Never desire what you don’t expect to experience, nor expect to experience what you don’t desire.
Against an unforgiving marketplace and the unpredictable nature of entrepreneurship, the journey from idea conception to business fruition is marked by numerous challenges and uncertainties. For startup and early-stage entrepreneurs, the key to navigating this complex terrain lies in the principle of knowing precisely what you want, deciding to pursue it, and expecting it will be delivered to you. This principle, while seemingly simple, encapsulates the power of strategic focus and clarity, essential components for the new breed of 21st century entrepreneur.
Knowing What You Want: Defining your vision for creating a bigger future.
What really matters to you in life? What do you love? Don’t underestimate the power of these questions. To build a remarkable life experience through the venue of a successful business, your business must reflect two essential elements: what matters to you, and what the marketplace rewards. One is no good without the other. They are two sides of a coin.
The creative combination of these two elements powers an ever-evolving process increasing your value to customers. This creates powerfully satisfying relationships, greater results for customers, greater brand loyalty to you, and substantial profits for your business.
Engage yourself in what you love–in what brings meaning and joy to your life. It’s not just about money-making. More importantly, what brings meaning to you must serve the good of others as well. Your business is a creative venue for this expression. When you do this, you begin to realize there are no limits to your growth and success. You delight in asking yourself ”how far can I go?”
Doing the important work you love enhances enthusiasm, confidence and unbridled energy for proposing creative ideas to grow your value and contribution to people. It’s an attractive energy to be around. Lest we forget, customers are people too. Who wants to do business with someone who only wants to close the sale? Where ever you are the entrepreneurial journey, it is paramount to define the primary purpose, vision, and mission of your business far beyond money-making right from day one.
What is the specific problem you aim to solve for a specific customer?
What “idea of value“ do you intend to represent in the mind of your customers, and what benefits will customers receive they simply can’t get from alternatives in your business category?
Your answer to these questions forms the strategic foundation upon which your business will build its influence and competitive advantage with high value customers.
A common pitfall for many early entrepreneurs, in an effort to capture every potential customer, is the temptation to cast a wide net, trying to appeal to as broad an audience as possible. Resist this temptation. Your success lies in specificity. Knowing precisely what you want and understanding the needs of high value customers in a clear, well-defined niche enables you to tailor your products and services to meet the unique needs of a specific market.
Consider the example of Airbnb, a startup that began by targeting a very specific market: attendees of a design conference in San Francisco who needed a place to stay. By understanding the needs of this niche and delivering a high value solution, Airbnb laid the groundwork for its eventual global success. This exemplifies the power of knowing precisely what you want and who you intend to serve.
Decide to Pursue It: Commitment is the Catalyst
Once you've defined your business's primary purpose, and your vision for success, the next crucial step is making the unwavering decision to pursue it. This decision is not just about committing time and resources; it's about committing your passion, energy, and unwavering dedication to seeing your vision come to life. You must be “all-in”– 99 per cent is a bitch, !00 per cent is a breeze.
Entrepreneurship is not a journey for the weak minded and undisciplined. The all-in decision to pursue your goal becomes the anchor that keeps you grounded during turbulent times and propels you forward during moments of triumph. This commitment is not a mere verbal declaration; it is a daily choice and discipline to overcome inevitable challenges, learn from setbacks, and persist in the face of unfavorable circumstances.
Consider the story of Elon Musk, the visionary entrepreneur behind companies like SpaceX and Tesla. Love him or hate him, despite facing numerous obstacles, including financial setbacks and technical challenges, Musk's unwavering all in commitment to his vision of a sustainable future through electric vehicles and space exploration has been a driving force of every idea he pursues.
Expect It Will Be Delivered to You: The Power of Positive Expectation.
I’m reminded of the parable about a tribe of American Indians, who never failed to make it rain when they would do their rain dance. Every time, 100%, when they danced, it rained! The secret to their 100 percent success rate, when other tribes had far less success with the same dance, was simple- this tribe never stopped dancing! Think about that...they never stopped dancing until it rained! That's faith.
What does your rain look like and what are you dancing for?
Faith strengthened their persistent action and expectation in knowing dancing is what creates rain. Rain is what they wanted... so they danced! Faith is vitally important to every result of being, doing and having. We live by faith and not by sight. Faith is "knowing that you know" something you desire is going to happen even when the current circumstances seem unfavorable. It isn't a hunch, or an educated guess. It’s knowing with absolute certainty, that no matter what it takes, it will happen.
It's just a matter of time.
Creating success in life and business is like rain dancing. It takes time and persistent action even when there are no clouds in the sky. This creation process, like everything else in nature, has a gestation or incubation period. The human pregnancy has a gestation period of 280 days. It's more or less set. A carrot is 11 weeks; an elephant is 15 months–to each its own time.
But unlike carrots, elephants, or humans, achieving desired success takes its own sweet time.
Many entrepreneurs quit dancing before it is time, their faith and expectation of creating success expired. They give up too early not aware that the time necessary for manifestation simply hadn't past yet. Frequently, the gestation period for achievement takes longer than the anticipated time most entrepreneurs are willing to invest in it.
Expectation, when rooted in faith and belief, is the transformative force in your entrepreneurial journey. It goes beyond mere optimism; it is a deep conviction that your efforts will yield the desired results.
The power of positive expectation is not to be underestimated. When you expect success, you are more likely to persevere through challenges, find creative solutions to problems, and attract opportunities that align with your vision. This mindset has profound impact on your decision-making, actions, and the overall speed and trajectory elevating your business beyond the early struggle phase.
Consider the story of Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. Armed with a clear vision with unwavering faith and belief in her product, Blakely faced numerous rejections from potential investors before eventually finding success. Her positive expectation and refusal to accept defeat were instrumental in turning Spanx into a global brand phenomenon.
The Role of Strategic Focus and Clarity.
Strategic focus and clarity is the guiding light that illuminate the path forward for startup and early-stage entrepreneurs. In our digital social media driven world of unrelenting distractions, the entrepreneurial journey will always be rife with uncertainties. Knowing what you want, deciding to pursue it, and expecting it will be delivered to you is an essential principal in our Manifesto.
Never desire what you don’t expect to experience, nor expect to experience what you don’t desire.
Strategic focus involves making intentional choices about where to allocate your time, resources, and energy. It requires saying no to opportunities that do not align with your core objectives, resisting the allure of short-term gains that may compromise your long-term vision. Clarity is about having a crystal-clear understanding of your values, mission, and the impact you intend to make. It involves communicating these aspects actively and transparently to your team, investors, and customers, creating a cohesive narrative that resonates with all stakeholders.
Consider the example of Patagonia, an outdoor apparel company known not only for its high-quality products but also for its unwavering commitment to environmental sustainability. The clarity of Patagonia's mission has attracted a rabidly loyal customer base and positioned the brand as a champion of ethical business practices. Yvon Chouinard, founder of Patagonia says, “we follow our beliefs, customers follow us”. Pretty simple.
At the Intersection of Faith and Disciplined Action.
Faith, in the context of entrepreneurship, is not about religious belief; it is a belief in the potential of your own vision and the actions you take to realize it. Faith becomes the bridge between knowing what you want, deciding to pursue it, and expecting it will be delivered to you. This intersection of faith and disciplined action will involve taking calculated risks, embracing uncertainty, and persisting in the face of challenges. It is the understanding that setbacks are but opportunities for growth and learning. It is the recognition that success requires continuous adaptation, iteration, and evolution.
For startup and early stage 21st century entrepreneurs, the principle of knowing what you want, deciding to pursue it, and expecting it will be delivered to you is a powerful guide on the path to success. As you navigate the exciting yet challenging landscape of an unforgiving marketplace, let these principles serve as your compass, guiding you toward the realization of your vision and the fulfillment of your entrepreneurial dreams.
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