Two Ways To Win In Business with Eben Pagan

What are the two types of winning in 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. And the other type of win is to get what you want.”

— Eben Pagan

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.

How should you define winning in business

“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?”

— Eben Pagan▶ 2:34

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.

Why don't today's actions determine 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. you know, if you were up at 5:00 a.m. in the morning and practicing writing headlines and improving your ability to to write copy”

— Eben Pagan▶ 1:33

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.

How do you measure business success correctly

“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 w the results are just the byproduct and and we have essentially no control over that byproduct per se directly.”

— Eben Pagan▶ 2:34

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.

What mistake do entrepreneurs make when defining success

“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.”

— Eben Pagan

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.

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.