The Entrepreneurial Savant

- Jean Cocteau
Sometimes criticism is a sign that you are on the right track. Often, when we are pursuing a personal dream or vision, our actions and decisions may seem completely off base to others. They begin to second guess or constructively criticize our actions to make them fit their view of reality. Sometimes this can be a help but other times you should be careful to trust the individuality of your path and keep following it. As Cocteau implies, lose your personal style and risk losing yourself.

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Human beings are always in search of things that can change or improve our life. Paradoxically, nothing we have is permanent and the future is always a mystery, no matter how carefully we prepare for it. All of our work up to this moment can be undone in an instant by forces beyond our control or those same unknown forces can suddenly propel us forward into entirely new territory, unexpected and exciting.
The result of this lost past and uncertain future is that we are, by nature, seekers. Those who choose to try and define their life by today’s standards will end up struggling against the inevitability of change. Their lives are defined by the past. Others may always be looking forward, trying to discern the future when things will be better. They are locked into a reliance on uncontrollable forces. Realizing that things will never be the same as this moment helps us focus in on what we are doing now and gives life its sweetness; the sweetness that comes from experiencing things which will never be again. Sometimes in our search for personal and professional success we become too focused on what has been and will be. Now is the moment in which we actually live. Appreciate it.

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A consideration is a form of payment and receiving one is the sign of a professional. If this seems like a contradiction to our secret that tells you to give things away, think of it this way: It is the nature of the consideration that is important. In business matters the consideration may be money, referrals, the promise of future business, etc. In charitable matters it may be internal satisfaction or the knowledge that your contribution will have measurable effect. Only by insisting on a consideration do you value your contribution in the eyes of others. Insisting on results may mean your money or time is put to the most beneficial use rather than being thrown into an amorphous fund.
Why is it important to be considered a professional? Self-esteem issues aside, we live in a capitalist society and the professionals often get the most interesting opportunities. The most basic description of a professional is one who pursues their interests as a profession, a source of life. If you are truly dedicated to your vision then being a professional is the least you can do. And that means requiring a consideration for your input.

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Many of us view money as the measurement of success. In part this is because we live in a materialistic society whose value judgments are often based on how much material wealth a person has gathered in their lifetime. This might contrast, for instance, with a  society like India’s where a wise teacher is revered for their knowledge and compassion rather than the number of followers they have or the size and opulence of their temples.
Because we use money as a measurement of success, it is important to understand what money is. Money is a representation of energy. When we do work for hire, our efforts are repaid in dollars which represent a specific value placed on our work. Wealth is often accumulated by leveraging our efforts, either through the use of borrowed assets, tools or money or by hiring others to do our work and then marking up their efforts to bring ourselves a profit.
The value of realizing that money is a form of energy is that we can get past the desire for money for its own sake and realize that what we desire is more energy. That energy may take many forms. A teacher dispenses energy in the form of knowledge and experience. a computer creates energy in the form of extra time saved and the speed with which it performs routine or repetitive tasks. Energy comes from relationships that provide support and love giving us new strength and motivation. All of these sources of energy, along with money, are the fruits of success. However they come with a catch. We can only use so much energy. Beyond a certain point, an excess is useless to us personally. Because of this there is a responsibility to spread your energy around after you attain success by teaching, creating jobs, empowering charitable organizations and providing motivation and support to others.
Ironically, the more energy you pass along, the more comes back to you in a variety of forms. One of the most effective ways to get started on the path towards success is to start passing the energy you have out to others without obligation or expectation of a return. It will come back to you in unexpected and exciting ways.

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“If it’s so good, how come everybody isn’t doing it?”
Every visionary, entrepreneur, artist and creative thinker has heard this one. The answer is that ‘everybody’ seldom follows through on their dreams and it always takes a powerfully determined individual to take action on their ideas and visions. Sure, someone may have thought of your idea before. I doubt there are too many new ideas out there after thousands of years of human thought. Embracing that idea and pursuing it diligently separates you from the crowd and that’s why everybody isn’t doing it. Follow your dream. You may succeed and if you don’t, you’ll have the satisfaction and experience of having tried.

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Contrary to what our society teaches us, the $7 an hour burger cook who makes a great burger is earning their wages as much or more than the $50 an hour executive dashing from meeting to meeting. Both are working hard to do what they are paid to do and do it as well as they can. Unfortunately, it is common and almost acceptable to put no value on other people’s work unless they make more than you or are perceived as somehow better or more successful. I’ve seen craftspeople doing extremely skilled work treated as a subhuman species by others who probably couldn’t describe what they accomplished that day if you asked them- but who earn high salaries or have ‘serious’ job descriptions. The point of this diatribe is that work well done is admirable and respectable no matter what it is or who is doing it.

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The definition of success not only varies from person to person but also changes as you define and achieve your goals. Those things that seemed so important and unreachable at age 20 now are run of the mill or replaced by totally different priorities. As we grow through experience, our goals change, often from material things to spiritual or personal growth goals. We may take on bigger, more visionary projects or simply try to be good parents, community members and workers. The ultimate message of this site and the ultimate definition of success have more to do with experience of achieving than the achievement. Life occurs in between the peaks and every time we conquer one, a whole new vista, previously unseen, unfolds. Enjoying the journey is the true secret of success.

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When someone asks you for a price quote, resumé, copy of an article, name or phone number, estimate or for any other information, get it to them as soon as possible. My brother Richard, who owns a custom cabinetry business, has found that one of the most effective ways to beat the competition without price cutting is to get his quote back to the client ASAP, the next day if possible. This sends a clear message that he is businesslike and will not drag his feet through the job, a primary concern people have when hiring outside contractors.
We’re all time conscious and with the advent of overnight delivery and email, the expectation time frame for delivery of information went from weeks to days, hours or minutes. Most e-commerce businesses are now including one or two day shipment as a matter of course compared to those ‘delivery in 4-6 weeks’ notices that used to be common in mail order. All of these things mean we are time conscious to a degree never known before. The early bird truly does get the worm nowadays.

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I’ve tried to avoid clichés in this collection but this is one that everyone can relate to. Scams, undependable people, dreamers and crooks have all flourished because people conveniently forget this simple statement. When something sounds really great, stop a minute and think it out. Seek informed opinions. Check references. Ask to speak to long term satisfied customers. Do a little research. Then and only then, if everything still smells like roses, go ahead. If there’s any doubt, throw the bums out because if it sounds to good to be true….

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If you want to learn more about the fringes of your business or art, read the classifieds at the back of the trades and on Craigslist. If you want to know more about all the work options out there suscribe to email feeds from Indeed.com. If you want to know about the hopes, dreams and delusions of your friends and co-workers, read the personals.
The classified ads are a window into all kinds of special interests, desires, opportunities and lifestyles. Like all information sources they lead the reader to all kinds of unusual subcultures. They can be very specialized if found in a web site or very general like those you pass by everyday in the daily paper. For small business owners, freelancers and anyone selling a product or service they represent many opportunities to form profitable alliances. Try reading just the help wanted once a week for a year. You’ll begin to get a feel for the economic ebb and flow of your community. You’ll find out who hires who and why. It only takes a few minutes to cruise through the ads.

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