Forgot about that one but it is a very apt quote!
Great example, the idea we have about the relationship between earnings and effort comes from a too simplistic and mechanistic view of the world.
We like simple stories with a clear cause and effect.
In your story, the cause of the success seems disconnected from the huge effects it had.
But before you could write a credible 51 page report in a day and a half, you had to have studied and applied SEO a good while.
So I'd say in many cases the effort is actually already expended but we tend to write it off or take it for granted and don't even attempt to monetize it. EDIT : this idea I think is an important one : A lot of people are getting wise to the idea that their attic is stuffed with items that are valuable to someone else on Ebay .
The next decade people will start to see that their head is filled with stories and experiences that might have value to someone on Steemit !
In your case : it seems that the value you offered was clear: instead of repeating all your study and mistakes (and I'd guess at the time, 2008, there weren't many sources for SEO ), your client could buy a report and save the time and headache.
The relationship with the SEO guy was an interesting twist, must remember and apply that more myself ; using providers you like and turn them into associates and allies.
But you looked at something that could provide leverage and applied it well it seems!
Good on ya !
Yes, the lead up to the "asymmetrical success" was more than a year of studying and testing SEO every day, during which time I built and ranked on page one of Google a site in the internet marketing niche. The rewards were slow and uneven at first, and then they jumped sky high and exponentially.
The interesting thing is that my next "big one" came in 2013, was monetarily way more significant and required way less prep and lead up. I'd conclude that with time and investment of energy, we grow in potential and ability to use asymmetry and exponential rewards.