Make it mean something

(link to this image here)

The reason this boy is smiling is because he is wearing a brand new pair of shoes. That is because with every pair of shoes TOMS sells, they give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. Now that adds meaning to business!

In a straight talking article Why Passion Won't Build A Business, the author makes a very good argument for adding meaning to your business. Passion is not enough to build your business - you can't only rely on passion to sell your product or service. You need to satisfy an urgent need in your customer, or solve a problem for them. If your passion for collecting antique cars does not align with what customers want, no matter how passionate you are about it, if there is not a need for your service or product based on your passion then you will have no customers. 

But passion can be sustained for longer and more valuably if you add meaning to your passion. Align your passion with your values, and work towards a meaningful goal. Not just meaningful for you, but for your community, for the rest of the world. That way, you will be fueled through the tough times with the strong desire that working with meaning creates. A desire to forge ahead, to push through the dark times, to take criticism in your stride and to hold the light of your meaning and your values high. 

TOM's brings meaning and passion together in a formidable way - they are creating social change and social good all over the world. Imagine if you could do that with your product?

How do you plan?

I've just spent the last few hours planning each of my days until August this year - above is a picture of what my plan looks like. I started first by writing an ordered list of the most important activities in my life. I then placed the most important activities on the calendar first - thereby making sure I do them. I then moved down the list, slowly filling up the calendar. I have left time for creative afternoons, weekends and some days off. How do you plan your activities?






(This post is also posted on the discussion forum)

Filter Failure

Do you sometimes feel swamped with too much information?

I do.

The more I look for information (especially online), the more information I find. If I am not careful, I can get completely swamped by it and drown a slow, uncreative death of information overload. Sometimes it leaves my head spinning. I often hear people saying "I get so many newsletters and so much information, I just don't know what to do with it all". Well yes - if you subscribe to a lot of newsletters, you are going to receive a lot of information!

I learnt very quickly that I don't read most of the newsletters I get. So I unsubscribed from them all. I now only subscribe to one newsletter - the Harvard Business Review. It's not that I don't support the wonderful work that so many people are doing in the world - but that I'd rather choose when and how I find out what they are up to.

In an era of information overload, I try not to let filter failure be my downfall. I usually give myself time limits on reading online information, and try to limit it to only the specific information I need. I find that by consuming a lot of information, I begin to feel bogged down. It is mainly through creativity and contribution that my spirit feels light and free. There is a balance between consumption and creation, and I hope to maintain this balance by contributing something of value, whilst also supporting other's creativity by utilising their information.

(Photo by Johan Larsson)

Flying in formation

Whenever I get nervous, I feel butterflies in my stomach. I am nervous today because we have our first Entrepreneur's Club meeting. I am excited about it, but nervous because it is a new adventure! So how can I deal with these butterflies, and make sure that they 'fly in formation'?

There are a few techniques I use to ensure that my nerves are under control:

1. Prepare - if I am as prepared as I can be, it reduces my nervousness. I like to know that I have done everything I can do in order for something to be a success. The rest I cannot control and therefore there is little point in me worrying about it.
2. Keep it simple - as soon as things start to feel like they are getting complicated, I focus on why I am doing something in the first place. I then take everything back to the basics, and focus on the core reason for doing something. This keeps my mind clear.
3. Breathe - it may sound like a small thing, but controlling my breathing and making sure I am not just taking shallow breaths allows me to feel calmer.

I am no expert at controlling nerves, but I have found that there are a few things that can help those butterflies to fly in formation!

What techniques do you use to control your nervousness?

(Photo by Teresa)

The Creativity Muscle

Becoming more creative is like becoming more fit - you have to work at it.

I thought that some people are just more creative than others. Some people are just brimming with ideas, and see opportunities everywhere they look. They seem to be able to find a good idea in the bubblegum stuck to their shoe!

But I have changed my mind on this. I think that the more you practice being creative, the more creative you become.

The reason I say this is that for the last 4 months, I have been trying to be more creative and to come up with more ideas. Day after day I have been searching and looking for opportunity, ideas and inspiration. I have spent hours drawing mind maps and brainstorming, making lists of my skills, making lists of things that interest me, and trying to join the dots between my interests and my skills.

For months I noticed no change. And yes, it was frustrating. But over the last few weeks, I have noticed that I am coming up with more ideas, seeing more opportunity and becoming more creative in my thinking than ever before. Finally all the 'training' I have been doing is paying off! I am becoming more creatively 'fit'. But I imagine, that just like exercise, if I stop training my 'creative muscles' I will lose this fitness and become creatively stagnant again. Just like the benefits and the 'feel good factor' of exercise, I am loving this more creative feeling. So I plan to keep working at it!

What do you think? Is creativity something you can become better at?

(Photo credit)

Taking the good with the bad

Recently I had a good idea - to start an entrepreneurs club where everyone is welcome. A place where amateurs and professionals alike can meet and discuss their ideas. A place where everyone is welcome, no idea is too small, and creativity flows. I was so excited about this club, that I sent out the information far and wide. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn - you name it, I've used it. And the response has been overwhelming - from all four corners of the earth. I have had people say 'Yes, this is great! When can we start?" I have had interest from America, England, South Africa and of course New Zealand. I have struck up conversation with people I don't know, people in the neighbourhood, at the shops - and their response has been "What are the details? I'd love to come!"

Except one person. Without going into details, I had seriously tough feedback from someone who obviously thought I was some kind of threat. After a frank and at times painful conversation about my idea - I was told that I was doing more damage than good with it. Very confusing and harsh words, but that is how the conversation went. After ending the phone call (amicably of course) I re-examined my motives, went back to the 'base plan' and wondered if I was on the right track? Wondered if maybe they were right? But slowly and surely , step by step, I realised that I was. That the idea is a good one, the thinking behind it is creative, supportive, uplifting. The feedback has been nearly unanimous. One tough conversation does not take away from a good idea.

What I really learnt was that I have to take the good with the bad. Often from conversations like this one that I had, you learn and grow stronger. I am grateful for this one particular conversation - even though it made me take a step back and re-examine my thinking, it made me more resolute, more passionate and more focused. I took the good points out of the conversation and threw away the bad.

(Photo credit)