Jul
16
Cooking It Up
Right now there’s a big, fresh beef brisket soaking up flavor in my refrigerator, waiting to be slow-grilled to perfection over the weekend. It’s just chillaxin’ in there like a movie star stretched out in a Palm Springs spa. I could tell you what’s in the top secret dry rub, but it’s not mine to give away… I got it from an industry insider who will be introduced to the Avant community in the next 30-60 days. When it comes to brisket on the grill, I’ve got it down to a science now and when I stick to the formula I get a predictable result every time… smoky crust on the outside, fork tender on the inside and plenty of ooh’s and aah’s all around the table… just the way I like it.
Family and friends know that I love to tear it up in the kitchen. When you’re at my table, I want you to enjoy the BEST, so I put a lot of time, effort and passion into perfecting each recipe. Sure, I’m always looking to expand my skills and learn new techniques, but I never stop building on the basics. Each time I reach for a new level of excellence, I always start by returning to the fundamentals… striving for perfection in the rudimentary skills that are common to ANY great culinary experience. You already see where I’m going with this, don’t you?
No matter how creative you get or how many variations you try, success in the kitchen really boils down to just three very basic things; 1) the right ingredients, 2) blended in the right proportions and the right sequence and 3) cooked at the right temperature for the right amount of time. Follow these steps without exception for ANY given recipe and you’ll get pretty much the same outcome every single time. From there, everything else is just nuance. There’s a comfort in having that kind of certainty and when your confidence goes up, so will your enjoyment.
The late comedian Richard Jeni did a hilarious spoof on cooking shows, saying, “Tonight we’re going to make a fabulously complicated dish using ingredients you’ve never heard of and utensils you can’t afford, in a kitchen that’s bigger than your whole [expletive deleted] apartment.” You saw this coming a mile away and here it is. The difference between a GREAT marketer’s results and a good marketer’s results has nothing to do with flashy techniques or expensive gear… it’s in the amount of DISCIPLINE and CONSISTENCY they devote to the fundamentals.
The right ingredients for great marketing are getting your message out there (advertising) and people to talk to (leads). A balanced blend of both is the LIFEBLOOD of this business. If you’re new and you don’t have a big advertising budget, there are dozens of low or no cost options out there you can start using today with virtually no risk. Even if you haven’t made your first sale yet, you’ve still got a powerful story to tell. You came to this opportunity in your own way and people will follow you if you concentrate on being the prosperous entrepreneur you envision in thought, word and deed, rather than identifying with any limitations in your past. Let ‘em go!
Once you’ve got the right stuff in the bowl in the right proportions, time and temperature seals the deal. Marketers who make it from good to great know that sticking to the fundamentals with the same level of intensity every single day over the long haul is what delivers the results. Distractions, rejections and setbacks are just a part of life that comes to multi-million dollar producers and raw beginners alike. What sets the winners apart from the wannabes is an unshakable “no matter what” attitude. No doubt about it, Avant is a “workers” business, but the rewards of consistency are unlike any other in our industry. We’re changing lives with products that matter and spreading a holistic message of financial literacy and freedom that’s available to ANYONE with the desire, drive and determination to create a better life. Let me know next time you’re in the Houston area… you just never know what’s cookin’ on the grill! What are you waiting for? Get out in that kitchen and rattle them pots and pans!
DREAM BIG!!!
Michael Hamburger
