Mashable recently had an article on a simple, but effective, formula for success.

The formula is simple

S = Qr

where S = chance of Success, Q = Q-factor that means a person’s ability to make things happen, and r = potential of a given idea. Don’t ask me why the letters Q and r were chosen, but that’s not important here.

What is important is that there is only Q and r to be concerned about in affecting to increase your chance of success.

How you boost r is with many ideas. Sooner or later, you’ll have an idea that has a high r. Now, if you are not an ideas person, then find one or more to get more ideas. In other words, collaborate. Then you just need a person with a good Q  factor to succeed.

Q is a little harder to deal with. You can’t really improve your Q in a certain area, apparently. That was the core of the article in that tweet that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people. However, that’s not a complete downer. Everybody has areas where they have a high Q factor. The challenge is finding what those areas are, rather than working on your Q in the area where you might not be able to influence and excel.

So what if your great idea, or the idea you and others come up with, is in an area where you don’t have the Q factor that it takes to maximize the odds of success?

You find others who has the Q you need and collaborate with them, just like you do to boost your r component in the formula.

Hopefully, you find people with whom to collaborate that in anticipation, before you get that great idea, rather than as a reaction after you get it. You know the areas you work in, where you’ll get most of your ideas, or collect them from others. If you don’t have a great Q in that area, you should bet on getting a great idea sooner or later in those areas so you should have someone with great Q in those areas waiting that great idea. That person should also be there already, to give those other ideas their best shot at success.

So the conclusion is the same, with everything in that formula for success supporting it…

COLLABORATE!