The 110% Simple Solution

Back in the Early 90’s Marc McCormack wrote a book called “The 110% Solution” – an EXCELLENT book at the time.

The audio was even better because I could listen to it as I drove around to various real estate offices hustling mortgages as a cub Mortgage Banker in 1992. (I lived on coffee, cigarettes, pizza, and Nightingale Conant tapes at the time).

This was back in the days before email, smartphones… even fax machines were an expensive luxury.

The book basically said that to succeed you needed to give 110% in all things you did… that was the secret sauce to success in business. Go harder, longer, faster, and with more energy than that next person and you would make it.

The world actually moved a lot SLOWER back then. You had more time for getting things done. You had time to build a business and build momentum by giving LOTS of extra effort. I honestly believe it was easier to blaze a trail and harder for competitors to follow behind you than it is today.

BUT, I still believe in the principles of the 110% Solution, even in today’s fast-paced world. The one difference: I think we need to look for the 110% SIMPLE solution.

What do I mean?

Instead of putting a priority on quality and value, people value speed and efficiency more. Speed and efficiency usually mean finding the SIMPLEST solution… the most direct solution… the one that takes the least thought or effort for the customer.

BUT, not just the simplest solution. That’s where the 110% comes into the equation. And you find the 110% SIMPLE solution by asking a simple question:

“If there were no limits, what is the fastest, simplest, most cost-effective way I can solve this problem for people and leave them thrilled with the result?”

Answer that question and you’ve found your 110% SIMPLE Solution to any business issue you’ll face.

Guaranteed!