WorldWide Drilling Resource

18 JULY 2014 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® The Un-Comfort Zone II by Robert Evans Wilson, Jr. Tick-Tock...Talent, Opportunity, and Stuff How to finish with no regrets. Recently, I watched the motion pic- ture Underdogs . It is a formulaic, feel- good movie, about a losing high school football team motivated by a new coach to win a championship. The coach teach- es them the skills necessary to succeed, yet they still don’t win any games. He realizes they lack the hunger to win. So he says to them, “My playing days are long past. These games are for you; and they are precious, because once you’re done, you’re done forever.” I thought of the precious few base- ball games I played; how I wished I could have played more; and how the moments I remember and talk about the most were those games we won. I said aloud to the television screen, “You tell ‘em, Coach!” The coach played the Scarcity Card, and to me those were very moving words. I’ve lived long enough to have experienced regret, but I wondered if scarcity would motivate a high school kid with so much life in front of him? For people like me who are more in touch with their mortality, it has become popular to write a “bucket list” of things we want to do or accomplish. We are frequently reminded to live as if today is our last. However, as a motivational mantra, that saying has become cliché. The problem with overstated wisdom is it loses its impact. Add to it the fact most people don’t believe - or don’t want to consider - they will die anytime soon. I frequently encourage people to take more risks, or to take bold action, because I have personally found doing so brings many benefits. I know if peo- ple could genuinely perceive life as lim- ited, they would take more risks. The trick is to pretend it’s your last day (which becomes easier the older you get) by consciously making an effort to cross off the items on your bucket list. When scarcity is believable, we re- spond to it. In 1973, Johnny Carson, as the host of The Tonight Show , caused a run on toilet paper. He joked, “You know, we’ve got all sorts of shortages these days. But have you heard the lat- est? I’m not kidding. I saw it in the papers. There’s a shortage of toilet paper.” So many people heard it, believed it, and reacted to it that within a day, toilet paper disappeared from the shelves of supermarkets, creating an actual short- age. Carson explained to his audience it was all a joke. Advertisers love to use scarcity. It’s why you so often hear advertising phras- es such as “limited time offer” or “limited supplies available.” It creates a sense of urgency and we are moved to act. Scarcity will move us when we’re afraid we won’t be able to get some- thing we need (bread and milk when it snows), or when we fear we will miss out on an opportunity. It also moves us when we want the exclusivity of owning something others can’t. The big curse of the starving artist is he knows his work will become more valuable after he dies - exactly when he no longer needs it. Some companies have learned to get around this problem by intentionally limiting the release of their products to create a sense of scarcity. This is true for diamonds which are not rare gems as most of us believe. Instead, they are a tightly-controlled commodity which arti- ficially drives up their cost. Italian automaker, Ferrari creates notoriety and demand by limiting their production to 7000 cars per year. This number increases the cache of owning one and generates a waiting list of peo- ple who want to buy one. “Use it or lose it,” is another clichéd nugget of wisdom warning us not to waste precious talents, possessions, or opportunities. Again, advertisers love to remind us of what we stand to lose (think insurance ads), because it motivates us to buy. All in all, I believe scarcity is a good thing. It teaches us to be productive and efficient with our time and resources; and hopefully guides us to end up with no regrets. Robert Robert is an author, humorist, and innovation consultant. He works with companies that want to be more com- petitive and with people who want to think like innovators. For more information on Robert, visit www.jumpstartyourmeeting.com or contact him via e-mail at admin@ worldwidedrillingresource.com In Memoriam Stafford Eugene “Gene” Polk July 22, 1927 - May 2, 2014 The WWDR Team joined many in the drilling industry to mourn the passing of Gene Polk. He was a pioneer in the drilling fluid industry and spent 63 years working with Baroid Industrial Drilling Products to improve drilling fluids. He played an instrumental roll in developing the company’s annual mud school, which continues to use his materials and syllabus as a foundation. Known as the ultimate mud man, he also worked closely with national laboratories such as Sandia Labs, Los Alamos Labs, and Livermore Labs to develop innovative products and technologies related to drilling fluids. He married Sally Degroot in 1952, and they enjoyed living in Farmington, New Mexico, where the couple raised over 100 foster children in addition to their own 5 children. Gene formed the town’s Boys and Girls club over 50 years ago and it continues to serve the community today. He is survived by his brother Pete (Flow); his children KimAlsup, Staff Polk, Linn Dunton, Fritz Polk, and Sani Withers; 14 grandchildren; and 7 great-grandchildren. Amentor to several people, Gene will be missed by many. The WWDR Team would like to extend sincere condolences to Gene’s family and friends.