For the past several days I’ve been talking about a change in mindset from a “work for the man” mentality to a “mind my own business” mentality.
It’s more important than ever to realize that whatever you do, wherever you go, wherever you show up to practice what it is you do in the world, you’re in business for yourself.
Some of you will even want to start a business. The question is, “How do you do it?” I’ve talked about the four steps.
You start with a set of core values and beliefs; things that you know to be true about how the world ought to be. Then you compare that to how the world really is. And the gap between how the world really should be according to your core values and beliefs and how it is according to reality around you, is where your cause will arise.
So with core beliefs and values, you add to that a sense of calling to step into the gap to do something about what’s not right about the world. To help, to lift, to create, to make something of your life: that would be your cause.
The final stage in starting your own business is conduit. In other words you need a way – services, products – to deliver to the people you’re trying to help, the help you’re trying to deliver.
For example if your calling is to be a songwriter, then your conduit is words; actually writing songs and finding ways to get those songs published, recorded, and then out the the public.
Let’s say that your cause and calling is to make widgets. Then you need a conduit; maybe a factory, a vendor, wholesalers, salespeople, marketing.
Maybe you’re calling and cause is to help the banjo replace the guitar. You’ll need a conduit for that. On and on this concept can go.
A conduit can be anything that helps you deliver your solution, your product, to as many people as possible who desperately want and need the solution you’re offering.
So think about it. If you’re sick and tired of sitting in the rush hour traffic, and would rather spend those hours in the day, week, and year investing in something important and productive, then just maybe you need to stop “working for the man” and start “minding your own business.”
People often ask me, “How do you do that when you’re already engaged in a job?” And I respond, “Everybody needs at least two jobs; the job they have, and the job they’re going to have.” And the job you’re going to have can be created while you’re engaged in the job you have. And one day there will be a moment of truth when your second job will begin to dominate and overtake your first job. And then you can make the leap into a new world and career.
But here is my warning: Everything great begins small, obscure, ignored, and under-funded. The challenge is to bootstrap your dream when no one else wants to be involved.