June 23

7 comments

Measure or Else: Ignore This Truth and FAIL…

By Michael Q. Pink

June 23, 2014

math, mathematics, measure, measurement, parable of talents, succeed in business

Brace Yourself: Business Runs on Facts not Faith

Did I really say that? Absolutely! And if you want to succeed in business, you will become an expert at the facts pertaining to your field of endeavor. Period.

Think of it this way… A locomotive is speeding across the countryside. It is powered by faith (what you believe is possible), but it runs on truth or facts. While it may appear there are two types of facts, (informational and mathematical), in reality there is only one kind of fact when it comes to business. Math – because math is measurable. Don’t look for increase in what you won’t measure.

Steam Train On A Famous Glenfinnan Viaduct, Scotland

When it comes to trains, there are two steel tracks. Think of those as left brain and right brain. Hard numbers on the left and circumstantial information (the story) on the right. But every story is ultimately reducible to math. You can talk about the beauty or hue of any color, but in the end, it is a specific, measurable wavelength. Every story has its factual components which tell the real story.

Ever since Adam hid in the garden to avoid being accountable to the facts, mankind has invented every imaginable story to do the same. “The woman gave me the fruit”, “My dog ate my homework”, “He hit me first.” “I didn’t see the speed zone change”, etc. But facts are how we are measured.

“Now, prepare yourself like a man; I will question you and you will answer me.” (Job 38:3)

When God questioned Job, He asked, “Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Who determined its measurements?If you read the whole chapter, it’s clear that God measures everything. That is also evident in Ezekiel, Revelation, Genesis and let’s not forget the fourth book of the Bible… What’s it called? The book of something…. The book of big ideas? Nope. The book of NUMBERS. That’s a clue folks!

But what about Jesus? Surely He is more interested in being nice. Isn’t He? Does He really care about numbers? Apparently He does as is evidenced in the feeding of the 5000. The Holy Spirit made sure there were numerical records kept of that event which included multiplying 5 loaves and 2 fishes to feed a multitude of 5000 who were told to sit in groups of 50 and in the end they gathered up 12 baskets of bread. Somebody was tracking the numbers!

Consider the parable of the talents. Jesus tells the story of a man who gives three of His servants “talents” of money. He does not specify as to whether they were talents of gold or talents of silver, making it easier for readers to relate to the story based on their outlook. Most Christians think the story is about some menial amount of money, but think again…

In today’s currency, if those talents were silver, the fellow receiving 5 talents would have been given roughly $100,000 to invest while his master was gone. The fellow with two talents would have had about $40,000 and the man with one talent was given about $20,000 to invest. If it were gold, those sums would have been approximately $6.67 million, $2.67 million and $1.33 million respectively, making it easier for big thinkers to relate to it.

But here’s the point…

The narrative continues and tells how they made their money with their seed capital and exactly how much they made. Not only that, but Jesus continues the illustration by showing that the lord of those servants wanted an accounting of their financial dealings. Not the story. Just the facts ma’am.

The first two men gained their profit by trading and both doubled their money. The third man didn’t have any facts he wanted to present. Instead he offered a “story”! But the master doesn’t want a story. He wants results. That’s scary to a lot of folks, but it shouldn’t be. Facts will liberate you if you work with them!

Once you know what matters (the facts), you can focus on what actually brings increase to those numbers and get busy generating results. That will give you a story worth telling! Your faith will have facts of steel to run along and you can pick up quite a head of steam! And in the end, hear your Lord say, “Well done good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.”

You will not have success without this discipline.

As for me, I intend to run on measurable facts, propelled by faith. Others may listen to your story, but until and unless you begin to consciously and deliberately bring the mathematical facts under scrutiny and adjust based on empirical data, you will struggle like the train going through the field without tracks.

To get really, really good at this and to know what facts to measure, be sure to join my upcoming webinar (TBA) where I will be laying out how you can be part of the MPI Business Institute and get your life and business on track so your faith has rails to run on!

Until then, be fruitful and multiply!

Michael Q. Pink

About the author

Michael is America's leading authority on applying Biblical Wisdom and Natural Law to sales and business and has authored 19 books including The Bible Incorporated, Selling Among Wolves and God's Best Kept Secrets. Using that knowledge, he has helped thousands of professionals and entrepreneurs experience radical transformation in their lives and careers, including helping a start-up with 3 struggling sales reps turn the corner and become the 16th fastest growing company on the INC 500 list. 

  • Thank-you Michael,

    Your treatise here, concerning being mindful in measuring the facts, based on empirical data,
    brought to mind one of the fruits of Spirit…

    Self-control, whose root is discipline.

    • Good morning Geary… An oft neglected discipline that leads to failure if left unchecked. Thank you for posting!

  • I was reading in Deuteronomy just this morning and the Lord was impressing on my heart that He cares very much about the details. Then, I come here and read this post. Thank you for confirming what the Lord is working in my heart this morning.

  • Thank you so much for this Michael. Because I have just gotten to know about you in 2015!, I am reading these articles and at the same time reading the Christian Wealth Building book and wow…the combination of that especially the part of acquisition of resources to influence( war chest) and this article is just so awesome. Thank you so very much. I am truly blessed by this.

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