Yesterday I wrote about the importance of treating every experience like it was the first time, even if you’ve been through it dozens of times before.
Today I want to share a related concept, which is a lesson I’ve learned through my experience serving on the Crew for Tony Robbins’ Unleash the Power Within event. It’s one of the key distinctions that I’ve taken from our work in facilitating the firewalk, which is one of the signature experiences of this event.
The Lesson from the Firewalk Experience
During the firewalk, hundreds of participants will walk through each of the dozens of lanes set up. One of the key distinctions I’ve learned over the years is the importance of giving each participant the same energy and experience.
That means we create the same energy for the last participant that we had for the first participant.
This is a simple concept, but can be difficult to execute in practice.
The Challenge, and the Opportunity
As the participants stream out of the venue and line up at the lanes set up in the parking lot, the energy is high. The first person in line at the lane is surrounded by thousands of people and is eager to walk. The Crew and trainers have been waiting for them outside, and we are all eager to get started. Once we start, it moves quickly. As the participants cross to the other side and head back to the venue, the crowd thins out.
From the perspective of the Crew, we’ve now been doing this for at least 45–60 minutes. We’ve been screaming instructions while standing next to hot coals, inhaling the fumes from the fire. We’ve been at the venue since 6 am, on our feet all day, serving and training. It’s often past midnight.
This is where the simple concept becomes a matter of discipline.
The people who walk toward the end aren’t surrounded by big crowds; there is less energy around them from other participants. It’s likely, too, that these people who are walking toward the end were more ambivalent about the firewalk. They held back at first. But now they’re here.
They deserve at least the same energy and attention that the early walkers received. In fact, they often could use more.
The Secret to Successful Execution
This requires us to dig deep and boost our energy at the exact moment when it begins to wane.
That’s the challenge. Or, as we would say on the Crew, that’s our opportunity.
When you’re standing in one place, saying the same thing over and over, and making the same physical movements, it’s easy to lose presence and fall into automaticity.
Successful execution of this concept requires intention and energy management. Before we begin, I create a personal intention for myself to ramp up my energy throughout the firewalk, so that I am bringing at least the same energy and attention, if not more, to the walkers at the end as I brought to those at the beginning.
The Life Application
I’ve found this to be a powerful lesson for business as well.
Treat every customer like you treat the first customer.
If you’re a real estate agent running an open house, that means giving the same attention to the last person who enters your open house as you gave to the first person.
If you run a restaurant or a store, it means giving the same service to the person who walked in just before closing as you gave to the person who walked in at opening.
If you’re making calls, it means bringing the same intention to the last call as you brought to the first call.
We know we’re on the receiving end of this. We can feel it.
How often do most businesses do this? How often do you do this?
The mind wanders. Attention wanes. Actions can feel rote after a while. Especially when you’re doing the same actions repeatedly. Automaticity can set in.
The opportunity is to maintain that same intention, enthusiasm and excitement throughout. This requires mastery in energy management, to bring an even stronger energy to the end than we brought to the beginning.
If you can master this skill, you will earn loyal, raving fan clients and customers.
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