Light bulbs run on electricity. So do ideas.
If you’ve got an idea for a new housing project, business model, marketing tool, staffing solution, mural you’d better be fueled by passion. The effective steps toward changing your ideas into reality are:
- Belief.
- Passion.
- Idea.
Time to work. Building anything new takes time, discipline, focus, and sharing. You’ll need a great deal of passion to do the work that takes time. This means finding the work that thrills you. If you’ve started a new company to help people find the best food trucks around New York City, you’d better love food. If you don’t get passionate about the work you’re doing your work will suffer. Why?
People are kinetic. We offer our business and money based off our instincts more than our intellect. If you are trying to sell something you don’t believe in, your customers can tell and they’ll back off. Your disbelief informs them, and they want something to believe in.
I once had a job selling salon coupons on the streets of Manhattan. The sales team met each morning in a hair salon in Chelsea. The young, very attractive business owner greeted us each morning with his gorgeous wife. The two of them were full time actor/models who decided to start their own marketing business. They were both successful, kind, young business owners. His wife made sure to get her hair done at the salon they were working for. He made sure we understood how he’s achieved his goals, and how we might achieve ours. This seemed like the perfect job.
They employed a street team of young attractive actor/comedians and spoke to us individually about our personal goals. He asked us how much money we wanted to earn. What changes we’d like to make in our lives. What projects we wanted to fund.
By the time we hit the streets we were focused on the money we’d make that day, we learned how to read people on the streets, we learned how we could talk the most reluctant person into a buyer. We’d sell packages on the street. We’d walk the customers to the salon. All to make the sale.
I didn’t last long there. I worked about two weeks. The prospect of making money was enough to get me through and kept me positive for about three days. The remaining eleven were hell. The weariness of meeting each morning to discuss how much money we’d be making that day got boring. I lost interest. And I had to come to the realization I didn’t care that much about (only) making money. I didn’t feel right about coming up to people during a recession talking them into getting an $80 hair cut. My guilt took over. I stopped being able to sell salon packages to anyone. I lost all of my interest and quit the job within two weeks.
No matter how positive or terrific the young attractive business owner made his lifestyle seem it wasn’t enough for me. My passion wasn’t there. Connecting people, changing perspectives, and supporting growth are more interesting for me. I left the business quickly and started creating content here. I’m far more happy and guess what? I’m making more money.
Your passion must be the primary driving force to realizing your ideas. When you are relentless with your work, your vision, and your action you will see results. Consider money one reward for passion. The other is seeing your ideas realized.
You must stay active. You must keep learning. You must get people passionate about your work. You will earn more money. Your business will grow. Your ideas will be realized. Your passion will turn into your reality.
Go ahead and flip the electricity. Your next light bulb waits.