Cameesa - The Blog

When studying successful entrepreneurs I always come across a recurring theme. I am probably very receptive to theme because I sincerely believe in it, therefore I may possess a bit of selective attention. The theme is create something you are passionate about. Randy Komisar, a venture capitalist at Kleiner Perkins, in his book “The Monk and The Riddle” puts it best:

“Passion pulls you to something you cannot resist. Drive pushes you toward something you feel compelled or obligated to do. If you know nothing about yourself, you can’t tell the difference. Once you gain a modicum of self-knowledge, you can express your passion”

The problem is people usually work on something for some end goal. Once the end goal is achieved then they’ll do what they want. Randy gives this problem a name, “The Deferred Life Plan”. I have to do something really unsatisfying first so I can make the money to do what I really want. If you’re going to put in all the hard work and time why not devote it to something you give a damn about? If things don’t go as planned at the very least the time will not have been wasted.

If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.

-Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Although execution is of crucial importance, especially in a small business, it is important never to lose sight of the overall vision. It is this vision that will inspire your partners to get the business to a new level despite the large amounts of work. It is also important not to get consumed by daily tasks to the point where you lose sight of the future and stop innovating and improving.

Is the universe trying to tell me something?