Date archives "January 2013"

January 2013

I have enjoyed writing regularly this month. However, several of my posts this month, have had little or nothing to do with tactical advice on entrepreneurship. The reason for this was that I wanted to address some psychological and meta issues that are actually large stumbling blocks on this journey.

With the start of the new month I want to announce that this year I want and plan to write a short book on “The Journey to Product/Fit” (working title). Instead of writing the book in the form of a more tactical guide I am toying with the idea of writing it as a story. As I have discovered personally, there are several issues along this journey which cannot always be explained with a precise tactical advice.

I want to make this process a lot more interactive and get feedback as I am writing. I will be releasing more information along the way in the coming days. If you are interested in getting on to a list which will give you more access to the book please do subscribe on the link below to get updates.

Journey to Product/Market Fit Inside Group

Conflicting Life Goals

THE GREATEST CONFLICTS ARE NOT BETWEEN TWO PEOPLE BUT BETWEEN ONE PERSON AND HIMSELF.
GARTH BROOKS

 

Cognitive dissonance is the feeling of discomfort when simultaneously holding two or more conflicting ideas, goals or values. When we are in such a state of dissonance, we experience disequilibrium, a feeling of being torn between two places and not knowing how to move forward. As an entrepreneur and those who aspire to become one, many of us recognize and empathize with the internal conflict of, “I want to make a lot of money” and “I want to do something which I am passionate about and has meaning”. This is not an impossible situation to be in and there are many successful individuals in such a state! However, we only see their success story after it has been written in it’s entirety. We are often unable to rationalize the possibility of such a state when we start our journey with two strongly opposing goals in mind, all the while hoping we can emulate their success.

 

Unfortunately we are forgetting the “Why” in our story. I come across a lot of people who are making considerable amounts of money and not very fulfilled with their life, who ask for advice as to how to straddle an entrepreneurial venture on the side. I wrote about the grass being greener a few days ago and this a story of a person who wants to sit on the fence and not being able to decide which side to take. The choice paralyzes us, several forays and lots of money is spent trying to fill the void and balance the disequilibrium. Nothing sticks and we grow increasingly frustrated. Not being used to failure we begin to obsess why things are not working while neglecting the other side of the fence which is making us the money. Soon we find ourselves in no man’s land more confused than we have ever been.

Congratulations your inner conflict is a sign that you are alive. This struggle is one that many will not survive or give up easily on. At this moment in life you need to take some time off and decide what is it that you want to achieve in this life. Making the choice to trade money for meaning is not an easy one. It is deeply personal and several factors influence the decision we make. It is however in your best interest to pick one side and become the best you can at it. If that choice is to become an entrepreneur then make that decision whole heartedly.

THE TRUTH IS THAT OUR FINEST MOMENTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHEN WE ARE FEELING DEEPLY UNCOMFORTABLE, UNHAPPY, OR UNFULFILLED. FOR IT IS ONLY IN SUCH MOMENTS, PROPELLED BY OUR DISCOMFORT, THAT WE ARE LIKELY TO STEP OUT OF OUR RUTS AND START SEARCHING FOR DIFFERENT WAYS OR TRUER ANSWERS.

M. SCOTT PECK

Living In the Moment

Tomorrow, next week, next month, next year…..it is easy to forget about living today, in the present, in the hope that tomorrow will be a better day. We wait for things to happen, to come together, because that is when we imagine we will have the opportunity to be happy. The anticipation of what the future may hold stops us from paying attention to all the little moments that are weaving our story in the moment, in the ‘now’!

But right now, these moments, are not stories. It is in this moment alone that we have the ability to slow down, acknowledge and appreciate all that is around us.

 

Brad Feld on TWIST

‘This week in startups’ is one of my favorite online programs. Jason Calacanis does a great job of interviewing some of the best entrepreneurs and venture capitalists from around the world. I particularly enjoyed this recent interview with Brad Feld where they talk about entrepreneurship and investing and building startup eco systems.