Want Success in Business?: Use Your Knee Not Your Brain

One of the successful entrepreneurs in Indonesia, Bob Sadino who was born with a silvers spoon in his mouth, said that if we wanted to start a business, place your brain in the knee, not in your head because if you have the brain in your head, you will doubt, think, and keep considering whether or not your business will be successful. What he said sounded like a joke but it isn’t.

In Indonesia it is common to say to someone about your brain being placed in the knee when you consider the person to be stupid because he or she has made a mistake in doing what he is supposed to do. I am not sure if the term “brain in the knee” is used to denote stupidity.

Many beginners in business failed because they spent too much time thinking if their businesses will be successful or not. As a result, they never make an effort to start it and remain as they were. Sadino in his seminar mentioned to the participants that in order you could start your business, you should place your brain in the knee to start with. This merely means that action is more important than thought. And if you use your brain because it is in your head, you will think about business plan carefully and sometimes negatively. Those who have their brain in the knee (meaning stupid people) will start their business right away.

Running a business does not need educated people. Anybody, regardless of their educational level, can start a business. All it takes is action and perseverance, not your brain to start with. I think Sadino is right about it. I have observed that some successful businessmen in my city are people of no schooling. They used their “knees” to start their businesses and they did cultivate the things they believe they know well. In his seminar, Sadino wanted his seminar participants to start right away what they believed they could do well. Unlike these “brain-in-the-knee” people, highly educated people will take many things into account before they jump into businesses.

As I mentioned earlier Bob Sadino was born from a rich family. After traveling abroad, he came back to his country and started his own business but he failed. His failures did not stop him getting up to try again. His perseverance and strong will to work proved that successes are achieved because you have real actions.