An interesting combination of words.
When contemplating and deep in thought – I always call up my old faithful friend Meriam Webster for further inspiration.
From the Meriam-Webster dictionary:
Small
:: having comparatively little size or slight dimensions
:: minor in influence, power, or rank
:: lacking in strength
Pivotal
:: of, relating to, or constituting a pivot
:: Vitally important – critical
There is a ton of meaning that could be unpacked from this little phrase and how it plays within a larger context.
For a real-life example – if you Google the “Battle of Trenton in 1776” it will call up a Wikipedia link and reference that says, “The Battle of Trenton was a small but pivotal American Revolutionary War battle on the morning of December 26, in 1776, in Trenton, New Jersey.”
That “small and pivotal” battle proved to be one of the most significant catalysts for General George Washington and the uplift in morale of the American troops, which subsequently led to additional “small and pivotal” victories immediately thereafter.
But we won’t go into a history lesson here.
It reminds me of the “small but pivotal” decisions that people and businesses make each and every day that either lead to nothing, or something small and insignificant – or something vitally important and critical to the creation of something significant.
Like success for example.
In this case, it really doesn’t matter how you define success.
Because when you ask people how they found it or “did” it – you’ll find one common denominator in every story…
…they just “did it.”
Doing something is always the denominator – the number of equal parts that make one whole unit to be exact.
You can’t make anything happen unless you first decide to do something.
Deciding to do something is “small but pivotal!”
It can lead to momentous things in your life and your business.
The decision factor is of monumental importance, and why it’s the first key ingredient in my “perfect plan” and strategy that anyone case use to their benefit.
I call it the DAC strategy.
The DAC strategy is absurdly simple, and as such why it is seldom used today.
DAC = Decide, Act, Continue.
And it all starts with a small but pivotal decision.
If you think about it – everything in life involves and revolves around the decisions we make, and only after time passes, can we look back and determine the “small but pivotal” ones.
I like the way Steve Jobs describes it:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So, you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”
Pitiful Economics
The economy, stock market, financial market, commercial and residential real estate market, geo/political global environment, supply chain, labor market, (I could go on) are downright bonkers at the moment.
Bonkers, as in – WTF is happening here?
I believe we’re in the middle of a significant history lesson in the making.
IMHO – there is way too much hot air in this balloon, and something has to give.
What that something is – nobody really knows.
But if you listen to the expurts and economic/financial “Wall Street” type goo-roos – you find very pointed proclamations pointing in all directions.
Some say the financial party will never end – it’s “up up and away” from here on out.
Some say we’re in a supple bubble and headed for a full-blown depression.
Whatever you want to believe, whatever your narrative and worldview is – you can find it out there.
But that doesn’t make it true.
It’s why I preach that context is king.
Context is how you sift through the giant pile of horse manure opinions that foul the air.
If you start listening to every conversation that is taking place in the world today with a deliberate focus on the context in which the conversations are taking place – you’ll discover a hidden world.
It’s like a magic pair of X-ray glasses that reveal the “naked truth” and real meaning of the words.
Context clarifies.
Context properly orientates.
Context explains (exposes) everything.
But only if you choose to apply it.
It’s a powerful force and I highly recommend using it – especially relevant is the disparate times and extreme polarity we’re living in today.
