Once in a while, I read a blog post that looks suspiciously like a rewrite of one of my own -- especially if it appears a few days after I publish something I'm especially proud of. It's probably just coincidence, but I can't help wondering. (For the record, I 100% approve of borrowing ideas from my posts, as long as you credit them properly.)

Other times, I read something that parallels one of my posts, but was obviously written independently by a kindred spirit. Perry Marshall published one of those types of posts yesterday. If you've been here long, you'll recognize the theme:

What kind of business DOES work?

Building a sidewalk where there's already a dirt path. And getting it paved without blowing a ton of cash.

...

So long as I held onto the Big Red Easy button fantasy, I was an easy mark for the flim flam man. When I finally accepted that I had to create something, I stopped getting ripped off. Plus I could find all kinds of people who would help me pave that dirt path and there were a lot of shortcuts.

Sounds a lot like what I wrote last October, but I love the point he emphasizes about how chasing the fantasy makes you vulnerable to getting scammed.

And I also like the last sentence quoted above -- something most people don't point out when they're discrediting Easy Buttons. There may be no Easy Buttons, but their are Easier buttons. There is help. There are shortcuts. To quote myself, Easier Buttons:

...automate the grunt work so that more value can be created by the humans who use them.

The funny thing that Perry points out is that while you're chasing the dream of the Easy Button, Easier Buttons look like hard work. So you ignore them, even though they're exactly the things that will save you.

Reader Comment:
Terry Schierer said:
Just wish those easier buttons would stand out and shout "look at me I'm important". But then if they did that I would delete them in a heartbeat. Terry
(join the conversation below)

When you wake up from the Easy Button fantasy, it's important not to overreact and think that you have to do everything for yourself. Look for the Easier Buttons.