Visionary Alibaba founder and arguably, China’s most famous entrepreneur, Jack Ma explained X of the ZYX genius.
Visionary Alibaba founder and arguably, China’s most famous entrepreneu, Jack Ma explained X of the ZYX genius.
When asked by a college student on his best advise to aspiring entrepreneurs, Jack Ma replied: What are you willing to give up? Because there is ALWAYS a price to achieving your dream.
Jack Ma’s answer is the X in the ZYX genius of goal achievement.
What is ZYX?
In ZYX, the first X represents all the effective ways that allow you to reach your desired outcome Z that are consistent with your reasons Y.
Just like there are many ways to skin a cat, just like there are 10 roads to go to Manila, there are many X’s to achieve your Z.
How to choose the road or your X. Then the difference between effectiveness and efficiency needs to be clear. Effectiveness is reaching your goal- achieving your objectives. Efficiency is the best way based on criteria that are defined by your reasons Y.
Here’s a simple everyday example.
Z: Arrive in your Pasay office or or before 8:30 am.
Y: Because 8:30 is the official start time of work and you are a good worker so tardiness is not an option. You want to start work early so that you contribute your share to the organization you serve.
X: You live in Fairview. Depending on the time you leave your house, what mode of transport you choose and what road you take. If you are early, then travel time for the 30 km route is 1 hour. If you like stress and traffic, you can go during rush hour and spend 2.5 hours in traffic.
Now ,what is X? This represents all the things that you have to give up when you choose your effective X. To leave the house at 5:30 am, means giving up sleeping from 5:30 am to 6:30 am (if you are the one driving). To be able to do that, then you have to wake up at 4:30 am which means you have to sleep at say 9 pm the night before and that means giving up night time activities like Netflix binging or worrying about the future. Another obvious thing you give up if you choose the skyway- the exorbitant toll fee that you have to pay, a King’s sum that you could have used to buy your favorite hot, venti Starbucks cappucino. Or you can take a chance on EDSA and leave 10 minutes earlier while enjoying your coffee!
W represents the what, who, where and how of your options. But W should only come after you decided your ZYX.
Possible W Option A Leave house 5:30 am, personal car, Skyway. This will be the fastest and most expensive and you arrive at 6:30 am. Then you can sleep in the car for 2 hours or use the time to exercise or have breakfast
Possible W Option B Leave house 6am, Grab taxi, skyway. More expensive than (1) but less stressful if driving makes you tense. Which to choose- depends on your Y- which criteria is more important to you- expense or stress? Efficiency is choosing based on your criteria.
The W option of leaving the house at 6:30 am is not effective as this will not allow the achievement of Z.
There is nothing in life that is really free. Everything, every dream, every Z comes with a price X What are you willing to give up to achieve your dream?
What are you willing to give up to get what you say you really want? Nothing in life is free. To get a prize, you must sacrifice. To reap, you must sow. Even social media is not really free because it is an awesome time black hole if we are not careful or aware.
I have a dream. I gave up things. In this article, Jack Ma responded to the same question by a student who wanted to be a successful entrepreneur #ZYXGenie #Freedom #entrepreneur #socialmedia
To finally start writing my book: ZYX Genie: Unleashing Your Genius to Make Your 3 Best Wishes Come True, I gave up 3 things: (1) my Facebook habit which consume a lot of time (2) my runs and rides of 1 hour or more (because I am an ultra marathoner and a new addicted cyclist) to reallocate time to writing and (3) any purchases above P10,000 because just thinking about and then choosing large purchases is costly in time and money.