Ed Ledek Math

When I was in college, I had the chance to work for some great people who taught me lessons that I still tote around with me today.

Not just lessons about business, but lessons about life.

One of those people that taught me some great things was Ed Ledek. Ed was a managing partner in a market research firm at the time and on any given day you would find him cruising the halls in his shorts and Chuck Taylors talking about the Yankees.

He was originally from one of the toughest parts of New York City – Bedford-Stuyvesant. The Notorious BIG grew up about the same time as Ed in the same area and ended up rappin’ about how tough it was… and somehow Ed ended up discovering the famous math equation what I think should be the math equation that could win the Nobel Prize some day.

Ed Ledek Math

The rules of Ed Ledek math are simple: cut it in half.

If someone tells you that they make $100,000 per year…

Cut it in half.

They probably make closer to $50,000 per year.

If someone tells you that they just sold a million dollars worth of something…

Cut it in half.

It is probably closer to $500,000.

If someone tells you that they lost 20 pounds?

Cut it in half.

It is probably closer to 10.

As I have bumped along the road of life, I have found that the law of Ed Ledek math holds true more often than not wherever I go.

So remember the next time you are talking with someone who is trying to impress you and tells you what a big deal he (or she) is…

Cut it in half.

At best, they might be about 50% of a big deal.