Meaningful Work = Meaningful Life

Photo Courtesy: Amy Gizienski via Flickr

What is it that most working people want today?  Meaningful Work That Brings Personal Freedom.  In other words, the ability to have a job that not only brings income to cover all the bills (and some enjoyment too), but also provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment in the process.

Whatever the path you have chosen, whether through formal education or through the school of hard knocks, you probably did not intentionally set out to be in a career that promises to keep you trapped in a job you hate, suck the life out of you, and constantly reinforce feelings of hopelessness and meaninglessness.

The economic climate has affected everyone, intimidating all of us to live in fear and therefore, not really live how we want.  Many of us have believed the lie that the American Dream is just a great slogan from the past.  

When I stumbled on The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living. Do What You Love, and Create a New Future, I couldn't help but feel excited.  The title alone gives the reader hope that this is not all there is, that not only can we think outside the box, but we can actually live out our entrepreneurial dreams in a tangible way.

Author Chris Guillebeau states his premise in this way:  

The vital career question of what is risky and what is safe has changed permanently.  The old choice was to work at a job or take a big risk going out on your own.  The new reality is that working at a job may be the far riskier choice.  Instead, take the safe road and go out on your own.

What if you could achieve your own life of freedom by bypassing everything you thought was a prerequisite?  Instead of borrowing money, you just start--right now--without a lot of money.  Instead of hiring employees, you begin a project by yourself, based on your personal combination of passion and skill.  Instead of going to business school (which doesn't actually train people to operate a small business), you save the $60,000 in tuition and learn as you go.

Remember, this book isn't about founding a big Internet startup, and it isn't about opening a traditional business by putting on a suit and begging for money at a bank.  Instead, it's the account of people who found a way to live their dreams and make a good living from something they cared deeply about.  What if their success could be replicated? 

Too many of us have become trapped in the idea that the only way to lead a life of fulfillment is to follow the path of "safety." We must learn to trust ourselves, to pursue that what we have always dreamed about.  

What is holding us back....REALLY? 

In case you missed it, check out How Smart People TACKLE FAILURE Head On!

Do You Have THESE Success Forces?

Success Forces, written by Joseph Sugarman back in the 80’s, is unfortunately out of print.  But if there is a way for you to get your hands on this book, you will greatly benefit from one of the most brilliant business minds of our time.  He achieved great success in the direct sales marketing business, selling millions of dollars worth of Blublocker Sunglasses, digital watches, and was even the pioneer of using the “800 number” to have customers call in to give their payment information.

Sugarman saw that every “force” he encountered in business could be learned from and utilized in a positive way.  Here are the main “forces” he pegged as key pillars in guiding his growth in business.

Always Be Honest  

Sugarman employed this principle by always telling the truth, no matter what embarrassing position he may be put in.  He explains that honesty is the best policy, even by acknowledging what might be the challenges of your particular product and finding a way to turn it into an opportunity.

Cherish Your Failures  

Failures are what most of us (especially in business) seem to avoid at all costs.  We see our successes as what we must focus on, so that we can repeat them.  However, Sugarman said in one of his talks that he was probably the one in the room who had failed the most.  He cherished his failures because he saw them as opportunities to create “success forces” for future possibilities.

Relish Your Problems  

Most of us look at problems as inconveniences or roadblocks keeping us from reaching the goals we desperately want to reach.  But Sugarman viewed them as opportunities to take a difficult situation and see what could be improved for the next time.  

Concentrate Your Powers  

Sugarman encourages you to focus on one particular aspect of your business that you need to improve.  The point is to not get sidetracked by other things that you need to improve on; otherwise, your attention is divided by too many things which ultimately prevent you from making any real change.  Focus on one aspect, one day at a time until you have mastered it.

Do It Differently 

This addresses the fact that many entrepreneurs are great at “copying” ideas from others, but Sugarman says that there will always be copycats.  The people you should be concerned about are those who are innovators, those who are taking steps to improve what is already a great product or service.  Be an innovator, he says; not a copycat.

Clean Your Desk  

Sugarman had an early experience of interviewing presidents of various companies his father did business with.  What stood out most to him was the fact that these companies were well organized at every level, but most importantly, it started from the president’s desk.  He admits that his own desk is messy and piled up all day long; but he adopted the discipline of cleaning off his desk at the end of every day and putting every item in its own place.  He even went as far as requiring his employees to do the same.  He recounts having had people write to him about this “force” saying that this one discipline changed their entire lives.

The last "success force" presents a challenge to all of us.  Whether you have a desk or area of your home that you work from day in and day out, what would happen if you purposed to clean it at the end of your work day, every day for the next 30 days?  We'd love to hear the results of incorporating this simple discipline into your life.

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Successful Entrepreneurs Actually Read

Have You Checked Out This Book List?

If you are an entrepreneur and you are hoping that success will just fall into your lap, you are greatly mistaken!  Building a successful business not only takes a creative mind and exciting vision, but it requires you to go back and find out what brilliant principles have been discovered and practiced over the years.  Yes, our society continues to evolve in areas of technology and entrepreneurial opportunities, but there are many fundamental truths that should not be passed over.

Reading renowned books on business success a major aspect in opening up the doors of opportunity that will challenge you not only to look at ways to improve your business; more importantly, you will be forced to look deep within yourself to determine what it is that is helping or hindering your success.

{Book 7} How To Stop Worrying and Start Living by Dale Carnegie

Most entrepreneurs are probably professional “worriers” (if that’s even a word).  

• What if sales continue to drop?  
• How will you pay for the machine that just broke?  
• Would you be able to afford expanding your business?
• Can you really afford to hire extra help, even though you desperately need it?

This is not said in order to minimize the serious challenges and crises that business people must face on a regular basis.  However, the point that Carnegie is trying to make is that worrying has no value:  it does nothing but bring you down, and in turn, you will bring others down.

“How To Stop Worrying and Start Living” is basically a continuation from his first book, “How To Win Friends and Influence People,” but the difference lies in his specific focus on the problem of worrying and how to make small steps to overcome this debilitating habit.  The book is broken into 8 different sections, with the last section being a wonderful collection of successful men and women, and how they have conquered the problem of worry.  While written in 1948, the truths of these principles remain applicable to generations to come.

1. Fundamental Facts You Should Know About Worry
2. Basic Techniques In Analyzing Worry
3. How To Break The Worry Habit Before It Breaks You
4. Seven Ways To Cultivate A Mental Attitude That Will Bring You Peace And Happiness
5. The Perfect Way To Conquer Worry
6. How To Keep From Worrying About Criticism
7. Six Ways To Prevent Fatigue And Worry And Keep Your Energy And Spirits High
8. “How I Conquered Worry”

The beauty of Carnegie’s books is that each concept is broken down into bite-sized portions to show that we can conquer worry in practical and manageable ways.  His writing is so simple and yet still eloquent:  

“Think of your life as an hourglass. You know there are thousands of grains of sand in the top of the hourglass; and they all pass slowly and evenly through the narrow neck in the middle. Nothing you or I could do would make more than one grain of sand pass through this narrow neck without impairing the hourglass. You and I and everyone else are like this hourglass...if we do not take [tasks] one at a time and let them pass...slowly and evenly, then we are bound to break our own...structure.”

Not only do we have a responsibility to stop worrying for our own benefit, but also for the benefit of those who work for us, around us, and especially for the benefit and well-being for those who are closest to us and love us anyway.

Choose to read an entrepreneur classic this month - then share it with someone.  Write down the areas you most want to focus your attention on improving in your personal and business life.  

And please share here, too....What book has been most life changing for you?

{Book 6} Required Entrepreneur Reading: How To Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

What has been your most meaningful lesson in learning how to work well with difficult people?  Or what changes have you made in yourself to become a person that is easy to work with?

Written in 1936, this book has sold over 15 million copies around the globe.  What has drawn millions to read a book by someone who is not only from a completely different era, but quite a few generations distant from us?  

Here’s a little snippet from the opening chapter, entitled “Nine Ways to Get The Most Out of This Book:"

“If you wish to get the most out of this book, there is one indispensable requirement, one essential infinitely more important than any other rule or technique.  Unless you have this one fundamental requisite, a thousand rules on how to study will avail little.  And if you do have this cardinal endowment, then you can achieve wonders without reading any suggestions for getting the most out of a book.  What is this magic requirement?  Just this:  a deep, driving desire to learn, a vigorous determination to increase your ability to deal with people.”(emphasis added)

What is the most foundational aspect of business?  Our ability to work with people in a mutually respectful manner, in a way that generates positive outcomes for all parties involved.  Dale Carnegie focuses on providing insightful strategies for you to connect and work with a variety of people and the challenges that often arise in such relationships.

The book is divided into the following major sections:

1. Fundamental Techniques in Handling PeopleSix Ways to Make People Like You
2. How to Win People to Your Way of Thinking
3. Be a Leader: How to Change People Without Giving Offense or Arousing Resentment

The beauty of this book is that these principles are not only useful and applicable to our business relationships, but also can be utilized in personal relationships.

What has been your most meaningful experience or lesson learned in knowing how to approach challenging people in a positive way?

{Book #5} Required Entrepreneur Reading: Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz

Can Your Thoughts About Yourself Actually Influence Your Business Success?

As entrepreneurs, we are constantly on the lookout, not only to find ways to enhance our business purposes, products, and practices, but we are also willing to look deeper into ourselves to understand what drives us in all aspects of life.  What is it inside of each person that makes them believe they can achieve whatever they put their mind to?  On the other side of the coin, what is it that makes us believe we absolutely don't have what it takes to achieve x, y, or z?  

Ironically, we are so good at analyzing others' hang-ups and downfalls.  We nominate ourselves as "Chief Analyzer" and we say, "If Suzy would just realize her talent and focus less on her downfalls, she would be so successful at ________."  

However, many of us don't want to take the time or simply just lack the interest to explore the psychology of what makes a business person successful.  But what if exploring this avenue turns out to be the eye-opening-factor that changes a person's business approach, and ultimately their entire life course for the better?    

{Book #5}: Psycho-Cybernetics by Maxwell Maltz

Author Maxwell Maltz was a plastic surgeon, who performed corrective surgeries for people who were dissatisfied with what they deemed as "defects" in their appearance.  What surprised him the most were the different responses of these patients, after having the surgery.  For some, their lives changed dramatically for the positive, as their self-confidence blossomed and they were able to connect with others socially as a result of not feeling self-conscious about their perceived defect.  For other patients, while their outward appearance had become what they always wanted, they reported not feeling any differently about themselves and their life situation.  

Maltz wanted to help his patients to find the root of satisfaction in life.  He writes, "Our self-image and our habits go together [because we formed our habits to fit our image of ourselves].  Change one and you will automatically change the other."  He specifically addresses how our self-perceptions shape and form our actions, and even our ability to pursue the goals we truly desire to achieve.  

What have you learned and changed about yourself, that has enhanced your ability to think and act in more positive (and ultimately  more successful) ways?