Something always begins with nothing. The action of creating a result starts with a thought that you want something. Maybe you want to write a book. Therefore you start with a blank page. Perhaps you want to increase sales in your department. That means a blank order form, or signing a new client which requires starting a new relationship where before there was none. It all starts with nothing.
If you want to build a home, it begins with an open piece of ground. If you want to begin a new company, there will be no name and zero employees until your thought becomes an action. I suggest that part of the problem, for some of us that are frustrated with lagging results, is we get stuck in the thinking that something starts with something. It does not and it never will. Each of us gets a fresh start each day. Every moment you get a new beginning. I find that my clients do better when they get a vision of what they want and build from nothing. I find there is reality in that. I find there is accountability involved in that level of awareness.
Now, here comes the tricky part. Even if you have something going well, you want to move into nothing thinking. Nothing thinking keeps it fresh and powerful. It gets you on your edge and has you performing a new show every night when the curtain opens. I talk to many people that are waiting for the armored truck filled with gold to pull up in the front of the house. It might, I guess; but what if it doesn’t? I have talked to many wealthy people that had nothing when they began.
Further, I sense the “get rich quick” mentality seeps into getting something for nothing. That does not seem to work either. Some of us keep looking for the easy way, until looking for the easy way becomes really hard. Can you see the conundrum? I feel this is why many of us are struggling in the “tough” economy. We want things to be the way they used to be. We want to do things the way we used to do things. Well, things are different now. We are not going back to the way things were. I work with people and companies so they can get aligned with nothing. I do this because where there is nothing, something can be developed. If I hold on to my “there is already something” way of behaving; I may be waiting a very long time for something to occur. Waiting is death to a progressive company or person.
I don’t recommend idle waiting. I recommend sitting down with a fresh mind with nothing in it. From there, many new ideas can emerge. You can invent a new product from a clear mind. I invite you this week to create a result in a new way. I encourage you to slide your brush over a fresh canvass. Ask some radical questions, like; what if I approach my life and my business from an entirely new perspective? It would be like your birthday and you will likely receive a great gift.
This week, I invite you to look at where you’re holding on to something. Let it go and start with nothing. From nothing, get focused on the something you want. Don’t let past experiences intimidate you. Let past experiences fortify your movement forward. It’s important to keep moving and to see that any great thing that has ever occurred began from NO-THING. Where there is NO-THING there can one day be SOME-THING.
Have fun as you lead.
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The Get Real Blog 
From someone who has had every-thing to no-thing to some-thing again, I applaud you Stephen! ~Nan~
Comment by Nanette Cheval August 13, 2010 @ 7:48 pmstephen, building from nothing is nature”s law,
Comment by ashok August 15, 2010 @ 1:40 ambecause ,something is past,there is already in it,
may be we can use it, but the freshness starts with space,
i start a new project with your blessings from nothing ,now, i will see it is achieved,
thank u stephen, for the leadership video,
you look very good in your new hair style,
Jesus began the loaves and fishes miracle with something. There were some fish and there were some pieces of bread. But the nothing he went into – symbolised by his retreat into the desert the night before – was the place of all potential. The connection to spirit, to possibility, without which there’s just a basket of ‘not enough food’ in front of him. My few loaves and fishes are my natural talents, my life to date: all of it enough to create a miracle, if I keep getting back to ‘fresh mind’…
Comment by David August 15, 2010 @ 8:55 pm