The Third Door

It’s 11 am.

It’s a random Friday in September and I’m sitting at a cafe in Athens, Greece.

Kids are laughing, birds are chirping, and I’m on my third coffee.

I got here last night after an incredible week in Norway.

I was there to host a retreat for founders and creators from 5 different countries.

We did hikes with insane views, ate delicious local food, surfed cold water waves, built the type of relationships you can only build in person, and made memories I’ll appreciate on my death bed.

I tell you this because none of this would be possible without what I’m going to share with you today.

I’m dead serious when I tell you this week’s idea has fundamentally changed my life.

And if you read this and apply it yourself, it will change yours as well.

The easiest way to explain it is with a story:

When Steven Spielberg was 17 years old, he was obsessed with movies.

But like most 17-year-olds, he had no clear path into Hollywood.

So he got creative…

He put on his father’s suit, carried a briefcase with nothing inside but a sandwich, and walked past the security guard at Universal Studios.

He kept walking until he found an empty office, put his name on the door, and started working.

The details of this story live somewhere between myth and legend, but the core idea is what matters.

Instead of waiting for permission (which likely never would have come) he took initiative and created his own access.

Spielberg’s career didn’t begin through the front gate.

It began through a side entrance.

He found what’s called the third door. (h/t for the idea to Alex Banayan + his book)

Think about it like this:

You pull up to a nightclub on a cold night.

There’s a long line out front.

That’s the main door.

It’s obvious, crowded, and where most people wait.

You look over to the right and see a second door.

It’s for VIPs and people with “connections”.

Most people think those are the only options…

But what if I told you there was a third door?

A door 99% of people don’t know exists…

It’s unmarked, probably around back, and you’re going to have to hunt for it.

The analogy is about a nightclub, but it applies to almost everything.

See I didn’t have language for this at the time, but I’ve used this method myself.

When I was first getting into producing short films, we didn’t have a clear path or “permission” to do it.

A friend came to me with an idea for a short film about a motorcycle surf trip down the California coast.

Instead of waiting for someone to green-light it, we made a simple deck ourselves.

Just enough to explain the idea and why it would be interesting.

Then I went out and found a few hundred email addresses of brands I thought could be a good fit.

Over the next few months, I emailed and called all of them.

Most didn’t respond, a few said no, but a handful were curious.

Eventually, four brands put up enough money to fund the entire trip and pay everyone involved.

The film had a sold out premiere and ended up doing over 60,000 views on YouTube.

More importantly, it opened doors to work with those brands again and introduced us to people we never would have met otherwise.

At the time, I didn’t think of it as some clever strategy.

I just didn’t see another option.

But looking back, it was obvious….

That was the third door.

Since we’re getting close to the last quarter of the year, I have a challenge for you:

Take one thing you want to accomplish by the end of the year and ask yourself a question.

Does the path I’m taking require someone else to say yes first?

If it does, you’re probably waiting at the the wrong door.

The third door usually isn’t obvious.

It’s hidden and getting to it might be a little uncomfortable.

It might come in the form of an email you haven’t sent.

Or an event you can host to get around the people you want.

Or a project you can start without waiting for approval.

Finding your own third door isn’t meant to be easy, but finding it will help you get what you want quicker than anything else you can do.

And if you’re serious about what you want to achieve, it’s likely your best bet.

I hope this helps.

-Dodds

P.S one of the best “third doors” is building a brand around your expertise online. i’ve had clients land retainers, secure new partnerships, and have their best ever year in business by doing this. if you’re founder and you want to learn the skills you need so you can do the same… you can get on my VIP waitlist here.