The brilliant Seth Godin wrote the other day about dreams.
If having a small dream we start with what’s available and choose the best alternative. If having a big and important dream we start with what’s needed and then find a way. Something to keep in mind when it feels hard. Small dreams are easier to realize. But as Seth Godin puts it; is easier the goal?
Highly recommend you to follow Seth Godin’s blog.
Today could be an ordinary day. If you don’t decide to add an extra. Then it is an extraordinary day. You could be ordinary in your field of work. If you don’t decide to add an extra. Then you will be extraordinary.
I think that extra contains equal amounts of curiosity, creativity, love of what you do and willingness to make progress instead of perfection.
As a group-training instructor I listen to A LOT of music, especially when a new term is about to start. In my case mainly House. One thing that I really like about the ”House community” is that everyone builds upon each other’s ideas all the time. It’s actually a prerequisite to make remixes of other DJs songs. A win-win situation: the “remixer” gets a great song for her/his set, and the original artist’s music is spread.
What if we would fully embrace that idea in business and let others advance our ideas instead of trying to protect them at all cost? Interesting thought, right? 🙂
Wrote yesterday about saying yes to the artist inside. Struck me that artists have one more super important characteristic that I think we all should learn from: Artists don’t passively wait to be inspired. They actively seek out inspiration. And they know that sometimes you need to do the work, inspired or not (which in fact is a really good way to get inspired: start doing the work).
I find it helpful to keep a list of inspiring activities and when feeling completely out of inspiration I look at the list, chose one activity and get going. What about you?
Art and nature are great sources of inspiration to me and the combination at Wanås Konst is perfect. Yesterday’s visit made me think about artistry. To me, an important part of being an artist is to always continue exploring, learning and experiment. To challenge perspectives and strive for growth. To see a pig in a pile of wood 🙂 Being an artist means to stay in startup mode.
I think we all have the potential to be artists in our field of interest. But it takes a commitment: say yes to the artist inside. Keep on exploring. Keep on learning. Keep on experimenting. Stay in Startup Mode!
Read this quote by Robin Sharma today: “Having a grand vision is cool. Being amazing at getting it done is far hipper.” I agree – a vision, no matter how attractive, will be nothing but a dream without execution. But just executing without that bigger idea will be a waste of time. Therefore, I’m a huge fan of the expression Dreaming Doer. I think that’s exactly what the future need – people that dream, and see things as they could be rather than as they are, and then get the dreams done.
So dream. And do.
Today I took a walk in the beautiful surroundings of my current stay and found a grain field where some spikes had grown a bit higher than the rest. Made me think about what it takes to stand out in today’s ever-changing work-life. To be the expert in your desired field. To be the one leading change in your industry. I think it takes a startup mindset; where you’re passionate about what you do, let your creativity flourish and constantly launch new updated beta versions of yourself and your business. It’ll take focus and hard work, but once you’re there, you’ll get a whole new view.
About the obsession with follow up. Ok, we learn what worked yesterday with yesterday’s conditions. What says it will work tomorrow when everything is changed? Instead of trying to figure out the exact way to do things – and then do it the same way again and again and again – adopt the concept of beta. Stay in motion, stay in startup mode!
Change is hard and takes a lot of determination and effort. Most of us don’t like change. We would like to keep things the way they are. It’s safer, more convenient, risk-free… At least in our minds. In fact, change is necessary and it’s much riskier to stay the same (more about that later). I think it’s time to change how we think about change. I think it’s time to replace the forcing concept of change and adopt the concept of beta.
When you commit to beta, you automatically enter startup mode and apply the startup mindset skills needed to succeed today and tomorrow. That’s the Beta Paradigm!
Brilliant Seth Godin wrote the other day: “The opposite of yes is maybe. Because maybe is non-definitive, and both yes and no give us closure and the chance to move ahead.” Maybe is also the opposite of being in startup mode. Maybe means stagnation and stagnation is THE biggest enemy in your professional life. Sometimes it’s hard to answer yes/no and maybe feels like an easy way out. Don’t go there! Instead, try to make the big decision smaller. Decide on some part and keep moving. Remember that everything is in beta – also your decision. Stay in Startup Mode!