Over a year ago I wrote a Blog article on making great products. I realize, with the release our new Chronological Study Bible that I was missing a key ingredient in developing best-selling product - adversity.
When we first presented the idea of this product, our Sales team really pushed back hard. They did not like our original ideas or design concepts. Now, you have to understand that when someone spends time creating something new the concept becomes very personal. So, while you want feedback, you also want some kind of recognition for the idea. In this case, we got plenty of the former and just a bit of the latter.
But, I have to hand it to my team. They quickly dropped the emotional connection to the original idea and 30 days later, they presented a WOW idea. Now, after nearly two years of development, we have what appears to be a best-seller on our hands.
The learning in all this is that we need to welcome adversity and celebrate persistence. Too often we're looking for comfort and ease and it's in the adversity that good things tend to happen. The "iron sharpening iron" way of creating something better than before. Or, we're not humble enough to have an open heart and mind toward input that can take our original ideas to another, higher level.
Persistence needs celebrating. It's only through staying with it that something as marvelous as the Chronological Study Bible is developed. It's genuine staying power that in the end will create something unique and different. Too often we either panic or we lose heart if we don't get the idea in two minutes We hope to microwave solutions or ideas instead of realizing how good it is to slow cook.
We are very happy with our results and very thankful to our Sales team for being open and honest and to our people for staying with it As a result, we have a hit.
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