Your Next Big Thing. Matthew Mockridge

the Authora

Foreword By Bill Mockridge

      It’s quite astonishing: shortly after a child is born, I get the feeling that this tiny little person, who just saw the light of day an hour ago, is already whole. Of course, I know that the education they receive, the environment they grow in, and—above all—the friends they make, will have a strong influence on their development, and yet, I can’t get rid of the feeling that the personality of this little person is already defined.

      So it was with my brother Matthew: his birth was fast and uncomplicated, and he seemed particularly wide awake and curious as an infant. He was already a “natural-born leader” in primary school, but instead of being the center of attention, he was more concerned with helping others, encouraging them, and putting them in the spotlight. That’s why I wasn’t surprised when he told me that he wanted to write a guide for young aspiring entrepreneurs to help them get on their way.

      I advised him to keep the information brief and concise. I have been presented with many different projects in recent years, and quickly developed a tactic to distinguish good ideas from bad. I usually tell the other guy, “You have fifty-nine seconds to convince me.” In other words: be short, energetic, and to the point. Whoever can do that has my undivided attention. Otherwise, they won’t get anywhere with me. I’m firmly convinced that a lot of content is not as complicated as some people think, but the perceived complication resides in the way it is communicated. You can express simple things in a very complicated way and complicated things very simply. What matters is that you must be convincing and enthusiastic about your idea and convey it all in two sentences.

      Thirty-four years ago, I was totally excited about an idea that completely changed my life. In the early 1980s, I wanted to introduce improvisational theater to Germany. Because of my stage experience in North America, I knew the craft very well, and I was ready to produce comedy shows all over Europe. Despite all this, the transition from artist to businessman was not an easy one. I had many questions that friends and colleagues tried to answer as best they could, but at every turn I seemed to lack business expertise. What would I have given at the time for a sound guide on entrepreneurship—one that offered brief and precise answers to my questions as well as solutions to my problems! I could have really used a set of rules to evaluate my project in the short, medium, and long term—a book that would help me put together an effective team that I could rely on and grow with.

      With Your Next Big Thing, Matthew has succeeded in writing a well-founded (but also very hip) guide book for young entrepreneurs.

      This book dismantles complicated facts into individual parts that are immediately understandable, manageable, and, most importantly, practical. Matthew’s clearly organized and sensible structure for the book makes it a fantastic reference for when problems arise and solutions are needed. Here’s what I did: I read it all in one go, and then I placed it on the shelf above my desk with a note saying, “Check this out more often!”

      So, if you’re an energetic young person with great ideas and with the dream of helping your company achieve resounding success in today’s market, I simply can’t recommend a better book than Your Next Big Thing. That’s just how good it is!

      I’m now looking forward to YOUR “next big thing”!

      Dig in!

      Bill Mockridge

      Founder of the Springmaus Theather

      Let the Show

      Begin

      First Act: the cover of this book is designed in blue and red. Why? Because over the past decade an entire generation has been conditioned by Facebook to associate these colors with a “notification”—the joy of spotting something new. This kind of subconscious dopamine boost increases the pickup rate in a bookstore, or the click rate in an online shop. My thanks go out to Mark Zuckerberg: “Thanks for turning me into a brain ninja, buddy!”

      Starting

      Up

      You have my respect just for the fact that you’re holding this book. That tells me a lot about you: You want more. You are hungry. You really want to make a difference—with more doing, less talking. That inspires me, and I’m already a big fan of yours!

Introduction

      It’s always been thrilling for me to help others understand how things (particularly victories) work—to help them analyze a seemingly inexplicable success, break it down to its basic components, and understand the success enough to replicate the outcome. That is my passion.

      In researching this book, I’ve used others’ strategies and methods (along with my own proven and tested ideas) as variables in a series of formulas and systems derived from the recurring behavioral patterns that I have observed. I hope you’ll let me be your translator and guide, so that together we may decipher the complexities of successful creativity. We’ll make our way through this dense jungle, help you find your really good ideas, and develop your presently undiscovered abilities—on the way to your “next big thing”!

      I’ll lead you by the hand as we make this journey using sixty proven methods that will allow you to produce groundbreaking ideas and summon unexpected accomplishments—ones that may change your life forever, just as they have changed mine. Practical tactical tools, like those in Chapter 3, give you the ability to generate ideas instantly. (Imagine that!) In Chapter 4, you’ll acquire a whole new mindset based on systematic “success thoughts” which’ll rearrange your patterns of thinking, opening up entirely new perspectives. You’ll see the world through new eyes!

      Resist the temptation to skip some chapters because this book provides more than just simple tools; it is about a complete shift in your current perception. We’ll reconfigure your brain’s creative thinking to improve your efficiency and effectiveness. We’ll examine your current way of thinking and we’ll look at how your thought patterns function. We’ll help you focus on the right things, the right way. By the end of this book, you will be able to see opportunities, novel ideas, and potentials where others find only problems. And it will happen automatically, without too much practice. Imagine all the incredible places that a single, really good idea can take you! How will you feel when you discover that you can pull things out of your hat like a magician, leaving people delighted and amazed? This is the journey of your life—as a human being, and as an entrepreneur!

      You might think that you lack creativity, are unable to learn, or are incapable of getting good ideas. In truth, that’s the way most people think about themselves, so don’t worry! You should read this book because Your Next Big Thing is not just about ideas; it affects all parts of your being. Everyone should learn the strategies that help discover one’s best life and identify their capabilities, not unlike how a world-class boxer learns to use their fists. In the course of this book, I will present you with densely concentrated knowledge and powerful theories. I’ll do this because I want you to quickly learn a series of practical action steps. I want you to learn these strategies and tactics the way a boxer finesses his fighting style, step-by-step, one maneuver at a time—left jab, right jab, uppercut, straight punch, left hook, right hook, and so on. You’ll gradually become the Muhammad Ali of your own personal development. Consciously incorporate each new strategy into your routine and allow the new processes time to set in, becoming a part of what you do and who you are. You’ll become a boxer who fights hard but keeps calm, who stands solidly but is still super fast. Learn