On Labor Day, I was at my parents house with all my siblings and nieces. My old boxes of Lego bricks came out, and I found myself “playing alongside my nieces”. Really, it meant grabbing the pieces I needed before they could. It was an instant flashback to childhood.
As I was building my rollercoaster, I realized these little bricks had taught me a few things early on that still impact how I build my businesses. I thought I’d share these nostalgic reflections with you. Enjoy!
1. Scarcity of Resources Isn’t a Bad Thing
I always wanted more Lego sets. I especially wanted the sets that had pieces that weren’t yet part of my collection. However, I was never really limited by my lack. I could always find a way to build whatever it was I wanted to build.
Scarcity of resources is something we all face. We never feel like we have enough. But the truth is, we do. We can actually do amazing things with what we already have. We just have to get creative.
2. Take Nothing at Face Value
It was fun to build the prescribed sets. But the most fun was when I integrated those sets into my Lego pile. That’s when you could use a piece for something that was never intended. You could use a piece to make a secret trap door in a house. Or you could use it to make your construction float.
I learned that nothing is ever as simple as it seems. There are always more things you can do with what others see as commonplace. Again, you just have to be creative.
3. Be Willing to Change Your Plans
Remember the sound of digging through Lego bricks to find that one perfect piece? It was never so loud to those digging, but to others in the room it was ear shattering. I remember spending loads of time trying to find the exact piece I wanted, only to realize I had already used it. Or worse, it was lost. That’s when I had to change my design plans.
Often, some of my best inventions came from having to change my plans at the last minute. I’m convinced life works like that a lot. Especially in business. The original plan is good, but the magic happens when you have to improvise.
So that’s what I learned from Lego. What did you learn? Share your greatest life lessons that Lego taught in a comment below.