What's interesting is anytime I travel to different cities, I always like to just experience the various foods that they have. Now, Las Vegas is known for its culinary arts, and so it's always kind of cool to visit some of these higher-end restaurants, these very authentic restaurants, to try to get a different experience than you get in Texas.
Defining Your Menu
Some of these places I went to are very authentic, whether it's Italian, whether it's Mexican, so much that it's so authentic that sometimes you have no idea what it is that you're actually ordering. Right? So, like in Texas, where you know enchiladas, you know quesadillas, you know nachos, you know the basics. And you go to some of these places and it was so fancy on the menu that I was like, I don't even have any idea what it is that I'm trying to order. So, you have to ask the waiter or waitress, and they give you a recommendation. And again, you don't understand what that is. You tell them, hey, break it down for me in layman's terms, until you finally get what it is that you want. For me, it's like, hey, what is that over there that they're having?
Knowing What You Offer
I was thinking about this, especially in your professional role. But it also applies to other aspects of your life, whether you're looking for a relationship, looking to expand your sphere of influence, whatever the case may be. Have you ever asked yourself what is on your menu? Meaning, what is it that you actually offer the world? What is it that you offer the people in your life? And I'm not saying that you're like somebody that's for sale, but you have to know what your core competencies are in life.
People ask me, what do you do? I say, well, I try to move the mind forward. I try my best to help people believe in themselves. That is the top of my menu. And then there's different ways to do it. Whether it's the podcast, whether it's speaking, whether it's books, whether it's consulting, different avenues. Those are the menu items that I have to get to my overall purpose of what it is that people come to the quote-unquote restaurant of Baylor Barbee for.
Clarifying Your Identity
You have to think about yourself as a restaurant. What is the title of your restaurant? What is the overarching thing of whatever it is that you offer the world? You don't go into a Mexican restaurant and ask for lasagna. You don't go into an American restaurant and try to get French food. People go to the restaurant they're at to get the type of food or genre that's on the menu. The problem is, so many of us are restaurants with no title. Would you just walk into a random restaurant that had no title, no signage on the outside, and just hope for the best? You wouldn't. That's why we're not getting the results we want: people don't even know what we stand for.
Simplifying Your Message
Spend some time figuring out, hey, what is it that I stand for? What is the glowing sign on the front of my life that people know if they want this, then this is who I go to for that? When they get in there, they need to know the menu items, the value you can provide. Simplify it for people. Back in the day, when I was doing some speaking, some of this, some of that, I would leave it vague. People heard blah, blah, blah, he doesn't know what he stands for. It wasn't until I said, look, I'm going to talk. That's what I'm going to excel at, and that's what I'm going to be the best at. When I simplified it, it made it easier for people to book me, to understand what I did, and to advocate for me.
Highlighting Your Strengths
Every great restaurant has their specials. The special is something financially good for the restaurant, something patrons love, or what they do best. We have to have that. Know your strengths and excel in those areas. Quit being a jack of all trades. Be the best in your field and highlight that.
Conclusion
Understand what's on your menu, simplify your message, and know your strengths. By doing this, you make it easier for others to understand and support you. You set yourself up for success by being clear and focused.
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