In this episode, Plankton was trying to get Spongebob to make Crabby Patties for him.  Where I took notice was when Spongebob was explaining that the environment didn’t feel right for him to cook.  He told Plankton that he was used to cooking on a certain kind of stove so Plankton got him the stove.  Spongebob was so excited but found that he still couldn’t cook the Crabby Patties.  He told Plankton that he was used to cooking in a certain area of the room so Plankton offered to move the stove for him.  This little guy began to push the big stove around the room, following Spongebob’s lead and direction.  He ended up right back where he started, but much more sweaty and out of breath.

I went back to what I was working on but a little while later, I looked up at the TV and saw that Plankton had re-created the exact kitchen that Spongebob was used to cooking in and yet, still Spongebob couldn’t seem to cook the Crabby Patties.

How often in life do you find yourself looking outside for the answers?  How often do you find yourself saying “if only….”?  How many times do you feel like the conditions are not quite right – that something is off?

I don’t know what happened in the rest of the episode of Spongebob but what I do know is he really didn’t want to cook those Crabby Patties and he was looking for reasons outside of himself as to why – things for Plankton to “fix”.  The beauty is, he had the answers inside all along.

Much like Spongebob, you have all the answers you need inside.  If you spend all your time searching outside for them, you will NEVER find them.  Spend some time today going within.  Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and ask what is it you need to know today.  Then take action.

Let me know what comes up for you…

Make it a wonderful day!

Good to Great’s framework is the “hedgehog concept.” Collins is referring to philosopher Isaiah Berlin’s essay “The Hedgehog and the Fox,” which divides people into foxes, who know many things, and hedgehogs, who know “one big thing.”  In the world of organizations (whether for-profit or not-for-profit), Collins argues that hedgehogs have an advantage because they’re able to simplify the world into a single organizing idea, and hence are more likely to achieve greatness.

I started thinking about his behaviors.  He definitely is a creature of habit.  He sleeps a lot and doesn’t like to be disturbed.  If you wake him, he will be grumpy (cute but grumpy).  He begins to huff and hiss and starts to curl into a ball of quills – his safety mechanism.  If he’s eating, he eats with passion, almost a fury.  If he’s running on his wheel, he won’t stop for anything (nothing at all – do you have a visual?). 

He’s very focused and not much can derail him.  Every night when he’s up, he gets a lot done.  He only does a few things and he does them well and with dedication. 

In my new book, Inspiring Success, I talk about topics like perserverance, focus and dedication and how important they are for finding success in life and in work.  I am a person who likes a lot of change and focus is always a challenge.  I have created tools in my life to help me with this.   For example, I am clear about my vision and what I want.  When new opportunities come along, and they always do, I measure that opportunity with my vision.  I always ask myself how it fits in with my vision, will it get me closer to where I want to be, are there other things I do that this “fits” with.  There are lots of things I can do, but should I?  No.  I’d never get anywhere if I did that. 

Today, I invite you to become a hedgehog if you aren’t already.  Find what you do really well, look at how it all fits together and focus!