As I write this blog, I am still trying to solve a business problem I just encountered. Maybe you are going through the same thing whether a business issue or a personal one.
My issue – I have been trying everything to get small business owners to learn about my internet marketing course. I spent a fair amount advertising online with great success. Apparently my sales message was well liked enough that over 500 people opted in with their email for my ebook and visited my sales page to watch my video.
Problem is that my site crashed and all 35 of my videos were lost. Imagine how exciting it was to see all this traffic, then how devastating it was to lose it all at the same moment.
After going through an emotional roller coaster, I settled down enough to ask why.
I asked my web developer why after blaming him, then I asked my hosting company and blamed them.
I kept asking questions.
After about 5 questions, I learned why.
Then my wife told me a story of the 5 why’s.
Lets say you go into your garage and find that your car’s tire is flat..
You ask why did this happen? Then you realize there are nails on the floor.
If you just clean up the nails and fix the tire, it could happen again unless you ask…
Why are there nails on the floor?
So you look up on the shelf and you see a box of nails has fallen over. There is the problem.
But now you have to ask. Why did the box fall over?
You look closer and find the wall is bowed out. There, the problem is solved right?
Not yet. You have to ask, why is the wall bowed out?
You look deeper and find the wall is soaking wet. Why? It appears the wall bowed due to a wet wall that bowed out for some reason.
Then you ask why?
It turns out you have a huge leak in your roof. When it rains, excess water comes down the wall pushing the weak area out. It knocks over a box of nails that dropped on the floor.
If you keep asking why, you’ll solve your problem.
Now that I know this story of the 5 why’s, next time i run into a problem like my website blowing up, rather than blaming everyone, I’ll keep asking why. Hopefully it just takes 5 why’s to find out. Usually it does.
To change m frame of mind, I found this video. Next time you have a problem, keep asking why until you get to the heart of the problem. Then watch this video to overcome. Have a great day and let me know if this helps you.
Edward Winslow
Inspiring video!