Two Ways To Win In Business with Eben Pagan
Eben Pagan reveals two fundamentally different ways to define winning in business and explains why most entrepreneurs focus on the wrong type of success. He teaches how to shift from results-based thinking to system-based success metrics for sustainable business growth.
Key Moments
How to Redefine Winning in Your Business -- A framework for shifting from results-based to system-based success metrics
Business Leaders Must Consciously Define Winning
Business leaders must consciously decide their definition of winning and communicate it clearly to their team
▶ 0:39
Today's Results Were Determined by Actions Years Ago
Today's business results are determined by actions taken years ago, not recent activities
▶ 1:48
Today's Business Results Come From Actions Taken Years Ago
There's often a large time disconnect between actions and results. Today's business results are actually determined by what you did or didn't do 3-5 years ago, not by recent work or activities.
▶ 1:36
Time Lag Between Actions Taken and Results Seen
There's often a large disconnect in time between the actions you take and the results you see
▶ 1:30
Define Winning as Following Your System Not Results
Define winning as following your system and keeping your commitments, independent of the results you get. Results are just byproducts of your actions, and you only have indirect control over them.
▶ 2:36
Relevant Clips15
- How-To
How to Redefine Winning in Your Business -- A framework for shifting from results-based to system-based success metrics
- Teaching
Entrepreneurs Chase Competitors Instead of Building Systems
Entrepreneurs often get obsessed with beating competitors or achieving immediate results, rather than focusing on building good systems and profitable businesses. They also mistakenly attribute today's results to recent actions instead of recognizing the long-term nature of business building.
- Teaching
Two Types of Winning Competing vs Getting What You Want
The two types of winning are: beating the other guy (competing against others) and getting what you want (achieving your own goals). Most businesses get caught up in the first type and neglect actually building a profitable business.
- Teaching
Measure Success by Systems and Commitments Not Outcomes
Instead of measuring success by results, measure it by whether you followed your system and kept your commitments. Results are byproducts that you can only influence indirectly through consistent actions over time.
- Teaching▶ 2:36
Define Winning as Following Your System Not Results
Define winning as following your system and keeping your commitments, independent of the results you get. Results are just byproducts of your actions, and you only have indirect control over them.
- Teaching▶ 1:36
Today's Business Results Come From Actions Taken Years Ago
There's often a large time disconnect between actions and results. Today's business results are actually determined by what you did or didn't do 3-5 years ago, not by recent work or activities.
- Teaching▶ 0:15
There are two distinct types of winning in business culture: beating the other guy versus getting what you want
- Teaching▶ 0:39
Business Leaders Must Consciously Define Winning
Business leaders must consciously decide their definition of winning and communicate it clearly to their team
- Teaching▶ 2:26
Define Winning as Following the System — Not Results
Define winning as following your system and keeping commitments, independent of immediate results
- Teaching▶ 1:30
Time Lag Between Actions Taken and Results Seen
There's often a large disconnect in time between the actions you take and the results you see
- Teaching▶ 1:48
Today's Results Were Determined by Actions Years Ago
Today's business results are determined by actions taken years ago, not recent activities
- Quotable▶ 2:43
Results Are a Byproduct — Not the Definition of Winning
The results are just a byproduct of the actions that we take. And so I think we get so obsessed with this, you know, defining the winning as the results, but the results are just the byproduct and we have essentially no control over that byproduct per se directly.
Show 3 more
- Quotable▶ 0:24
Obsessing Over Beating Competitors Distracts From Building a Real Business
For some people, win means to beat the other guy. And a lot of people in business are so caught up trying to beat the other guy that they don't pay any attention to actually building a good business and making any profit because they're so focused on that.
- Quotable▶ 2:26
Redefining Winning as System Adherence Over Outcomes
my definition of winning becomes did I follow that system? Um or I made a you know made a commitment. Did I did I keep that commitment independent of what result I got?
- Quotable▶ 1:50
What You Did Three Years Ago Determines Today's Results
What really determined those results? It's probably what you did or didn't do 3 years ago or 5 years ago.
Entities Touched
Concepts
Questions
Canonical Teachings
Summary
The Two Types of Winning in Business Culture
Eben introduces his concept of two fundamentally different ways people define winning in business. The first type focuses on beating competitors, while the second focuses on achieving your own goals. He explains why the competitive mindset often prevents entrepreneurs from building profitable businesses.
The Time Disconnect Between Actions and Results
The discussion shifts to a crucial business insight about timing. Eben reveals that today's results are actually determined by actions taken 3-5 years ago, not recent work. He uses the example of early morning headline practice to illustrate how past habits create present success.
Redefining Success Through Systems
Eben presents his alternative approach to measuring business success. Instead of focusing on results, he teaches entrepreneurs to define winning as following systems and keeping commitments. This approach provides more control and sustainable growth since results are merely byproducts of consistent actions.
Counterpoint
Claim: “Winning in business means beating the competition and getting better results than others”
Reframe: True winning means getting what you want and following systems that lead to your desired outcomes
Many people in business are so caught up trying to beat the other guy that they don't pay attention to actually building a good business and making any profit
Claim: “Business success should be measured by daily, weekly, or monthly results”
Reframe: Success should be measured by whether you followed your system and kept your commitments, regardless of immediate results
Results are just byproducts of actions taken years ago, and we have essentially no direct control over those byproducts—only indirect control
Claim: “Today's results reflect the quality of today's work and efforts”
Reframe: Today's results are determined by the work and habits you built 3-5 years ago, not recent activities
If you were up at 5:00 a.m. practicing writing headlines years ago, that's what made yesterday's sales letter high quality, not the recent work
Related Content
Episode 2: How to Use Virtual Events to Get Clients with Eben Pagan!
Discover Eben Pagan's exact three-tier virtual event strategy that helped him build a multi-million dollar business from a single ebook.
Eben Pagan | Investor profile | Foundersuite
Discover how Eben Pagan has transitioned from building multi-million dollar virtual businesses to angel investing in Internet and Enterprise Software startups.
Eben Pagan Review: Who The Heck Is He? - Systeme.io
Discover how Eben Pagan built a digital empire from a single ebook written in three weeks, generating $25-30 million annually through his proven relationship-building business model.
David DeAngelo's 77 Laws of Success [Summary] - Actualized.org
Discover the 77 powerful laws that transformed Eben Pagan from struggling entrepreneur to multi-million dollar success story.
Eben Pagan | The Inner Work of Scaling a Business
What happens when we stop chasing success and start aligning with what truly matters?
Eben Pagan's Virual Coach Revi… - The FindFocus Podcast - Apple ...
Get an insider's look at Eben Pagan's Virtual Coach Program through Martin Boeddeker's detailed 2025 review and discover if the investment is worth it for aspiring coaches.
Topics
Coaching Strategies
Business Frameworks
Common Mistakes