Television is one thing I rarely spend time on, but if I ever get hooked on a drama series, I make sure there are good things to learn from it.
In a typical drama, the characters who leave an impression are always the ones who seem to have the perfect one-liners yet maintain empathy and appeal with their human side. The relentless pursuit of their goals hooks us, and sometimes, through this narrative, we can learn something from it.
Here are some lessons that Suits has taught me, which I feel is applicable to both business and entrepreneurial life.
1. There is a way to everything
“Never give up” has become such a cliché phrase that it irks you the moment you hear it, but the protagonists in the show, Harvey Specter and Mike Ross, have mastered the art of not giving up and figuring out every way possible to win in any situation they are faced with. I find it beautiful to watch.
You can apply the same art to your life, be it business, personal, or in your career. Master the art of not giving up and enjoy the process of finding every possible solution to your problem.
2. There is always a choice
A famous quote from Harvey Specter in the show, “When someone points a gun at your face, you take the gun, or you pull out a bigger one. Or, you call their bluff. Or, you do any one of 146 other things”.
When you feel like there are no options left to deal with your situation, remind yourself that there’s always a way. Don’t do anything unethical because you have no choice. That will affect the reputation of your company.
Remind yourself of the consequences of a decision before you take action. The option you have to make may cost you tremendous amounts of money or miss a huge client, but it is better than losing your entire company.
3. Mentorship is still important
Mentorship derives from apprenticeship and this has produced some of the greatest painters, craftsmen, engineers, tailors and musicians. But for some reason, we seem to have forgotten that ancient model in our modern education system. I believe that it’s one of the most effective and essential models to hone your craft and cut short your learning curve.
In Suits, Harvey Specter mentors Mike, his associate, to be one of the best lawyers in the city. Stop admiring your idols and start going directly to them for their mentorship!
4. If you cannot convince, provide something better
Do your research well to understand what your sales prospect wants because sometimes it is not really about the money involved; it could be service, assurance, quality, or process.
Be creative and understand what your prospects value and give them that. For some people, all you need to do to convince them is to show that you understand their needs and are making efforts to provide a solution that addresses their concerns.
5. Find your leverage and use it when negotiating
In any negotiation, you will have some leverage. Use that leverage to settle for a better deal for your business or a better profit margin. It’s crucial to figure out the areas you can play around with so that you’ll never be on the losing end if you back out from any deal.
6. Pursue higher things in life
This is one of Harvey Specter’s quotes in the show where he explains that most people like to live an average life, while he wants to live a life higher than theirs.
This reminds me of Steve Job’s famous quote, “When you grow up you tend to get told that the world is the way it is and your life is just to live your life inside the world. That’s a very limited life.”
If you’re an entrepreneur, you know what I mean. Don’t live a life where you limit yourself. If you believe that you can influence the industry through your company, then take that belief and pursue it. You are called to live better than the average life.
To your success,
Mario
[Visit www.mariosingh.com now to enjoy a FREE e-book of my latest “37 Essential Principles for Massive Success” when you subscribe!]
