Category: Inspiration

“If you’re too afraid to mess up, you’re too afraid to do better.” – Coach K

We work hard to achieve something that works and is profitable.  The next thing that occurs then is the push for efficiency so it takes less and less time to accomplish routine things.  This is the birth of bureaucracy.  Bureaucracy puts boundaries around people and processes.  That is it’s purpose; efficiency!

Out of these boundaries come rules and once you have rules, there are only two possibilities; follow them or break them.  We are are taught from an early age how important it is to follow the rules.  Those that break them get punished and those that call attention to the stupidity of arbitrary rules are branded as rebels and malcontents; all bad.

So now we have a culture where people are afraid to “mess up.”  Here’s the thing:  If you don’t ever mess up, you’ll never be any better than you are right now.  Innovation, self awareness, and growth itself all come from tearing down what we know and are comfortable with and constantly rebuilding, learning from both what works and what does not.

This is the job of the entrepreneur; fail until you find what works, build that up and then start all over again.

 

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

“Always be yourself, unless you can be a pirate. Then always be a pirate.” – Charlie “Choo Choo” Justice

This comes from a FB post of very good friend and it’s a nod to our common alma mater, East Carolina University. Our football team is very good and somehow manages to maintain an underdog sensibility despite winning most of their games.  And swagger?  Forget about it!

The quote also winks at a quote from Steve Jobs.

It speaks to a personality trait many entrepreneurs have that caused them to shun the safety and boundaries of a conventional corporate career and strike out on their own to achieve something they just have to do.  It’s not so much about being anti-social as it is having the freedom to pursue a course of your choosing without the artificial roadblocks that are endemic of bureaucracies and institutions.

But there’s a dark side.  Having success means you have stolen marketshare from someone else.  They won’t like it.  They will fight back to protect what they have.  It could get dirty but it’s better any day than driving a cubicle toward retirement.

Don’t join the Navy. Be a pirate!  Always!

Thanks for the quote Choo.  Keep buckling those swashes.

 

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

 

“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot

A lot of people in middle age have had entrepreneurship thrust upon them by way of a job loss or other major life change.  Perhaps it’s the kick in the behind that got them going on starting their own company.  Maybe it’s a point of having no other choice.  Regardless the reason, they are now on their way.

Others choose to retire but not.  A serial entrepreneur I know is fond of introducing himself as one who is constantly failing at retirement.  He’s pushing 70.

Solving problems for people is not the domain of any particular demographic.  While youth may have energy and cutting edge technology on their side, those with years experience have been through failures that have informed their leadership and ability to make good decisions.

You don’t have to be in your twenties to start a company.  You just have to have a customer with a problem you can solve.

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

The Manifesto of making stuff: – Austin Kleon

“Draw the art you want to see, start the business you want to run, play the music you want to hear, write the books you want to read, build the products you want to use— do the work you want to see done.”

What other reasons or permissions are you looking for?

Read “Steal Like an Artist” by Austin Kleon

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

“In order to get out of the funk, you have to surround yourself with people who aren’t funky.” – Peggy Grant

Entrepreneurship is hard enough on it’s own and you will have your down days.  You will hear disparaging things from all sorts of people who don’t have your best interest at heart; your competitors, certain customers, bankers and VC’s to name a few.  In the non-profit world, there are community stakeholders who have competing agendas.  It’s the way it is.

You should develop you inner circle.  That’s a small group of people you trust and who understand what you are trying to do.  Meet with them regularly, either as a group or just one at a time for coffee.  Consider them the Board of Directors of You, Inc.  These people will encourage you, hold you accountable and keep you centered on your path.

Those spreading the negative waves will find you with no problem but you have to seek out your inner circle.  They are there but they must be asked.  They are the kind of people who will share with you their profound experience but they would never force it.

Never waste their time.  Have specific questions ready to ask them and followup on what they tell you to do.  They won’t invest in whining but they will help you conquer challenges.

Forget about age, gender and cultural difference.  There are many smart people I rely on who are younger than me.  Wisdom is about experience, not age or race.

Form your inner circle long before you need them.  Desperation is never attractive and shows a lack of planning.

Show your gratitude by being successful and passing on your experience with the next person who asks.

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

“The industrial age brought compliance and compliance brought fear and fear brought us mediocrity.” – Seth Godin

Great quote today from Seth Godin’s blog: http://sethgodin.typepad.com

We were taught from an early age that we are to behave in certain ways and believe certain things and dress in certain clothes.  This was all in preparation for a world that promised lifetime employment and being part of something bigger than oneself.

Loyalty was rewarded with promotions and annual bonuses.  Conformity was valued over creativity.  And if our children had trouble with this, there were medications available that helped them keep quiet and walk in a straight line.

If the rewards didn’t entice you to stay inside the box, then the fear of what would happen if you did was terrifying.  Loss of income and benefits, status and lifestyle were all threatened.  I remember buying my first home.  I told my supervisor and he said “That’s great.  The more in-debt you are, the more you love working for (insert your favorite corporation)”.  Thus the interstate highway to mediocrity was paved.

Now the truth is on the table.  We all have risk.  Sixteen years of dedicated employment is a negative on the income statement.  Traditional employment is going away.

HOWEVER!  We are all free now!  Free to think for ourselves.  Free to come up with great ideas and see if others would benefit from them.  Free to pursue wealth from our efforts – for ourselves.

And freedom from mediocrity.

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

“If I didn’t make any money after 4 years, can I still say I had a hell of a ride?” – Steve Blank

The questions was asked of Steve Blank during one of his Lean Launchpad sessions, “How do we know if we should start the company?”  Hi reply was recorded in this video:

Steve’s Video

This quote was one of the replies to the question and it’s significant because it speaks to the inherent need for passion and belief beyond just the dream of getting rich.  Making meaning is about changing the world for good, even if it’s for a season and even if it only touches the lives of a few.

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

“As you get older, it’s hader to have heros, but it is sort of necessary.” – Ernest Hemingway

We need inspiration.  We tend to find it in our legends and folklore and we especially find it in our heroes.  Sometimes our heroes fail us when we find out they are, after all, only human. Other times we find out our heroes cheated to attain their success.  Our culture seems to relish in building up heroes only to be first to tear them down.  Maybe we expect too much…

Then again…

Perhaps we look in the wrong places.  There are people all around us that experience awful tribulations and defeat them on shear will and determination.  There are others who quietly plod along doing what they do until a lifetime passes and we see the profound impact they left behind.

The great thing about these people is that you don’t need to stand in line or pay a lot of money to see them.  You don’t have to travel to a conference to hear a speech.  You may only need to buy a cup of coffee or even better, go for a walk.

Goodness leaves a trail just like mayhem but it’s harder to see.  Find these people.  Get to know them.  They know things you don’t.  They won’t charge you money to talk to you.  Funny thing about these kind of heroes; they never know that they are. You be better off for it.

Pay them back by sharing with someone else.  Pass it on.  You don’t know it but you’re one too.

 

BloggingGazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson

“An economist is an expert who will know tomorrow why the things he predicted yesterday didn’t happen today” – Lawrence J. Peter

There is value in understanding what has been.  And it is interesting to try to predict what is coming.  It is useful for students because it gives them the opportunity to learn something without having to live it.

But living it is the only true way to really know.  Think about the masters of Jazz.  They invented a new kind of music by playing every night and getting instant feedback from their audiences.  Then after a while, they invented Jazz theory so people like me could try ufo understand what they were doing.  But no amount of study or practice can get one ready to play jazz.  The only way to do that is to start playing with and for others.

So it is with starting a company.  You can study the economy and try to wait for the right time.  You can wait for your life situation to reach the right point.  Or you can put yourself put there and figure it out for real.

If the problem is big enough,  and your solution is better than the alternatives, then you have the right environment.  You can find the first and you control the second.

Perhaps this is the year to get off the sideline?

 

Blogging Gazelle is published daily by Shawn Carson