How to become a GURU ??
I never guru’d because I never had the need or desire to be in the limelight.
However, I DO view guruing as an accelerant for positioning — which leads to price elasticity which leads to more money made. So there is a lot of power in it.
So on some level becoming a guru is good…
But becoming a super guru is better...
When it comes to it…
You have two types of gurus:?
The ratio in the market place is about 1:1,000.
Maybe 1:1,000 — one super guru for every thousand gurus.
They’re very similar except different…
Just like you have athletes and super athletes.
Just like you have B and C-list celebrities and A-list celebrities…
They’re the same, but different.
Super gurus have that “X factor”
Beyond the obvious difference of making way more money, the difference between gurus and super gurus allows for a variety of sub-benefits:?
In a nutshell…
When you’re a guru — you’re always trying to sell to people and they’re buying on the things you “got”.?
Cars, houses, watches, anything materialistic.
It’s an uphill battle. Often filled with desperation.?
When you become a super guru — people are always trying to buy from you and they’re buying on WHO you are.
No desperation. They are chasing YOU.?
Think about that for a second.
Going from being a mere guru to super guru is not an easy feat and very few graduate to super gurudom.
So how do you do it — and what is the X factor?
It has to do with archetypes and avatars.
Here’s a dictionary definition of an archetype:
noun
The original pattern or model from which all things of the same kind are copied or on which they are based; a model or first form; prototype.
(in Jungian psychology) a collectively inherited unconscious idea, pattern of thought, image, etc., universally present in individual psyches.
Here’s a dictionary definition of avatars:
noun
Hindu Mythology. the descent of a deity to the earth in an incarnate form or some manifest shape; the incarnation of a god.
an embodiment or personification, as of a principle, attitude, or view of life.
So based on this archetype means “original pattern or model from” and avatars means “an embodiment or personification.”
Now, in plain english this means that…
The guru has to be the archetype so everyone else can model themselves after (to become THAT)…
…To strive to become THAT guy or girl.
In other words, the super guru sells by being the prospect’s “best self” — who he or she wants to be most.?
And an avatar is someone who is “an embodiment or personification” of that.
So you as a guru are an archetype in the market and the avatars are your customers.
Now let me unpack that here:
Now with that in mind…
Avatars to Archetype?
Avatars want to become what the archetypes are, or rather what they represent.
Why is that important?
With each purchase, they are essentially “investing” in becoming the archetype...?
So let me show you three examples of what I consider to be “super gurus” in this space, that meet our above...established criteria for super guru'dom, which is:
And I’ll show you their transition from using avatar based methodology to archetype methodology.
Guru #1: Frank Kern
Old Frank / Avatar: Surfer dude, fun lifestyle, carefree, funny, “cool guy,” etc…
New Frank / Archetype: Businessman, serious, successful, still has fun, etc…
Note: See the picture attached for the transformation.
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Guru #2: Garret White
Old Garret / Avatar: No idea, never followed him then.?
New Garret / Archetype: Businessman, serious, successful, has fun, etc
Note: See the picture attached for the transformation.
Guru #3: Timothy Marc
Old Tim / Avatar: DJ, pick up artist dude, and so on.?
New Tim / Archetype: Jet setting playboy who lives a life of fun freedom and adventure.
Note: See the picture attached for the transformation.
How did this transformation take place from mere guru to super guru — where they rise above the rest in the marketplace?
Simple…
If you look at Frank Kern…
…What you will instantly notice is Frank looked at Mad Men and consciously (or subconsciously) said to himself: “I’m going to become Don Draper.”
If you look at Garret White…
…What you will instantly notice is Garret looked at Fight Club and consciously (or subconsciously) said to himself: “I’m going to become Tyler Durden.”
If you look at Timothy Marc…
…What you will instantly notice is Tim looked at James Bond and consciously or subconsciously said to himself: “I’m going to become James Bond.”
And then fuse it into the marketplace with this personna…
Thus adopting this archetype that all the avatars in the marketplace want to become.
This causes them to be instantly attracted to the guru, to believe in the guru, to want to be the guru, to throw money at the guru.
In the case of Frank Kern, this was an essential shift. For a period of time when he released Mass Control around 2007, he was the top “guru” in IM.?
But, the “IM niche” being hit by all the product launches was (relatively) small — much smaller than the broad audiences that were being reached by guys like Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi.?
So if Frank was going to be a “guru to the gurus” like Tony and others, he couldn’t be the carefree surfer dude who stumbled upon these huge breakthroughs. He had to be a real businessman (and marketing genius) — he had to become Don Draper.?
So he did. And he got much bigger gigs, becoming a true super guru, now positioned to work with business players at the highest level... it was a brilliant shift.?
Gary Halbert did this, too. Except he read all the Travis McGee novels. He literally became Travis McGee, moved to key west, got a boat, lived on a boat, etc…
Read the Travis McGee books — and you’ll soon realize that “Holy shit, Gary Halbert was Travis McGee!”
So how do you hit your market bullseye on what to archetype?
Easy: look at what mass market archetypes they’re being drawn to as avatars.
The simple thing would be to email your list or drop a post on FB or a Group and simply ask:
“What’s your favorite movie and why?”
Boom there you have it. Now you know who to embody.
The key here is to find someone who kinda, sorta…looks like you. So you can model them in physical form.
And then embody the personality attributes fused with what your market ultimately wants.
Frank Kern - Looks like Don Draper, same haircut, same dress style. Don Draper had a Cadillac, Kern has a Rolls Royce.
Garret White - Looks like Tyler Durden from fight club, same body shape, style, hair cut, same attitude on his bootcamps.?
Timothy Marc - Looks like the modern James Bond, same height, same outfits, some vibe.
So there you have it:?
That’s how you infuse the X factor.?
Which is knowing how to architect into your market exactly what will take you from being a mere guru to a super guru.
That’s how you create ultimate positioning in your market. So that when you are selling you have massive price elasticity...?
And you can charge 5-10-20x more than anyone else in your industry…
Where people come to you to buy…
Instead of you going to them to sell.
This works whether you’re new or old, big or small…
And it’s never too late to create a transformation.
The key is to do it covertly where it just feels like it “organically happened” — vs you actually making it happen on the screen.
So if you do decide to do it... just do it.?
And DON’T talk about it to your list / customers / clients, don’t mention it. Just act like it’s just who you were supposed to become all along…
And when you do — watch how your business transforms.?
Oh and btw...you’ll understand the reason for doing it this way when you study how it works in movies.?
Because the old classical way of doing it via more high-level archetypes like “the king” “lover” “warrior”?makes it way too abstract to use when it comes to everyday reality.?
Plus, Hollywood spends millions of dollars testing these characters. And in each of our examples, these characters have been proven to be loved by society. James Bond, Tyler Durden, and Don Draper — all have millions of fans.
As always: drop some drama, comments, questions, love or hate in the comment box below.?
Or let me know if you need help with clarity on this concept and how you can implement it in your business.