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I listen to a handful of podcasts that are completely unrelated to being a private investigator. I should probably listen to other private investigator podcasts but I don’t. I don’t even listen to my own podcast (Private Investigator Advice Podcast).

There is one particular podcaster, Bjork Ostrom, from Food Blogger Pro that discussed a topic that I wanted to share with you.  It is the idea of one percent infinity.  This concept isn’t really new (I don’t think anyway) but how he described this idea in a recent podcast really struck a chord with me this week, at least in relation to the Private Investigator Advice Blog, podcast, and videos.

One Percent Infinity 

One Percent Infinity is the idea that you work on something a little at a time forever with no end date and no finish line.  One percent represents the small amount you put towards something and infinity represents you working on that thing every day forever.

This blog, for instance, isn’t or wasn’t going to be great overnight. In fact, it has taken me 5 years to make over 100 videos, 69 podcasts and probably over 150 articles.  I just keep plugging away with an article here, a video there. I still remember talking with a reader of the blog and him asking me how I had the time to do all that I had done with Private Investigator Advice.  I reminded him that everything that had been done has been done over several years.

My marriage wouldn’t be great unless I put effort into it every day.  It will be something I work on every day until I die.

I wasn’t great at conducting surveillance overnight.  I sucked when I first started but I worked at it every day and tried to get better everyday.  I am still learning with each day of surveillance that I conduct.

No Finish Line- It’s all About the Journey

To be great at something it takes time and there is a journey you will take to be great at whatever ever it is you apply the 1 percent infinity to.  One Percent Infinity has to about the journey according to Mr. Ostrom; you have to love the process/journey of whatever you are doing.

Your Journey Might Be:

• Becoming a  private investigator
• Becoming a good private investigator
• Starting a private investigation business
• Learning different specializations in the private investigation industry to expand your services
• Growing your Private Investigation Business
• Becoming a Thought Leader in the Private Investigation Industry

Becoming a Private Investigator

So if you want to become a private investigator you have to work at that at least a little every day.  Even if it is 10 to 15 minutes a day until you become a private investigator.

This means saving up for that course that you want to take if you don’t have the money right now.  It means reading about the investigation industry a little every day. It means going to conferences when and if you can to learn from those in the field and then networking with business owners.  It means working on your resume and then sending that resume to potential employers.  Reading a few minutes each about different laws relating being a private investigator. It means reading blogs, books and other publications in the industry.  Just a little every day adds up.

Becoming a Good Private Investigator

If you are already working as a private investigator then your focus might be becoming very good at the job. Some people do this job for many years and never get better at it.  They don’t learn from mistakes and they don’t care enough about the clients to make sure they do a good job.

I can imagine you are not like this.  To get better you too have to go to conferences, study, learn from others and learn from your own mistakes.  Learning from other sources (books, people, blogs, videos) plus learning from your own mistakes will help to shape you into an excellent investigator.

All the special tools and equipment don’t need to be purchased all at once. Maybe you save up for a good spy camera and then save up again for a good video camera.  You slowly build up your P.I. tools to assist your efforts at being better in your profession.

Just learning a bit more each day will help you become a better private investigator.  This truly is a never-ending journey.

Starting a Private Investigation Business with One percent Infinity

You don’t go from not having a business to having a business overnight.  There is some planning involved. And what might seem like an overwhelming task can be taken care of a little bit at a time.

I have written about this before in detail which I would encourage you to read.

Creating a website on your own, picking a business name, getting a business license, getting your agency license, making flyers for your business, and advertising is just a few of the small steps you will take when opening your own private investigation business.  Yes, there are many more things you can do but it just doesn’t all have to be done overnight.

Learning Different Specializations in the Private Investigation Industry to Expand Your Services using One Percent Infinity

You may come to owning your own business with one or a couple of specializations.  Maybe you were conducting background checks before starting a company and now your company only primarily does background checks.   You want to get into the insurance investigation industry but don’t know anything about it.

So maybe you take a course or even get hired on part-time with an insurance investigation company so you can learn surveillance techniques and how the insurance investigation system works.  Little by little you add more knowledge to your skill set until you are ready to add that service to your own businesses.  Again, little by little every day adding to your knowledge.

Growing Your Private Investigation Business

Little improvements in your business will help it grow over time. Learning different skill sets like learning how to sell better or providing a better product helps increase your workload.  Maybe hiring one extra person will provide a better turn around time for your clients.  

Maybe you blog a little each week on your business which helps future clients trust you.  Whatever it is you want to do to expand your business, take small steps each day to reach that never-ending goal.

Becoming a Thought Leader in the Private Investigation Industry

You’ve come along way and now others in this industry need help to learn about this industry the right way.  Maybe you decide to write a book.  Each day you add more to the book until you feel as though it is completed.  Maybe you start a blog to teach others what you have learned over the years.  It doesn’t all have to happen at once.  But if you decide to do this, work on it a little each day.

I Think You Get the Theme of One Percent Infinity

Pursuing a particular goal can seem overwhelming when you think of everything that must be accomplished to reach that goal.  Even when I have a specific workload and have like 5 reports due immediately, it can seem so overwhelming that I am paralyzed by the amount of work that has to be done.  But if I never start chipping away at that work it will never get done.  

For me right now my One Percent Infinity is the Private Investigator Advice brand.  I can work on this brand a little each day to provide content that you will consume.  My journey with you will likely never be done.  I teach all that I know and then go and learn more so I can teach that.  Who knows, someday maybe this will be the largest private investigation website.  

Hope you enjoyed this and I hope you get started and begin applying One Percent Infinity to your life.

Andrew