It’s getting close to showtime! Mark your calendars for September 13th! That’s Monday night, and it’s on ABC, before Monday Night Football in most places, afterwards on the West Coast.
I can’t wait. I just cut the title sequence and it really sums up whatI was looking for in picking the winner. It has a little more “pat myself on the back” then I wanted, but the reality is (does this count as a pun :), that I’m not well known outside of the sportsworld, so ABC wanted everyone to know my resume.
Here is what you will hear in the title sequence to a background of pictures and videos that I dug up:
My first business was selling garbage bags door to door at age 12.
I started my first real business with less than 1k dollars and sold it for millions.
My next business was started with less than 5k, and was sold for billions!
My name is Mark Cuban, and I’m a self-made billionaire.
I know what it takes to be successful.
I have lived the American Dream and loved every minute of it.
Now it’s my turn to share the wealth.
I have taken the secrets to my success and turned them into a game.
I’ve invited 16 people to compete in my game.
The game is a series of tests to reveal the qualities that all successful people have.
The game, like the road to success, has challenges, twists, turns and roadblocks.
How you deal with each, can make or break you.
The winner will be creative, competitive, have an entrepreneurial spirit and be able to rise above the competition and prove to me, they have what it takes to become successful.
The winner walks away with a million dollars!
I AM going to change someone’s life FOREVER.
My name is Mark Cuban.
I am the Benefactor.
This pretty much sums up what I was looking for in the game. The tests also reflect this.
The only bad thing so far in everything I have seen, is that because of time constraints on the episodes, we couldn’t use everything. I guess that’s a better problem than not having enough to use!
The tests were meant to look for the qualities thatI think all successful people have. This isn’t about being successful in business, this is about being successful in anything you try, from the arts, to sports, to business to just about everything. You may agree or disagree, but that’s part of what makes the show fun!
I’llgive you examples of the “success tests” that I created:
1. You don’t get a 2nd chance to make a first impression,including a great example of a time when I didn’t make a such a good first impression.
2. Time is more valuable than money. How you use your time is critical.
3. Work hard, play hard. Pushing to be successful always increases stress levels at some point, how you manage that stress creates a foundation for how you’re energized to go for your goals!
The test for this one is great. Watch the sizzle reel for a hint!
4. Roadblocks to success come from the unlikeliest of sources. You have to always expect and be prepared to deal with someone trying to beat you to the punch, or stop you dead in your tracks. How you deal with the unexpected, speaks volumesfor your ability to succeed.
5. Everyone has the ability to be successful. There is something in all of us that makes us special, the hard part is pushing through boundaries and finding it and not being afraid to show it.
6. One of my favorite tests was based on one of my favorite sayings: It’s not if the glass is half empty or half full, it’s who is pouring the water. Knowing whether you are pouring, or whether your glass is being poured for you, iscritical. In this test, I found out how the contestants figured out which side they were on, and dealt with it.
For all thetests, I giveexamples ofhowIhad to face these tests in my life, and how I passed some, anddidn’t do so well at others, and of course how the contestants did with each test, and whyI cut them or let them go on towards the million dollars.
If you are interested in what it takes to be successful, if you are interested in seeing if you have what it takes, maybe you are interested in seeing if you agree with me or not.
If you want to seehow 16 people take on the challenge with their futures and1mm dollarsat stake, you are going toLOVE this show.