What to do when you’ve lost your way

“Never follow someone else’s path… unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path then by all means you should follow that.”
Ellen DeGeneres (1958 – )
American comedian and actor

All great entrepreneurs and BizDev Mavericks have a strong vision and generally are very adept at blazing trails towards new styles, skills and general ways of doing things. Occasionally, even the best of us get a little lost or need some help getting kickstarted.

It’s a general flaw of the A-type that we do not like to ask for help. Major flaw I should say. There is nothing wrong with reaching out to someone who knows more than you do or looking for help from those who have been down a similar road in the past. Their ideas are often the greatest catalyst towards forward movement.

I will be so bold as to also share that every person needs a coach of some sort. Someone who can provide an objective opinion or be there to help you think an idea through.

No one wins alone, there is always a team for support and a compass to lead you in the general direction. What you do with those resources is up to you.

Mavericks, Entrepreneurs and Risk Takers

Repeat after me.

I am a perpetual entrepreneur and a maverick in my own mind.

Good! now, here’s what that means….

You are constantly and consistently looking for the new idea. It excites you. Drives you crazy in fact. You realize that society has built people like you and me who are hungry for the next idea, thought and form of entertainment. You want to connect with them and that is great!

Here’s the trick….connect in a way that gets their attention. Do it in a way that stands out.

Which is exactly why I have supported and used social media since day 1. I signed on to use LinkedIn shortly after it hit the scene and spent a lot of time trying to get others involved. I still do because it’s a new medium that people are interested in or curious about. It may one day fade. And if it does, there will no doubt be another form that takes it’s place and I’ll use that to contact new prospects. Don’t be afraid of the new, and don’t try to justify it’s potential short term impact by your beliefs on it’s long term viability.

I’m also a fan of the tried and true. Writing a card, a personal letter or a call to an old friend shows class and attention to the most valuable commodity we have. Time! It takes time to do those things. It takes intentional thought.

We can’t copy and paste onto a hand written notecard and the reader of said card knows that. Again though, you are embracing a medium for contact that stands out. Someone told me (and we all knowhow accurate information is that begins this way…just sayin) that over 80% of business communication these days takes place via email. 80%!!!!!

This means that the other 20% is split between all of the other mediums out there. And we all know that email, even the coolest newsletters, is not a high touch form of communication. I delete probably 50-60% of the newsletters I willing signed up for, so I can hardly expect a prospect of mine to open any email that I send.

Unless we have a relationship.

And that is third key  I’d like to rant on. Relationships, networks, tribes….whatever you want to call them, are the basis of any great success. Every time I have conceived a plan for business, be it an internal strategy or a full fledged start up, I have started with the thought of community. How do I reach them? Where do they shop? What they use as their buying decisions? Who do I know within that or industry or a feeder industry? It is is your ability to tap a community that will make you successful. Take the time to build and nurture the relationships that most benefit you and your goal.

You will always be a better developer of business (and life for that matter) when you spend time on others.

Being an entrepreneur is often mis-understood. We are seen as Mavericks, rule breakers and disruptions to the status quo. OK…maybe we’re not mis-understood…but we are all those things because we are idea people.

We find new ways of communicating and solutions to problems. We don’t see a brick wall, we see the crack that will bring the wall down and the pot of gold on the other side. We work harder than others and see risk as fun. Most importantly we are not afraid to live life. It is the living of life and lack of perceived fear that brings about great realizations, profound success and joy.

So if like me you see yourself as a Maverick of sorts then go forth and re-invent something. Make a great thing happen and be awesome in the process.

Lately I have taken to adapting a quote from a TV character by the name of Barney Stinson.  There are many variations in creation and essentially today it says…

“When I hit a brick wall, I stop being frustrated and be awesome instead. True story.” Barney Stinson

Dude! just be awesome!

The perfect reminder

“No matter what you’re doing, try to work at that task like it’s your dream job.”
Russell Simmons (1957 – )
American entrepreneur