Every day, hundreds of thousands of blogs are started, thousands of books are published, and hundreds of businesses are created.

The majority don't last.

So what separates those that last from those that fail?

The ones that succeed - do they do something different?

Is there a common pattern, strategy or framework that successful projects use?  And if so, can we model it and use it in our own projects?

These are the questions I've been asking myself recently as I dive headlong into my new publishing startup. The essential question is this:

How can I avoid the pitfalls of unsuccessful startups and tap into the magic of the successful ones?

Creating Success

What I've compiled here are the fundamental dos and don'ts for bootstrapping a business from scratch.

All of these lessons I learned from the masters of the trade (Michael Masterson, Eric Ries, Seth Godin, Chris Anderson, and Nassim Taleb among others) and applied in my own projects.

What you see here is the distilled wisdom of dozens of heavyweights in the business world, as well as the knowledge I've learned from hundreds of books, courses and personal interactions, whittled down into a no-fluff, practical resource you can apply to your own project.

Most of this advice applies to bootstrappers and creative entrepreneurs - but it also applies to the artist, designer and leader.

The lessons included here are universal and impact all of us who build things from the ground up with our bare hands.

So if that applies to you, definitely bookmark this page for future reading.

Good luck, and enjoy:

2 Things You Should Avoid At All Costs:

What not to do with your business is important: the majority of failures are a result of putting time and energy into the wrong things, and if we know what these things are, we can purposefully avoid them.

The 2 biggest don’ts of creating success in business and life are just that – things you should definitely, at all costs, avoid:

1.  Avoid Re-routingre route to what

Re-routing is spending all your time building a solution…to the wrong problem.

This is one of the most common mistakes beginner-level entrepreneurs make.  But it’s not just a beginner-level mistake – plenty of pro’s make the same mistake when they branch out into a new sector, industry, or genre.

Anytime we try something for the first time, we're liable to miss the mark.

That's why it's essential we constantly reevaluate our position, direction and goals (more on that below).

The Lesson: know what problem you’re fixing and why.

2.  Avoid The John Carter Mistake

John Carter was an epic failure in the box office.

Even when things weren't looking good on set or in test groups, the producers continued to pump cash into the project. By the time they shipped, they needed to make close to $400 million to make money on the project.

With every dollar they pumped into the project, the more unlikely their chance of success.

The Lesson: don’t pump money, time and resources into a project that isn’t working.  A sinking ship is a sinking ship - better to cut losses and find a new way to be successful than drown in pride.

9 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Success (in business and life):

It's essential you avoid the two pitfalls above.

Simply put, if you spend your time re-routing or get sucked into the John Carter Mistake, there's literally no way your startup will make it.

But let's say you can and do avoid these two major pitfalls...then what?

What CAN you do to actively improve your chances of success.*

*Note: success is relative and subjective.  In this case, I’m defining success as creating something people want to (and will) pay money for without your business going under (i.e. making profit so you can grow your business).

The following is a list of the 9 best ways you can increase your chances of success, both in business and in life:

1.  Challenge Everything

Just because things are the way they are doesn't mean they should be that way.

No matter what industry of business, genre of art, or category of book, there is always a way to improve the existing paradigm.

There are better systems, better solutions, and better products waiting to be created.  The question is: are you willing to create them?

"Never accept the status quo – there is always a better way."  - tweet this

Ask yourself:

Is there a way this product or this service can be made better?

Why is this the way it is?  Can it be improved?

Where is their a problem and how can I fix it?  What are the pain points of others?  How do I help them?

Is there something missing that I can fill?

This philosophy (and it is just that - a philosophy for living life) of challenging everything includes challenging your own assumptions and beliefs.

Be relentless. 

Constantly test your assumptions and, if need be, change your beliefs - they might just be holding you back.

2.  Know Your "Why"

Why are you doing what you’re doing?

Why do you want to create this piece of art?

Why do you want to build this business?

Knowing why you do what you do is ESSENTIAL.  At the end of the day, your why is what determines your success because it directly feeds your solution (your what) and your execution (your how).

Why, how, what - this is what Simon Sinek describes as the "Golden Circle" - check out his short, powerful video below on starting with why.

"People don't buy what you do - they buy why you do it." Simon Sinek

If you aren't sure of your why, but you’re building something anyway, you’re probably rerouting.

Know your why - and then start with why.

3.  Hypothesize

No project should start without a hypothesis.

In The Lean Startup, Eric Ries explains businesses through the lens of a scientific experiment – in other words: testable, measurable, and reproducible.

Ries’ startup philosophy revolves around creating a hypothesis for your product or service – if we do X, then Y will happen.

“the goal of a startup is to figure out the right thing to build – the thing customers want and will pay for – as quickly as possible.” The Lean Startup

For example: if I add an email subscription box to the end of every blog post, I will increase my subscription rate by 7%.

Or, if I decrease the price of my product by 5%, gross revenue will increase by 10%.

The point isn't to know if it will work – the point is to have an idea, create a hypothesis for the idea, and then test it.

If it fails, tweak it and try again (email subscription boxes at the top of the blog post, or in the sidebar, or add a popup box to your site, etc.).

Constantly test.  Constantly measure.  Constantly learn.

And always adapt and grow.

4.  Be Willing to Change Strategies

When we hypothesize, we create a question that can be tested and proven right or wrong.

If the solution doesn’t work for a particular product or service, tweak the hypothesis and try again.  This is changing tactics – the small scale engagements we make with customers or inside our business (i.e. changes to how we write our sales copy; changes to visual presentation, etc).

Changes in tactics don’t change the fundamental problem you’re trying to solve – changes in tactics simply mean a shift in how we approach the problem.

However, at some point, we might find that nothing is working for our original hypothesis.  At this point, it’s time to change strategy - or, in Lean Startup terms, pivot.

"Life is too short to build something nobody wants." - Ash Maurya

Below is a video by Ash Maurya, author of Lean Running, who explains how to create products efficiently and effectively, why most startups fail, and how you can avoid making the same mistake:

If you found the video useful, make sure to check out Maurya's amazing, free lean canvas tool here.  It will help you map out an effective, simple business plan.

If you have a hard time filling it out, it probably means you're missing a key piece of the puzzle for your own business.  This will help you avoid creating a product that no one wants.

Pivoting means changing your business or business model.

This could mean changing from a "freemium" model (free content to bring people in; sell them paid premium content later on) to a premium, upfront monthly subscription model; from a company that produces and sells information products, to a company that builds software solutions.

Pivoting is sometimes drastic. 

It can be scary and it’s never easy (it challenges our pride because it means admitting our original ideas were wrong).

But if you know your why, pivoting becomes a lot more bearable.

5.  Expose Yourself to Positive Black Swans

The Black Swan is a term coined by Nassim Taleb in his groundbreaking book of the same name, which focuses on probability, randomness and human rationality.

A Black Swan refers to an event that is unpredictable, but has massive impact in our lives.

The internet, for example, was a positive Black Swan event; now we are a few keystrokes away from almost anybody in the world, increasing connection and freedom throughout the world (this change was unpredictable and completely changed the economic landscape of the 90's and beyond).

The terrorist attacks on 9/11 were a negative Black Swan event - the ramifications of which we still experience every time we have to take our shoes off at the airport.

So while we can’t predict when or what form a Black Swan will take, we can focus on exposing our business and our life to positive Black Swan events (and, likewise, protect against negative Black Swans).  A few ways to do this:

Here's a lesson on Black Swans from the movie Grinders with Matt Damon.  It's 30 seconds long - it sums up why playing it safe isn't the way to live life.  Sometimes, you have to take a chance:

Taleb recently published a new book called Anti-Fragility - which explains in more depth all the things that gain from disorder.  A must read for all aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make a dramatic impact (and limit their downside exposure).

6.  Aim Small, Miss Small

In the movie The Patriot, Mel Gibson’s character teaches his son how to shoot.

His advice – aim small, miss small.

Once you know your "why" you should focus on the most specific problem you can fix (every product or service fixes a problem).

The smaller, as in, more particular and precise the problem, the better your chances of hitting your mark (because you know exactly what you’re aiming for).

Shooting from the hip (i.e. seeing what will stick) is usually not the best solution to anything.

Be Specific.

Be precise.

Focused on one problem and one problem only to start – and be relentless about defining that problem and your solution.

7.  Start Local

You do not need a website, a team of coders, or a dozen virtual assistants to get your business off the ground.

You do not need angel investors, the Shark Tank or Donald Trump to pick you.

There is a way to test and validate every product before going full scale, and guess what?  You can usually do this by yourself.

Your job is to figure out how to test your solution in the smallest way possible.

Below is a video by Neville Medhora, a guy who does a crazy amount of business testing (from drop shipping companies and one and one consultation services, to eCourses and digital products).

If this doesn't open your mind to what's possible, I don't know what will (warning: some swearing is involved):

 

Before you start your LLC, lock down the manufacturing and distribution facilities, and enlist a team of salespeople, maybe it would be more effective for you to create the first product and hustle it by yourself.

Can you sell it on Craigslist? 

Can you sell it on Ebay or Etsy? 

Can you set up a stand outside an event and sell it to real people?

The point is this: you must test and VALIDATE before you start scaling.

Sorry, but if it doesn't work on a small scale, it won’t work on a massive scale (Facebook started out on a single campus, McDonalds on one street corner, and Apple with one product).

8.  Work ON Your Business...

Don’t work in it.

Working in your business is essential, but only in the beginning.

It’s necessary to work inside your business at the start; you need to know how it works so you can develop and refine your processes and systems.  But once you have the systems in place, and a profitable product or service, start hiring others to do your job.

Your goal should be to create a  profitable, organized and systematized business so you can scale.

You really shouldn't be hiring people until you're profitable (there are exceptions to the rule - I'm addressing solopreneurs/bootstrappers in particular here).

Working on your business and not in it is a concept heavily analyzed in The E-Myth Revisited, which explains the success of any startup requires the ability to create systems and processes in order to make your business turnkey.

Here's a video all about creating systems for your business from the author himself:

 

Creating a business is the only way to attain actual freedom through your creative work.  As long as you're an employee or self-employed (i.e. a freelancer), you're at the beck and call of others.

Freelancing requires you to be on the clock (it might be fun, but you're still tied down).

If you want to create something that improves your quality of life, that increases your flexibility and freedom, be an entrepreneur -  focus on creating a business, one that can grow and scale, even if you’re not there.

This means working on your business and not in it.

9.  Never, Never, Never Quit.

Yes, you might have to forget the project you’re working on, or change your tactics, or even pivot your strategy - but don’t quit on creating.

Never stop doing what you love because it doesn't work on the first try – it rarely if ever will.

"If I fail more than you do, I win." - Seth Godin

Self-determination and freedom are not easily won - it’s a struggle and you will take some hits.

That’s why so many quit or never try to begin with.

But not you.

Have faith, act courageously and keep fighting.

The Moral of the Story

Is to constantly push your own abilities; to learn and grow and improve; to seek out challenges and test yourself.

You don't have to create your empire this weekend - and, in fact, you couldn't even if you wanted to.

But if you start today, in the smallest way possible (just one word on a piece of paper; just one call to a prospect; just one sketch of your design), you begin the process of creating something brilliant.

And in this singular act, no matter how small, you begin building your empire.

So I guess the underlying moral of the story is this:

Never stop creating. Start today.

If you like what you've read and need help starting, finishing and shipping your project, here are a few ways I can help:

1 - Join the Resistance by subscribing to our newsletter here (it's free)

2 - Check out a book I wrote called 2 Days With Seth Godin (PDF version) or on Amazon Kindle that can help you get your book, business, or blog unstuck.

3 - Check out the Cache where I have books, courses, and more - many that are "Pay What You Want" (your contributions help me continue to write, produce, and publish)

The Most Likely Resultmorguefile

This is it – your project is almost complete.

You took the uncertain and difficult steps from start (creating the idea) to finish (bringing the idea to life), and now you’re ready to ship.

It’s tough work, creating something from scratch, but you didn’t give up. And now is the moment of truth – the point where you reap the reward for your hard work and labor.

Confident, you launch your project and…

Nothing happens.

Nobody one-clicks your book on Amazon; nobody enters the store; nobody calls the ‘buy now’ number…

Crickets.

You check to see if it’s a system error, or maybe the server isn’t updating properly, or maybe there’s a traffic jam down the street…

Nope – everything is normal, but nothing happened.

Great and Everything Else

The reality for most aspiring artists, writers and entrepreneurs is that no one will notice what they do. And when they ship, no one will pay attention (a few of my prior entrepreneurial attempts fall squarely in this bracket).

Of course, the initial thought to remedy this is advertising and marketing – “if only I can get my message in front of enough people, then I can make a sale…”

This could work – statistically, the more people you expose a message to, the greater the chance of your message resonating with someone.

But more than likely, no amount of attention will change anything.

Why?

Because most things aren’t great.

Pareto

In 1906, an Italian Economist by the name of Vilfredo Pareto noticed an interesting trend in the distribution of land: 80% of land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population.

Going one step further, he analyzed the distribution of other data sets, including the number of pea pods in his garden that contained peas (20% contained 80% of the peas).

This observed distribution became known as the Pareto principle –most things do not distribute evenly, but unevenly, and they generally have a ration of 4:1 (specific distributions vary but are nonetheless uneven).

The Pareto principle applies to everything, from public sentiment (only a few bands have the majority of the attention) to effectiveness (most seminars and newsletters and eCourses simply aren’t effective).

This distribution most certainly applies to startups, art, and creative pursuits:

Most will be ignored.

Are You Overvaluing Your Origami?OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

“Well, that might be the case for other products, but mine is great. I put so much time and energy into it it must be great – the right people just haven’t see it.” (internal dialogue of the archetypal entrepreneur)

This response I’ve heard a million times (I’ve told myself the same thing many times before).

Sadly, it’s usually not true.

In a study conducted by Dan Ariely (Psychology professor and author of Predictably Irrational), researchers found that people overrate their own creations based on the amount of effort they put into them:

“Our research shows that labor enhances affection for its results. When people construct products themselves, from bookshelves to Build-a-Bears, they come to overvalue their (often poorly made) creations. We call this phenomenon the IKEA effect, in honor of the wildly successful Swedish manufacturer whose products typically arrive with some assembly required.

In one of our studies, we asked people to fold origami and then to bid on their own creations along with other people’s. They were consistently willing to pay more for their own origami. In fact, they were so enamored with their amateurish creations that they valued them as highly as origami made by experts.”

In other words, it’s impossible to objectively valuate something if you’re invested in the process.

You can believe your product is great – you can HOPE it is – but the true value of your product is the value given to it by the market (i.e. other people).

The John Carter Mistake

In 2012, a little movie called John Carter was released into theaters.

Actually, it wasn’t little at all: it was one of the most expensive movies ever produced. And when it finally shipped, it bombed. Hard.

But here’s the funny thing – everyone (as in, everyone involved in the project) thought John Carter would be a blow-up success. That’s why producers invested $250,000,000 (yes, that’s millions) into the project.

Even when signs pointed to no (actually, to hell no), producers kept pumping money into the project. The thought was: throw enough money at it to get it in front of everyone’s face and we’ll still come out of this alive…

The producers behind John Carter thought if they could scream loud enough, they’d get enough people to notice what a wonderful movie they created. Counter intuitively, every dollar pumped into this movie, instead of increasing its chances of success, actually increased the chance of it failing (greater the investment, the greater the needed return).

And as far as getting people to notice them?

Well, they got their attention – but it didn’t matter.

Great Work

So if you’re shipping a project and people don’t respond, it’s probably not because you’re not screaming loud enough…no amount of screaming will change anyone’s mind.

And it’s probably not because you didn’t put a ton of time and effort and resources into your project…it doesn’t matter how much money you pump into John Carter…it’s still John Carter.

No, the reality is that you probably haven’t hit great yet.

And if you want people to notice and to stick around, you need to do great work.

This is probably disappointing for the person looking to make a quick buck or catch an uptrend – for the person in the trenches superficially (i.e. the writer who doesn't write).

But for those of us in it till the end, for those of us who enter the fray every day, this should come as a comforting thought.

The Outlier and Your Life's Work

Every project we undertake is a chance to improve our skills and hone our craft.

Every hardship we suffer through separates us just a bit more from the rest of the pack, as others will surely quit.

And, as others quit, we rise to the top – we become outliers.

By committing to the process (especially when it’s difficult), and having the grit to see it through, as sure as 80% of land in Italy is held by 20% of the people, you’ll find yourself, years from now, holding your “unfair” (see: completely fair) share of the success distribution.

So take heart – your project might bomb, people might ignore you, and things might not go as planned…but if you strap on your helmet, pick up your rifle, and go over the top just one more time each day, sure enough, you will find victory.

Remember, it’s not about a singular win –it’s about creating your life’s work.

And you create that one project at time, one small win at a time, over the course of your life.

Keep fighting.


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What Do You Really Need?

StfUuq - The Brutal Reality of Excuses and How to Conquer ThemDo you really need more money in your bank account before you can create something worthwhile?

Do you really need to develop a routine before you can start making something great?

Do you really need more time in the day before you can dare boldly?

Or is it possible that you can create something worthwhile regardless of the number of zeros in your checking account; or that by making something great you create the routine you need; or that just maybe ‘no time’ is precisely the right time to dare boldly…

Breaking Through Excuses

Writing a book, building a business, creating something without permission – these things are hard to do and they’re plagued with setbacks and failure.

Of course, the enemy knows this and uses it against us.  Excuses are just another tactic used by the enemy to stop us from creating our life’s work.

But like anything the enemy throws at us, we can overcome it.

We can prepare ourselves by recognizing these universal truths of creation:

1)  Excuses are ever-present.

I promise you this – there are a million reasons you shouldn’t start today, why tomorrow works/feels/seems better – but none of these reasons matter.  They don’t keep you from doing the work: you do.

With a simple choice, right now, you delay building your worthwhile project.

Or, with the same simple choice, right now, you begin building your empire. 

The choice is yours every day.

2)  Nothing is built in a vacuum.

There will never be a perfect time, place, or set of companions for you to begin your journey.

There will always be mountains to climb, swamps to traverse and dragons to slay.

This isn’t a reason not to start, it’s the reason you MUST start - otherwise there is no journey, no hero, and no story worth telling.

3)  You have one life but many chances.

The crazy reality of life is this: it isn’t training.  This isn’t a sparring competition getting you ready for the actual fight.

This is it. 

This is the real thing.  This is the main event.  You were born into it.  You have one life to live - no do overs, no second chances.

So you have a choice: fight like hell or throw the match.

Either way, you’re going to take a hit (many hits, actually).

While it might seem like throwing the match, which requires less of your energy and strength up front, is the easier choice, the fact is this: you’re going to take way more hits throwing the match than if you stand your ground, keep your gloves up, and hit back.

And I’m sorry to say but opting out to spectate or referee isn’t an option.  You might not like it, but that’s the reality.

So how will you fight?

The Best Way to Overcome Excuses

Is by starting.

Start right now.  Not tomorrow, not next week - right now.

Now is the best time for you to start; now is the best place for you to begin your journey; now is the best way for you to climb the mountain and slay your dragon.

It’s not easy, but let’s be honest: would you have it any other way?

Good luck and keep fighting.

[infopane color="1" icon="0101.png"]Last week, I wrote a post about overcoming drag. Today, I want to dig deeper into drag itself, its cause and effect, and the only way to avoid drag entirely.  Thanks to Alan at The 365 Effect (twitter: @the365effect) for the inspiration.[/infopane]

DragOvercoming Drag Part II

Drag, in relation to flight, is a mechanical force that acts against the force of the aircraft as it flies through the air.

Drag, for the creative entrepreneur (writer, artist, entrepreneur, etc), is the energy-depleting self-doubt that plagues long, creative journeys.

Drag can cripple your goals and bury your project.

Whether you’re writing a book, building a business, or starting a revolution, you will experience drag.

Later

Drag hits hardest when we’re deep inside the creative war – when we’re experiencing the isolation and loneliness of creation.

Drag is easy to recognize: you will notice it when you start questioning why you’re doing what you’re doing and when you begin putting work off until “later.”

Later is one of the most destructive words in the English language; when we let it enter our vocabulary in regards to our project or goals, it’s a clear sign we’re experiencing drag.

The Physics of Instigating

Drag is essentially the compounding and cumulative effect of the Enemy’s Negative Self-Talk Propaganda.

As long as you’re trying something new, doing something unconventional, or creating something from scratch (i.e. instigating), you will experience drag.

This is because drag itself is an indiscriminate reaction to instigation.

Newton’s Third Law states: “to every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.”

The equal and opposite reaction to instigating is drag.

When an aircraft flies, the force of the jet engine meets with aerodynamic friction.    This friction, like all friction,  is a reaction to things that challenge the natural repose (see: sedentary state) of our environment.  So anytime an aircraft takes off, it experiences friction (in other words: drag).

Like the aircraft, when we take off (instigate), we experience our own type of drag.

Natural vs. Intentional State

There is a big difference between the natural state of a thing and its intended state.

The aircraft, by its nature as a physical object, bound and limited by the physics of the world, should stay grounded.  If the aircraft stays grounded, it experiences no friction, no drag whatsoever.

Interestingly enough, while staying grounded is the aircrafts natural state, it was not designed for this.

The aircraft is designed to fly.  It is the intention of the designer for the aircraft to fly, to stay ungrounded, and thus experience the friction and drag created from flight.

In a way, the intentional state of the aircraft is to challenge its natural state.

By its very existence, the aircraft is an act of defiance.

The Intentional State of the Instigator

The human being, by his nature as a physical being, should stay grounded.

He shouldn’t fly, build skyscrapers, or write poetry; these are hardly survival mechanisms, and in many ways, decrease our survivability.  If we stay grounded, we experience no friction and no drag; we increase our survivability; we act in accordance with our nature and stay safely within tribal boundaries.

But like the aircraft, human beings weren’t designed for this.

We were designed to create, to risk, and to build.  We were designed to instigate.

When we instigate, we automatically move in opposition of the status quo, challenge the tribe, and become outliers.  By instigating, we are creating a force that must, by its nature, experience drag.

The intentional state of the human being is to challenge his natural state.

We are, by our very existence, an act of defiance.

One Surefire Way to Avoid Drag

It follows then, that the only way to avoid drag is to stop instigating; it’s to cease moving against the current and instead move with the current.

If everyone is moving toward door A, the only way to avoid friction, to avoid drag, is to move with everyone else toward door A.

People who don’t set goals, who go with the flow, and who let life happen to them rarely, if ever, experience drag.  The only time they might experience drag is during those fleeting moments when thoughts of what could be enter their mind; but this experience of drag is just as short lived as their dreams.

So, if you want to avoid drag entirely, simply stop creating.

For the Rest of Us

We’ll continue to instigate, to create, to do bold things.

And yes, that means we’ll experience drag, but that's a good thing; it means we're moving against the current.

“A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.” [G.K. Chesterton]

Keep pressing, keep fighting, keep creating.

Experiencing Drag

It’s tough, time-consuming work to finish a project.

While there is always an optimistic energy when we begin a project, finishing takes time, energy (physical and emotional), and comes with no guarantee of success.

When we’re doing something that requires our daily, personal energy to accomplish, a lengthy project can wear us down and make us question our efforts.

This is drag.

And unless you do something about it, this energy-depleting self-doubt (aka: drag) will bury you.

2 Techniques for Overcoming Drag

If you find yourself experiencing drag, there are two techniques you can use to reenergize your effort and avoid burnout:

#1. Take a Knee

Before you scrap your project or give up on your goal, take a knee.

Sometimes the constant effort we put into a project wears us down.  When you’re going full speed every day, it’s hard to recognize the success we’ve had thus far.  Without recognizing our accomplishments, it’s hard to continue fighting - the emotional drain can sometimes be more detrimental than the physical drain.

Taking even just the shortest moment to collect yourself, relax, and take a breath can do wonders for your project and almost certainly ensure you go back into the arena with more passion, strength and commitment than ever.

#2.  Keep Pressing

The worst time to question strategy is in a tactical fight.

In other words, it does us no good to question why we’re doing something when we’re in the thick of the fight.

Why?  Because it’s difficult, if not impossible to judge your progress. 

Have you taken or lost ground?  Are you closer to reaching your objective?  Is your strategy still based on known conditions or have circumstances changed?

These are questions that are impossible to answer when you’re on the ground taking daily action to develop your project.

So don’t ask yourself these things – now’s not the time.

Right now is the time for you to put one foot in front of the other; to put effort and energy into the task right in front of you; to keep pressing forward.

If that means writing one more sentence, write one more sentence.

If that means making one more sales call, make the call.

If that means starting over at day 1 to create (or break) a habit, start at day 1.

Guarantees

The truth is, there are none.

Neither of these two techniques will guarantee your success.

Your project might never come together the way you want it to, your final product might not live up to expectations, or people might dismiss what you create.

These things might not work out and this is a tough thing to accept.

But if they might not work out, it also means they could.

And if they could work, it’s your job as an instigator to do everything in your power to see if they can work.

So if you’re committed to the fight, if you’re certain this is your path, and if you’re determined to see it through to the end (win or lose), then don’t let drag beat you down: take a knee and keep pressing.

growth of young entrepreneursThe Conventional Entrepreneur

en·tre·pre·neur:

"The owner or manager of a business enterprise who, by risk and initiative, attempts to make profits"

The entrepreneur seeks to make a profit – at least, conventionally speaking.

The conventional entrepreneur believes he can do something better (cheaper, faster, closer etc.) than what exists in the market place.

He builds something to fill a need in exchange for profit, and, we might imagine, does so because profit is the goal.

The Conventional Artist

art·ist:

"One, such as a painter, sculptor, or writer, who is able by virtue of imagination and talent or skill to create works of aesthetic value, especially in the fine arts"

The artist creates things of aesthetic value – again, at least conventionally speaking.

The artist does what he is compelled to do – which is to create art.  The artist creates what doesn’t exist, and, we might imagine, does so because he loves his craft intrinsically.

An Alternative

I propose a third option.

Someone who loves the process as much as the potential impact; who wouldn’t create if it didn’t affect others powerfully and positively; who takes himself seriously enough to do the terrifying, creative things others would gladly avoid.

I propose the idea of an entrepreneur who doesn’t create solely for return on investment, and an artist who doesn’t create solely for internal self-satisfaction.

I propose a hybrid: the Creative Entrepreneur.

The Creative Entrepreneur

cre·a·tive en·tre·pre·neur:

One whose business is an extension of one’s personality and art; whose purpose is creating something bigger than oneself, something that can grow and expand, but never at the expense of creating art as a gift; who seeks true freedom, even if it means uncertainty or failure; who desires self-determination, even if it means challenging the tribe; who does the hard, creative work, day in and day out, because it matters.

Creative Entrepreneurs in Action*

The Creative Entrepreneur weaves his art into every project, like AJ Leon from Misfits Inc. (twitter: @ajleon)

The Creative Entrepreneur invents beautiful, practical tools that enhance our lives, like Nate Kutsko of Kutsko Kitchen (twitter: @kutskokitchen)

The Creative Entrepreneur tells a story through film and story (and teaches others how to do the same), like Benjamin Jenks from Adventure Sauce (twitter: @benjaminojenks), or writes to inspire writers, like Jeff Goins from Goinswriter.com (twitter: @JeffGoins ).

Happy Discomfort

This concept is nothing new – the Creative Entrepreneur has always existed (from Archemides to Da Vinci to Ford).

But now, becoming a Creative Entrepreneur isn’t just more attainable than it’s ever been, it’s more imperative.

The ordinary fades away, the average is ignored, and the usual is just that (and lost in the noise).

But the Creative Entrepreneur stands out, sticks around, and leaves an impact.

The life of the Creative Entrepreneur isn’t easy, nor is it comfortable.

But it’s not supposed to be. 

We need to be happy in this wonderland without once being merely comfortable. [G. K. Chesterton]

 

When I was a sophomore in college, I tried to do something I wasn’t sure I could do.

I decided to compete in the Brigade Open Boxing Tournament.

The Brigade Open is an annual event at West Point.  It’s a chance for anyone to enter the ring and compete for a title belt.  It’s open to all students, but the winners are almost always those on the boxing team.

So entering with very little experience and going up against legitimate national champions probably wasn’t the smartest idea.

I did it anyway.

It had nothing to do with winning - I didn't think I could - but everything to do with at least trying.

I made my commitment several months out from the first scheduled fight of the tournament and got to training.

This Might Work

Every night, after hours of class, drill, intramural sports and homework, I went up to the boxing room, by myself, to hit the heavy bag (like a Nike commercial, but less dramatic).

Every morning, I woke up at 5am to jump rope in sweats.  It was exhausting, but the only way I stood a chance was to cut weight.

When the first fight came, I was trembling.  I didn't feel ready. Even though I cut weight to be more competitive, my oponent was bigger than me.  It seemed, at that moment, I had committed to nothing more than getting my face knocked in.

The bell rang and the fight started.

In the middle of the second round, the referee blew the whistle.  A stoppage.  The referee was concerned one of the boxers would end up seriously injured.

I won my first fight.

I was pumped.

The Reality of Winning

And then I realized what winning actually entailed.

If I had lost, I could go back to my regular routine.  I could have given myself a pat on the back and still walked away proud for trying.  I didn't think I could win anyway.

But now, by winning my first match, I had to fight another. And by trying to do something I wasn't sure I could do - and then doing better than I expected - I raised the bar for myself.

Now  "who cares if I win or lose," turned into "I might actually be able to do this."

I trained harder.

The next fight came. Once again, I went up against someone who seemed my superior.  I felt weak from cutting weight and training - maybe I overtrained. Once again, my chances didn't look good. 

I entered the ring, the bell rang, the fight started, and the whistle blew two minutes later.  Stoppage.

I won my second fight.

Somehow, against all odds, I would be competing for the championship belt at the finals.

For the first time, I knew there was a chance I could win.

The Finals

The next fight was filmed by ESPNU with Teddy Atlas and Joe Tessitore commentating (a big deal in the boxing world).

The ring stood in the middle of a giant auditorium, professional spotlights hung from the ceilings,  and spectators crowded the bleachers; the bar had been raised.

My fight was moments away.

Unlike my last two opponents, this guy was the real deal; he boxed on the West Point boxing team and was a serious contender for regional and national champion.

The only advice a friend could give me: knock him out in the first round.

He knew what I didn’t want to admit to myself: I wouldn’t last three rounds with this guy.

In the Arena

What the Last Round Feels Like

The fight started. 

First round came and went – I landed some heavy hits. No knockout.

The only strategy I had was out the window.

The fallback plan: survive.

The second round tested my resolve and the sturdiness of my face.  On more than one occasion the blows should have knocked me out.  Somehow, I made it to the end of the round.  Bloody, but not broken.

The third round delivered even more devastation.  The referee came close to calling it but I wouldn’t stop pressing.  I could have hung to the outside of the ring, but I knew that would give a reason to end the fight.  Even though I took a beating, I kept pressing.  The bell sounded and the fight ended.

I made it to the end of the third round.  I finished the fight.

I lost.

The next day, one of my teachers who watched the fight live sent me this quote in an email:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

Theodore Roosevelt

After the quote he wrote two words:

Keep Fighting.

Anytime I’m nervous, or scared, or uncertain, or worried that something I do might not work, or what I write won’t resonate, or after months and years of passionate commitment my project won’t make it and I’ll be left with nothing…

Anytime I start thinking this way, I remember to keep fighting.

Why?

Because it’s better to be in the arena and fail, than a spectator who knows neither victory nor defeat.

I kept fighting. 

My tenacity earned me a spot on the boxing team.

I won my first tournament later that year.

One thing Teddy Roosevelt forgot to add: victory tastes better when you’ve known defeat.

And so I urge you, those of you starting something new, doing something important, or chasing your vision quest:

Keep fighting.

It's not always easy. But it's worth it in the end.

I talk to a lot of people - a lot of people with great ideas, great vision, and tons of untapped potential.

But they're stuck on 'start.'

Instead of trying, attempting, and building, they wait around for the perfect opportunity, the perfect connection, and the perfect launch.

News flash: perfect doesn't exist.

Besides Perfect

Is good enough.

You don't need to be perfect (you can't be), all you need is good enough.

And unless you start, you'll never be good enough.

If that's not enough of a kick in the ass, below are 4 reasons you should start - TODAY.

4 Reasons to Start Before You're Ready

1. The sooner you start the sooner you will be ready

When you start - when you enter the ring - it stops being an idea, a thought, a dream; it becomes your work, out in the world.

No, you're probably not ready; but the sooner you take yourself and your work seriously enough to ship, the sooner you will actually be ready.

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting. [Buddha]

It's a paradox, but most important things are.

2. Everybody else is faking it too

At first, you may have to fake it. This is okay: everyone else is doing the same thing, even (especially) the more famous writers, entrepreneurs and artists.

Stop worrying about being a phony and start shipping your projects.

Note: you might still feel like a phony even after shipping your 100th project, but that's not what the rest of the world will see.

3. No failure is forever

If you start and it doesn't pan out, keep going.  If that doesn't pan out, pivot.  If that doesn't pan out, try a different technique, tactic or strategy.

I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work. [Thomas Edison]

There is no such thing as a single opening launch that, if not done PERFECTLY, will destroy your business, career and art.

Unless you've raised millions in venture capital, the initial start is almost insignificant.

The first version is never the FINAL version.  This goes for everything; the first draft of a manuscript, the first iteration of software, or the first marketing campaign of a brick-and-mortar company.

Don't sweat the start.  Just start.

4. You are ready, you just didn't know it

Stepping into the ring (actually shipping your product; moving from hobbyist to professional) is never easy.

We think we need to be completely ready - trained up, competent, and ready to deal with any possible failure point.

But that's just it: you are ready.   Whether you know it or not, you've been ready you're entire life; you just never stepped into the ring.

So step into the ring already.

A Simple Call to Action

Start.

It sounds simple - and it is.

Start right now; release the first version of your blog, publish your first eBook, sell your unfinished (but minimally viable) product.

The worst that can happen is it doesn't work, which means you're closer to a solution that will.

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. [Walt Disney]

Start now.
p.s. leave a comment below and tell us what you're starting.

Dreams and Building Empires

Dreams

We all have them.

Not just the kind when we sleep, but the more important ones – the ones we have when we’re awake.

They come to us when we’re driving home from work, when we go for a long run, when we reminisce over war stories with an old friend.

These dreams usually spark something deep within us.  They excite something dormant; something we didn’t know existed…at least for a moment.

In most cases, as quickly as they come, they go; they pass through us unscathingly, with us no worse (or better) for wear.

But sometimes…

Epiphanies Happen

Sometimes they come and hit us like a ton of bricks.

That feint twinge of excitement in our gut becomes a blinding vision of what could be…

The image is crystalline; the emotion is palpable; we see everything as if for the first time, with brilliant clarity and gratitude.

The dream isn’t a dream any longer – it becomes something tangible, something that physically moves us.

It scathes us and leaves a mark, for better (or worse).

What Happens Next…

But even the exhilaration, the rush of an epiphany fades.

And we’re left stuck in traffic, or struggling with an incline, or realizing our stories are mostly embellishment now…

All people experience something like this at some point in their lives.  It might not happen with quite the same intensity, but every person experiences moments of understanding, appreciation, and possibility followed by a fall back into reality.

And the majority will go back to work the same way as they did before the dream.  They will lay bricks for a day’s wage.

It’s the reasonable thing to do.

It’s the realistic thing to do.

Dreams are silly anyway - real life matters more...

The majority will, but not everyone.

Some Choose a Different Course

A few will go back to work differently.

Their actions will take on the power of purpose, their goals the strength of intention.  They won’t lay bricks for a day’s wage, but to build their own castle.

It’s the unreasonable thing to do.

It’s the unrealistic thing to do.

But dreams matter – sometimes more than real life…

“Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones.” [The Silver Chair]

What will you do with your dreams?

 


p.s. let us know in the comments what you're working on - and more importantly, why you're working on it.  We want to hear!

p.p.s. Subscribe to The Resistance Broadcast and get the help you need to complete your worthwhile project, build your empire, and create your life's work.

 

 

Action

It’s simple enough to understand that you must instigate to be successful.

It’s much more difficult to put this understanding to use.

And if our logical conclusions aren’t actionable, what’s the point?

Here are a few quick tips I’ve compiled from some extremely clever, creative and successful people on how they created great works (everything from successful blogs, to best-selling books and cashflowing startups).

Note: I took the liberty to elaborate on their original ideas.  If you discovered a different but noteworthy lesson that I didn’t cover, let me know in the comments below!

I hope this helps (I know it’s helping me as I start on my next major book project and an even more epic business project - more updates on that later).

Enjoy

Kick Start Your Next Project with the following Creative Hacks

1)  Are you having trouble finding your voice?  Mimic someone (or something) that inspires you.

Credit: Al Pittampalli (successful entrepreneur and author of Read This Before Our Next Meeting)

In a compelling and insightful interview I did with Al Pittampalli (compelling and insightful because of Al, not my interviewing skills), Al explained the first draft of his book came off a little stiff and lacked personality.

Al knew he needed to find his own voice, so he looked for inspiration and found it, of all places, in the movie Jerry McGuire.  There is a scene in the movie where Jerry, the protagonist, has an epiphany and stays up all night to write a manifesto on his business.

Al did a quick search online and found the actual manifesto (a bit of trivia: the writer of the script, Cameron Crowe, actually wrote out a full length manifesto to help Tom Cruise get into character on the movie set).  After reading the manuscript, he knew it was the perfect style for his book.

“Why don’t I try, instead of using my own voice, to use Jerry McGuire’s voice.” [Al Pittampalli]

For the next several weeks, Al woke up early in the morning (3am) and pretended to be Jerry McGuire as he rewrote his book.

Instead of losing his voice, he was able to refine and develop his own.

Thanks to just a bit of inspiration-seeking, we now have an incredibly powerful book that is uniquely Al.

2) Are people giving you advice on how to change your art?  Ignore them.

Credit: Hugh MacLeod (artist and author of Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity)

The most creative, ambitious, and daring ideas are, by their nature, personal.  So friends, family, and peers can’t help you.

Nobody can understand your art or your project better than you.  You know your art deeply and personally; others only see the surface.

The more mad or bold the art, the less likely someone can give you good advice on what to do, how to do it, or if you should even attempt it in the first place. 

“The more original your idea is, the less good advice other people will be able to give you.” [How to Be Creative]

Instead of asking for advice, go make your project or art the way you want it made.

3) What is the most effective technique for [place description of action and goal here] (for example: write a book, build a business, start a gang, etc.)  Answer: whichever technique is right in front of you.

Credit: Tom Morkes (yea, I'm crediting myself - that’s how I roll).

I’ve listened to hundreds of podcasts, read hundreds of books, absorbed a lot of information from a lot of different people, and put it all to work in various ways throughout my life, including during active duty military service.  You might expect there’s a unifying technique on how things ought to be done if you want to be successful.

The truth is – there isn’t.

Some writers wake up early– others work better midnight to dawn; some leaders yell a lot, others are quiet and contemplative; some entrepreneurs develop multiple businesses simultaneously, others only one and focus their entire energy behind it.

Every single writer, designer, artist, entrepreneur, leader and warrior has his own rituals, schedule, and techniques; no two share the same.

So the point is this: If you’re stuck, don’t worry about figuring out whether Twitter is better than Facebook is better than Pinterest is better than whatever for conversion.

Focus on what matters: the work only you can do, in the way only you can do it.

“Here is what you must do: Write your big stupid book, build your big stupid business, or start your big stupid blog.” [The Art of Instigating]

There’s no one right answer; only a bunch of imperfect solutions.

You won’t know which is best for you until you start (finish, and ship).

Go instigate.

p.s. what are your best creative hacks to get unstuck and kick start your project?  Let us know in the comments below!

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