The action at 212 degrees.
“At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water, comes steam. And with steam, you can power a train.”
S.L. Parker, Motivational author
We’ve all watched a pot of water at one point or another in our lives. Nothing much happens until we turn our attention elsewhere. Suddenly, a rolling boil.
Keep the idea of a pot of water front and center in your mind when it comes to your business. As S.L. Parker says in his quote, it’s a one degree difference that turns hot water into steam. While you may not be able to see the effects of the “heat” you’re putting into your business, place a little faith in the idea that everything can change in an instant.
This is especially true of your efforts in social media and online marketing. Much stock is given to the idea that in the digital age we can track every click, understand the source of every lead, and “drill down” into our metrics to tell us what the magic formula is to make that one-degree difference.
In fact, the online world is much like the real world. Like those molecules of water haphazardly bouncing against one another as the heat rises, the element of chance is as much in play online as it is offline. Sometimes the best we can do is follow our instincts–remain human, remain helpful, and listen carefully–and hope that one day the steam comes rising off our water.
And that old cliche about the watched pot that never boils? I think it applies here, too. Spend more time building the fire and less time taking the temperature. Don’t try and evaluate every Tweet, Facebook update, or blog post. You’ll know when you’ve crossed the crucial degree. Steam will rise. You won’t be able to miss it.
Photo credit: Svadilfari
