From Scratch (Ep. 36)

DGAF Muscle, More Than One Sale, Week 36 Updates

Working Out Your D.G.A.F. Muscle

The paradox of human emotion.

We all like the idea of being chased, being the attractor. But when someone makes their intention too known, we don’t like it anymore.

That’s why in a previous issue, we talked about how neediness is something that is detrimental in business and relationships.

Well, fortunately there exists a mental muscle that is the enemy of neediness.

The Don’t Give A Fuck Musicle (DGAF).

If you’ve ever ventured into the world of pick-up artists, the DGAF muscle is the one they train first. Especially with their new clients.

Now I get that a lot of their tactics and strategies are slimy and manipulative. But we won’t even need to go there. There are things we can learn and take away.

Plus, I think if you’re interested in human nature, you should read The Game by Neil Strauss. It’s entertaining and insightful.

So the way pickup artists train their DGAF muscle varies, but it all involves stepping miles outside the comfort zone.

Approaching random women on the street and striking up a conversation. Trying to get their number. Doing silly things in public to make a fool out of yourself.

All these moments of rejections, awkwardness, and embarassment are like reps for the DGAF muscle. And just like any other muscle, the more reps you do, the stronger you get.

Now I haven’t done any crazy field activities to build my DGAF muscle. I did have an opportunity back in college when I was offered a job as a door-to-door salesmen for paper supplies. But I turned it down because I was too scared.

But I found a way to get in my reps.

My field activity was booking weeks upon weeks of calls for another venture… with nothing transpiring.

A lot of people don’t understand the effort it takes to get your own leads and close them. This is usually a team effort.

I was that one man team and I had months of calls turn to nothing. But my persistence wouldn’t let me quit.

So being a student of persuasion I always revisited my messages and my presentations, seeing what mind-bending words and phrases I can inject into my pitch.

In the background, I didn’t know that all this experience was callusing my DGAF muscle.

Until one day I jumped on a call with a potential client, went over everything, and didn’t even care if this person signed on or not.

Compared to other pitches, this was a huge downgrade from effort, excitement, and try-hardiness (probably not a word).

Honestly, I was probably hungry and wanted to go eat. But then the strangest thing happened…

The person signed on. Enthusiastic to proceed.

What just happened?

Reflecting back, before any of my previous pitches, my brain tricked me into a survival mode. Making me think this is do or die. I needed this to happen.

That energy probably repelled the opportunities away.

But when I was okay with walking away, knowing I’d still be alive and breathing after… results started to come more frequently.

Recently, I had an email conversation with a pretty well-known fighter about working together.

After some follow-ups with no answer, he finally messaged back. Saying he doesn’t see the benefit of a newsletter.

My brain went into needy and convincing mode. I wanted to write all the benefits down of how a newsletter can benefit him.

But I became aware. My DGAF muscle awakened.

So the frame changed. Instead of, “here’s all the cool things you can do, and that’s why you should do it…”

It became, “Here’s what I do with my clients, here’s what I’ve experienced. If it works for you, let’s talk. If not, no worries.”

I didn’t care if he’d answer me back or not. But, the conversation ascended levels to others involved.

And I got tested again.

Don’t want to give details, but the frame was, “Doing this as a favor for some recognition.”

No.

I’m building a business here. Whether or not we work together, nothing changes. Either one is cool with me.

Now that opportunity is starting to blossom into something much bigger.

Stay tuned.

Ray Dalio says Pain + Reflection = Growth. Part of that growth is the flexing and training of your DGAF muscle 💪

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There’s Always More Than One Sale

Piggybacking off the previous section, the way I reached potential clients was primarily cold email.

And digging through the graveyard of bad cold emails in my spam folder, most of these hustlers make one egregious mistake.

Selling the wrong thing at the wrong time.

Here’s what I mean. Your cold email is not meant to sell your products or services.

If you can do that, I’ll pay you money to teach me. Just reach out.

Now back to reality. The sale in the cold email is a meeting. Another conversation. A call.

The prospect isn’t buying your product or service in that email. They’re buying interest in your product or service.

Now on the actual sales call, that’s where you can sell them on yourself and your stuff.

The same concept goes if you are running ads to buy something.

The sale in the ad is to click. If you have an opt-in page, the sale there is to put their email in. And if there’s a sales video, the sale is to watch the video.

Don’t be tricked into thinking you only need to sell once.

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Week 36 P4P Updates

Sometimes it’s easy to get lost and question what you’re doing if there’s no momentum.

I certaintly felt a bit of this last week. But then I saw some comments on a client’s newsletter.

“Thanks man, I really needed to see this today.”

“Thank you so much. You have no idea how much I needed this.”

Now I don’t know what they’re going through. And who knows how many readers felt the same way and didn’t speak up.

Words of the minority sometimes reflect the silent majority, right?

But if we’re truly helping these folks, then we’re on the right path.

It was a good reminder that even though there’s not value in money being created today, it doesn’t mean there’s no value created at all.

So we keep trekking on. Putting effort into the process.

Like I said in the first section in today’s issue, there a good joint venture opportunity on the horizon possibly. We’ll see.

Other than that, we’re still growing!

1,464 (+82) = 1,546 subscribers

Consistent growth, that’s what we like to see.

So we’ll see if we can another client or two in by end of May. I think I can handle that.

Soon, all of this work will be noticeable. But Elon Musk keeps trying to sabotage me.

All of my clients lost their legacy checkmarks last week. And there’s a big difference in reach 🙄 I’m noticing.

Elon, you’re my favorite entrepreneur. But at this point, I might have to fight you.

Anyways, that ends it for this week’s issue. As always…

Trust the process, love the process.

Kevin