In Good to Great, Jim Collins described how the best performing companies are obsessed by doing one thing and doing it really, really well. He calls this their Hedgehog Concept.
Why the Hedgehog Concept? Collins used a story of the clever, devious fox and the simple hedgehog to describe it. The wily fox keeps coming up with new ideas to eat the hedgehog, but the hedgehog beats the fox every time by doing his one trick: curling up into a thorny ball.
The hedgehog knows what it does really, really well. It keeps doing it and keeps winning.
As an entrepreneur, I’m tempted every day to start new businesses, add new services and launch new ideas. There are so many opportunities! But, according to Collins’ research, success over many years requires focus.
With this in mind, I’m working on discovering exactly what is our inner hedgehog at The Physio Co.
Collins reckons a hedgehog concept can be found at the intersection of three things:
- What you are deeply passionate about.
- What you can be the best in the world at.
- What drives your economic engine.
The research found that becoming the best in the world at something starts with what you are deeply passionate about. It’s not what you could ‘become passionate about’.
Discovering an inner hedgehog can be a process that takes months or years to discover. But once you have it, you have a recipe for success.
I know what I’m passionate about and our hedgehog concept is pretty clear. How about you? What is it that you deeply love doing? What is it that you could do all day every day and never get sick of it? Discover that and you are on the way to building something special.
PS - I’d love to know what you’re deeply passionate about. Please comment on my Facebook page here or drop me a line: [email protected].
PPS - Learn more about the Hedgehog Concept here