I got a lot of feedback from the email that I sent out yesterday about "opportunity" and Ray Kroc, the mastermind behind McDonald's growth and the author of Grinding It Out. 

A lot of people hadn't heard of the book before (it's an oldie, but a goodie,) and they're racing out to buy it now.  

For those of you who want to skip past reading it and get just the juicy nuggets, here are a few that I took from the book: 

-> "As long as you're green you're growing, as soon as you're ripe you start to rot": Kroc was 52 when he got involved with McDonald's, proving that you don't have to be a young whippersnapper to do big things. 

Age doesn't matter. The key is to keep growing, learning, and taking on new challenges. 

-> Learn when to keep your mouth closed: This is an especially good lesson for coaches. Kroc wrote about how too many salesman make a good presentation, but then keep talking to convince a potential client.  They often talk themselves out of a sale! 

-> How to get a good night's sleep: Kroc was usually up to his eyeballs in trouble, but he managed to get a good night's sleep before his meetings the next morning ... 

He imagined his mind being a blackboard full of messages, and he practiced imagining a hand with an eraser wiping the blackboard clean. He made his mind blank, and when one of those thoughts came back he'd wipe it out before it could form.  He then relaxed his body from head to toe, and would be asleep by the end of this process. 

-> He always used his gut to make decisions: Kroc relied on instinct, and even kept the McDonald's name when other "better ones" were available. "McDonald's" seems like a good name now, but in the 50's it wasn't. 

-> You have to spend money to make money: Kroc was never afraid to invest in things that would help his restaurant chain grow.  He bought expensive advertising in California in the 1960's, when advisors told him he was crazy to do it.  The move put McDonald's on the map and filled its restaurants. 

-> The essence of entrepreneurship: Kroc sums it up with one of the best quotes out there on entrepreneurship - "You're not going to get it free.  And you have to take risks.  I don't mean to be a daredevil, that's crazy. But you have to take risks, and in some cases you must go for broke. If you believe in something, you've got to be in it to the ends of your toes. Taking risks is part of the challenge. It's the fun" 

There's a lot more to the book, but this gives you a taste of it.  Hope it helps, 

Marc

PS: I'm launching something exciting tomorrow - people say I'm crazy since it's Friday the 13th, but I like to keep things interesting :)  Details coming soon!