I used to say and feel one of the reasons I started my business is because I don’t want to chase other people’s dreams anymore. After living with this mindset for about two years, I’ve come to a few realizations. I feel sharing them might give others a competitive advantage by saving time coming to the conclusions I have.
Many people, like me, just need to arrive at these conclusions; on their own time in a way it makes sense to their reality. Maybe some of my realizations are wrong and that’s okay. I’m willing to change my opinions on things when presented with new information I find to be factual…
“I hope this helps some of you who are struggling with the same thoughts as me. I know I still struggle with some of these ideas but I’m trying to move forward. I’m learning every day. I’m grateful for all of you who have helped me along the way. You’re awesome!”
Jake Walker
So what are my realizations? 🤔
1. In order to add value to other people’s lives business leaders must care about other people’s dreams; decide for themselves what to do, and have the courage to do it. Some of the most valuable things we learn in life are from reflecting upon and learning from mistakes we’ve made. We need to make mistakes in order to grow as a person. When people say “Love the process” I’m pretty sure this is part of what they’re talking about.
2. The only reason my business exists is to add value to other people’s lives. This is one of the key elements. If no or low personal value is added, MyFavPrints will never make much money. One of my core values is remembering the only thing holding me back from achieving my goals is myself. We often look outside of ourselves for answers or solutions to problems when they are already within us and our personal values. It’s important to think for yourself about what is true.
3. I should be the first to add value to the interactions I have and trust in the process. If you chase the money first you’ll never get it. Now I understand that I need to stop listening to what others think about me and start listening to myself. I should focus on the quality of work I produce and the relationships I build. It will take less time to become successful if I’m doing something I feel is true to myself and my core values. Any spare time is not wasted time if I find a way to add value to it. At the same time, it’s important to remember we could be wrong, and sometimes what is actually true is not in alignment with what we think is right. That is one instance we have an opportunity to learn and grow, and that is never a waste of time.
WHAT IS TRUE > WHAT WE THINK IS RIGHT
4. Everyone perceives the world around them differently. By doing what comes naturally to us we often overlook/ fail to take account of our weaknesses. We either keep doing this or we change. I struggle with thinking I’m right even though I could be wrong. Basically, I give myself the benefit of the doubt sometimes when I know I should be doing more research. This has hurt me in the past because of a lack of knowledge. Pulling the trigger on a new product launch and then learning about more competition after the fact for example. Don’t allow your reality to be distorted by your ego.
5. Saying that I started my business so I wouldn’t have to chase someone else’s dreams anymore may have made some people feel I devalued the job they have and their core values. I personally have always felt like not pursuing my dreams in life would be mundane. Each of us chose goals based on our personal values and decides the best way to achieve them. It takes thoughtful disagreement to see the world through other people’s eyes that see things differently than us. Risks and opportunities that would have been missed can be seen when we work together and accept reality in a radically transparent way. Some refer to this as an ‘Idea maritoceracity’
DREAMS + REALITY + DETERMINATION = SUCCESS
“Ray Dalio is the founder, chair and co-chief investment officer of Bridgewater Associates, a global leader in institutional portfolio management and the largest hedge fund in the world. In this talk, Dalio shares the unconventional principles that helped him create unique results in life and business — and which any person or organization can adopt to better achieve their goals.”
-Summit YouTube Channel
6. Lots of people are happy and perfectly content living a safe secure life working a steady 9-5 for a company. They have worked hard to build the life they have and I understand that not everyone always needs more. Not everyone is always asking “what next?”
PAIN + REFLECTION = PROGRESS
7. People don’t really like to talk about failure or bad habits. But, failure MUST always be okay; it should not be punished because it’s the only way we can grow independently without the fear of losing our job. We must budget for failures so we can give people the time to make small improvements to our companies whenever they see fit without the fear of punishment if their idea doesn’t work out. Below are five steps to overcoming your problems.
-Know your goals and run after them
-Encounter the problems that stand in the way of your goals
-Diagnose these problems to get to their causes
-Design a plan to eliminate the problem
-Execute those designs pushing you towards reaching your goals
“Pain plus reflection equals progress.” -Ray Dalio
8. I should not care about some aspects of #4. Or what anyone else thinks about me. I just need to focus on doing what is right in my heart. This gives me the greatest competitive advantage in all areas of life.