article! Your wife sounds lovely. The road to riches sure is a long and hard and lonely one, but if you keep going, eventually you get through at the other end of the jungle. And as an added bonus, you get this great strength of character that you get to keep forver.
As author Felix Dennis says: “there are many roads that lead to riches, few in sunlight, most in ditches”
Very inspiring article. Gives lot of hope for those who are feeling *low*.
Hey Perry
At your lowest point, did you and Laura write down an action plan with a date as to when you aimed to be better off (financially)?
Two heads and hearts pulling in the same direction are better than one. Besides, it gets lonely when you are soldiering on as a single unit!
Precise action plan, no.
Actually the closest I had to a plan right then was beginning to form a clear idea of what kind of job I needed to find, what skills it would use and a knowledge that I had to be able to position myself with marketing and advertising rather than pounding the phone.
What worked the best for *me* was knowing the kinds of skills that I needed to enhance and apply.
Perry, like digging deep for gold; you had to persevere and patiently dig deep down in to your heart, mind, and soul; for a faith of long duration, strength, and direction, during a season of time that you must have had many, many, doubts about your career choices?
I get chills thinking about how your wife was alongside you in the heat of the battle; Your wife is a faithful soldier.
Glory to God
Percy McCoy
She’s a saint.
Perry,
Thank you very much for that timely post. I love your messages.
All my friends have either climbed, or are climbing the corporate ladder and enjoying the associated success, while, I have been stagnating at my job in the hope of one day achieving that freedom from pursuing my online exploits.
Some days are tough when you are not so sure about it all, and yet,have to convince your trusted partner/wife that it’ll all come together one day.
Thanks again for the lift.
Vic
Perry,
This is also my first comment on your site, although I read all your emails and often the replies.
I relate very much to Vic (reply 17) – most of my friends are fairly well established in life, have some (or a lot) of money, property and other investments behind them – and here I am, a family and kids, but broke again (through failed business ventures), renting, no cash reserves, trying to make ends meet, not hugely successful in any sales job I’ve had, all because my focus has always been, and still is, on ‘The DREAM’. The dream of finally breaking free from the ball and chain of a job, of relying on someone else to pay me. For me this dream involves my online business ventures and luckily I am at a point now finally where things are beginning to take shape.
Your writings and emails are highly inspirational to me and this particular story of yours reminds me of something I read once:
“No matter the circumstances, you need to stick to your dream. The hard part isn’t the completion, the hard part isn’t in the taking action (even though most people can’t even get past this stage)…
It’s in striving through the icky, tedious bits until you hit pay dirt. No matter what you feel.”
Thanks again Perry
Rob,
There are 2 kinds of entrepreneurs: Fantasizers and real-world action-takers.
My experience is the real world action takers eventually figure it out and get traction. Once you do get traction, it doesn’t have to take a long time to really start getting somewhere. Typically 2-3 years and things can change fairly dramatically.
There’s no possibility of this without taking the risks. So I salute ya-
Perry
WONDERFUL COMMENTARY! VERY INSPIRING AND THANK YOU FOR SHARING THIS.
PAIGE DUFF
Perry, your article was quite interesting. I too have been at a very low career point, where hope was the only resource at hand. Fortunately, like you, I perservered and kept moving forward, although it took longer than 180 days. The greatest learning times are when we face adversity. And one day you get to look back and say “Wow. I have really come far and it’s been quite an interesting journey.”
Hi Perry,
Thanks so much for sharing. This was a really great email to get today. This Omaha yoga lady has been feeling kinda yuck and stuck lately and this was so nice to read a little inspirational note from you.
Thanks for sharing. Your story of 180 days is great, and inspiring.
Perry, What an uplifting message I’ve pencilled the date in my diary .Yes its time to make serious changes.
Couldn’t thank you enough!
Thank You – Thank you – Thank you M. Marshall!
I’ve been receiving your emails for over a year, it’s the fist time I post a comment, but it’s not the first time I think so highly of your wonderful insights.
EVERY SINGLE TIME – they are uplifting, full of positive energy – and I haven’t figured out yet how the mystery of life works exactly :0) – but these emails often arrive in my mailbox at the exact time i need to read them.
Your wisdom, and incredible writing talent, and business savvy tips are ALWAYS inspiring and of very high value.
Thank you so very much for your generosity and for sharing
all this with the world.
M-J
M-J,
Great to have you on board. My salutations to everyone who’s out there makin’ things happen.
Perry
“digging myself out of the giant hole I’d created.”
It does work with a crater, too. Been there.
There are zillions of craters right now, as far as I can see. However, it is always me to start getting back up.
See you all from the rim. 90 days?
So inspiring!
6 months ago i was too at that place you described, earning cents! now i do the things i love and everything is different and so wonderful thanks to changes i made and the belief i can do it!
thank you for telling us your story, it’s as if i was reading mine :)
Iris.
Perry, Thank you for sharing this. Reflecting BACK 180 days from today made me realize it’s time to implement some serious change moving forward!! Thanks again!
“While the rest of the world roils in chaos and waits for “something to happen”, we proactive alchemists are quietly re-engineering our offerings, our systems and our priorities. We’re still reeling in customers because we’re focusing on the core essentials.
We’re not listening to the naysayers. We’re not reading the morning paper. We’re getting up in the morning and focusing on what’s POSITIVE. We’re building on what’s GOOD.”
Freakin’ awesome, Perry….
Its time to double down,things are going pretty good, but I did tape the 3rd of February on my wall….alohaearl
Thanks, Perry,
Yeah, you’ve told parts of the story. Thanks for telling it again, today. I’m marking February 3, 2011 in my book! And then I’m getting back “to work.”
What a powerfully inspiring story, Perry…we struggling alchemists do need these “bolts of lightening” to help us overcome and pursue what is rightfully ours…
Many thanks…
Tom
Hey Perry
I loved this post!
The part where you say “I finally began to throw the useless cargo off the ship”, really stuck in my mind.
Time for a clear out for me I think, and time to stop thinking so much and start doing.
I find your life stories really interesting, you really have been through a whole lot, and I certainly don’t fancy the home assembly job one tiny bit.
Sally :)
Hey Perry,
Thanks so much for your constant uplifting message to the struggling entrepreneurs. It has been a rough month, but I am working hard on finding my groove. Here’s to a 180 in 180 for all of those struggling to find their passion and profits.
Thanks,
Jeff
Perry,
A very inspiring post from you.
Thank you!
Regards,
Frederico