The Formula for Using "Limits" To Get Breakthrough Results

Not enough money. Not enough time. If I was a little older. Maybe in a different situation. Not until the pandemic is over... We bump into limits it seems no matter where we turn. They’re all the things that, conceptually at least, are standing between us and what we want to achieve. What if there was a formula to achieve what we want using those limits to our advantage instead of being stopped by them? Well, there is…

I’ve spent almost 20 years founding tech companies (the largest of which we sold to a group in the Bay Area that raised over 550M before going bankrupt), studying hundreds of startups through our programs and investment deals, reviewing hundreds of books, videos, podcasts and classes on psychology, brain science, storytelling, negotiation, habits, and business coaching, and lately interviewing successful founders and adventurers that have overcoming unimaginable odds. 

All of it has pointed to certain conditions, certain commandments for realizing breakthrough results. One of the most important of these conditions is using a formula for creating breakthroughs by using limits (vs. avoiding them).

The formula is quite easy, at least on the surface: Take what you want to achieve, subtract the limiting factors and speculate on what else is possible. 

(Aim (what you want to achieve) — Limiting factors) speculate on what else is possible = potential breakthrough result.

While easy to understand, we’ve found in our workshops that it takes consistent practice to use it effectively when confronted with limits. 

The TV network, TNT, used this technique masterfully in 2012. They were doubling down on dramatic TV with the launch of a new slogan: “Drama, period.” And in doing so, they were changing some of their programming, and adjusting their logo coloring in what was to be a big unveiling to the public… But there was a limit. They didn’t have millions of dollars in ad budget to let everyone know. That meant the usual channels were off the table: no massive ad campaign and no super bowl commercials. 

Their aim was quite simple: get their message of “Drama.” to millions of people. Subtract from that the lack of budget for massive advertising and they were left speculating on what else was possible. And what they came up with was nothing short of genius. They put together "A Dramatic Surprise On A Quiet Square.” On a quiet intersection in Belgium, they placed a button that said “push for drama”. And when someone pressed it staged drama ensued: ambulance, football players, a fight… all of it recorded and put together in a short video that was released online. 

When “Dramatic Surprise” launched on April 2012, it had 23 million views in under a week. For a time it even held the distinction of being the second most shared ad of all time. All on a limited budget. Using the limit for breakthrough results. If you haven’t seen it, it’s worth a watch. 

It doesn’t have to be on a massive scale like that, it can be used for anything. About a year ago I was invited to speak at a conference with Peyton Manning in NC. The limit, I was booked to speak in Las Vegas the same day! I could have said no. But instead I went back to the great people at the conference and speculated on what could be done: they could move the conference, move the day I was speaking on, or, even fly me private. And in looking at those possibilities with them we ended up shifting the day I was to speak on and we made it happen (although the connections were tight!) The breakthrough result, I got to meet and speak with the legendary, Peyton Manning.

Some of the most successful companies have used their own limits or market limits to create unparalleled success. Dyson used the limits of cyclonic separation (at the time a massive piece of hardware) to create one of the most successful vacuums of today (amongst other things). Dollar Shave Club created a movement with limited dollars and underwhelming shave “technology”. Even during the pandemic, the Seattle Restaurant Addo has used their lockdown limits to repurposed their servers as delivery people and they’re achieving some of their best results ever. 

We have a free workshop this Wednesday May 13th at 12:30pm PT (JOIN HERE) to walk you through the formula with a chance to use it yourselves. COVID-19 has created more and different limits for most of us that we’ve never seen before. And there’s an opportunity to use those limits to achieve the result. 

It’s not hard to see limits as to why something isn’t possible. But what does it take to use those limits to speculate as to what breakthrough could be on the other side?