Undiscipled: The Intentional Entrepreneur
Updated: Nov 21, 2023
It starts with WHY
2020 ended and though we came out bruised, scarred, broken, etc... the highlight is that we came through. While others cancelled the year all together, in my book, being able to crossover to 2021 was one heck of an achievement. Hooray to us!
There was a debate about whether to or not to set goals for 2021. To be honest, I considered my options but made the wise decision to draw up my vision board. Cause come on! I have a business to run 😎.
It has been 3 months since my revelation of my adventure into the world of entrepreneurship (if you don’t know, check out my previous article, ‘The Undiscipled Entrepreneur’). Let me bring you up to speed... The company has been registered - we are official!🎉 And we will soon be fully legal – working on the licenses. All the while, the vision grows bigger as the prototypes take shape.
How do I feel? (deep breath) - I am scared. No, I am petrified! But I take comfort in the words of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf that, "If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough."
Therefore, I have been busy learning, unlearning, relearning, and along the way I stumbled upon this quote by Steve Jobs:
“You have to be burning with an idea, or a problem, or a wrong that you want to right. If you are not passionate enough from the start, you’ll never stick it out."
Undisputed words of wisdom proven over time by many who have ridden the tidal waves of entrepreneurship. But...
What happens on the days when you feel you can't get out of bed? When the ‘best’ decision you made did not turn out great ... the days when you find yourself questioning your 'why' and feeling like you do not have the strength to take one more step?
As a budding entrepreneur, I struggle with these kinds of days quite often. Interestingly, even the seasoned entrepreneurs face similar dilemmas. We are told to be visionary, passionate and purposeful. Big words ... but what do they really look like in practice?
This is what I found out ...
Passion propels the entrepreneur
No matter how ground-breaking an idea is, without the passion to achieve it, it will remain buried. Oprah Winfrey highlighted this when she said, “Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you”.
To my fellow entrepreneur I ask, "are you excited about your mission?"
Purpose inspires the entrepreneur
An inspired life is a desired life. Having well defined values and meditating on the progress of your journey is essential. Amplified by Jack Canfield, “If you can tune into your purpose and really align with it, setting goals so that your vision is an expression of that purpose, then life flows much more easily".
The debate: Which is most significant? Passion or Purpose?
My take
Entrepreneurship is like a vehicle heading towards a destination (vision). Therefore, purpose is the engine (internal combustion/electric motor) that provides power to rotate the wheels - some even call it the heart of the car. And passion is the fuel/electricity that powers the engine/motor.
One cannot achieve effectiveness without the other and without them, the vehicle cannot move. It is an inside-out experience.
What I have learned
Passion fuels Purpose. I have taken the initiative to keep a sustainable amount of passion flowing through me by continuously learning, opening up to challenges and embracing newness.
I have also made terms with the fact that I may have to reroute on my journey to my vision but I must regularly service my engine (purpose) through value alignment to avoid getting stranded on the way.
Finally
My hope for you is that when you feel tempted to question your purpose and when giving up feels like the only sensible option, you will not waver from your goal but will find rest in the anchor of fortitude.
I wish you all the best for 2021 and hope that you join me on this journey of developing purposeful passion while embracing the road ahead. Cheers!
