First of all, for you folks in New England that refer to a sub or a hoagy as a “grinder,” this is not about that. You can probably come up with a few funny images or comments and you are more than welcome to share them in the comments section. This is also not about a meat grinder, although many who have taken the plunge into the Internet marketing world have been put through the grinder in more ways than one (present company included).
What I am talking about is more a descriptive term of what I see that determines success in just about anything in life, thus it transfers to the Internet marketing world as well. A grinder is defined (for the purposes of this post) as someone or something that simply does not give up. Grinders may alter their course or it may be slowed but they simply don’t quit. A grinder simply keeps grinding along regardless of the slings and arrows suffered over the course of time.
Image via Wikipedia
You see this a lot in athletics. I have a young son who has some real strong inherent athletic ability. I am a decent athlete but this kid got something extra and it’s fun to watch. But megadoses of God-given ability are rare. As a result, even those with much talent can simply fall by the way side because they get to a point where their talent cannot carry them alone. Grinders, however, succeed and win.
So, if most people who try to get by on natural talent find they don’t always have enough, then who is succeeding? The grinder.
In Internet marketing, grinders looks like this:
They are focused. People who rely on talent only often get distracted. They are excited by trinkets and baubles and all things shiny. Grinders, on the other hand, stay on task and work until things are finished. An Internet marketing grinder of today is someone who works to perfect the basics and doesn’t stray far from their objectives.
They are resilient. The Internet marketing game is rough. You can easily get overwhelmed by the sheer volume of things you could be doing. The things you do often break, causing obstructions that discourage and derail those working on talent alone. Grinders roll up their sleeves and push through. Often this process can look ugly—that’s why people don’t like to do it. Grinders don’t care because they know that it is just what it takes.
They are respected. Grinders who fight through things gain the respect of co-workers and industry colleagues alike. They are often people who are doing things the right way. In search terms, many very good white-hat SEOs are simply grinders. Black hats are shortcut finders and rule breakers, holding near contempt for others. Most grinders are just doing things by the book and pushing through the trouble along the way. They are respected because they don’t want to hurt anyone, they just want to be better than them.
They take care of themselves . A true grinder is not someone who just works and works until they fall over. Quite the contrary. They seek balance. That can come in the form of other hobbies. It could even be just in the fact that they will take time to learn and be trained in their craft. It’s easy to wear down. We are, after all, just human beings with limitations.
They help others. Grinders aren’t recluses.They are smart networkers and helpers. They take their eyes off their own work when they can help someone in a situation that will add value to both parties. They don’t just flit away and help everyone and they certainly, most certainly, don’t work for free. If a grinder is not exchanging money, then they are doing something that is or will be of great value, whether it’s specific networking or they are acquiring some other form of Internet marketing capital that will bring value.
They are confident. The Internet marketing industry as a whole is full of hucksters and spinmeisters that talk a good game but may not have the chops. Grinders have the chops. They know what to do. And, even more importantly, when they don’t know what to do, they admit it, then they find the answer, and then they grind some more.
They could care less about the spotlight . This is not to say that they stay out of the spotlight. Grinders often get thrown into it, but the difference is that they don’t have to have it to get success. They will use it and that is fine. Grinders earn the spotlight though rather than demand it.
They never say die. Grinders push through and plow through things. Most people hit a speed bump or a real issue and they crumble or they don’t react well. Grinders just keep moving. In the Internet marketing space, this is an invaluable trait.
So why do I even bring this up in a blog like Biznology? It’s because over the years I have seen all types and I know what makes a winner. Now remember, winning is not always about the one with the most toys. Remember that company No Fear and the shirts that used to be so popular with their slogans? I saw one that made the most sense to me but I was never able to find it again. Why? Because it wasn’t a popular saying, it was simply a true one. It said “He who dies with the most toys still dies.”
That’s a grinder’s mantra. It’s never about acquisition it’s about doing a good job. The stuff that comes with doing a good job is nice but it’s doing the job well that creates the pleasure for a grinder.
If you are a businessperson and you have a grinder on staff, give them a raise. If you have a grinder as a consultant, pay them on time and never complain. They are rare.
I want my kids to be grinders and I am finally learning how to be one myself. It’s this realization that has me thinking about another philosophy for another day which is to finish strong.
Here’s to grinding it out and finishing strong. Salute!
