Rockstar Boss

I love America. Any country that has the balls to use the name of the entire continent as its own has to command some attention.

The attitude of the people around me every day is infectious. Even people who are unhappy have their own vision of how things should be and how to get there. Sometimes you have to extract it before it’s seen – but it’s there. There’s not much hopelessness. Sometimes you have to leave the country and return for this to become clear again.

The entrepreneur spirit that is ever present in the USA is contagious. Any idea has legs, and some ideas grow arms and other bits too. I have a few ideas like this.

The challenge is not about being the owner of a good idea. Even a great idea. When you’re in a day job and, in your spare time, have an idea that would make the world a better place for a lot of people (and still be business worthy) – at what point does the idea become a living, breathing reality?

Most importantly: at what point do you quit the day job and throw your heart and soul into making your idea happen? Maybe not as extreme as this – when do you turn a hobby or interest into a full time business?

There is no simple answer. However, always keep in the back of your mind that there are people around you who may depend on you to have a certain quality of life. Don’t let them down. If you’ve no dependents, you are accustomed to certain standards. Do little to risk what you have, but don’t let that stop you making your idea happen.

It is entirely possible to do both, even for a long while (use some sense on whether or not you’re stepping on your current company’s business with your new idea. If yes – get a lawyer to CYA). In the online book Getting Real, there is a wealth of essays, practices and plain common sense to make sure that you do not over exert yourself on any part of making your new idea come to life.

Any risk taken has a benefit and a consequence and the balance depends on how much you apply yourself to minimizing the negative elements.

Do not rush. Don’t grow some and walk out too early from the status quo you enjoy. Push to the limit what can be done without changing the life you have today. You’d be amazed at how much momentum you can gain before having to make cross the dip. And it will be crystal clear when the right time to jump is.

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…however learn from people who live it.

Tim Ferris’ new edition of the Four Hour Work Week is a book worth a day of your time. It’ll change how you approach every day after reading it.

Here are video case studies from a few people who read it and picked themselves off their asses and did something about what Tim has to say (and lives). Each one is worth your time to watch.

Any of these people look familiar? A little bit like you in a few years time?

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Only dead fish go with the flow. Are you a dead fish?

What would make you come to life again?

1. Start with a plan. Make it up if you have to. Give yourself somewhere to go that only you believe in. Maybe others too, but that’d be a bonus.

2. Understand that sitting on your ass doing nothing will result in nothing. If you are comfortable with that then you are scared of being something. Anything. Making a mistake means you have done something. If someone points out that you’ve made a mistake; you’ve done something and someone else has noticed. Use it. And do more.

3. It isn’t going to happen tomorrow, however the more conviction you have, the less scared you are and the greater momentum you will build. It is a metaphorical snowball of building and leading. If you genuinely believe in your plan or vision – it makes it a lot easier for everyone around you to believe.

4. Cut your steak up. It’s a pretty darn big steak and you’re not going to eat it with one bite. Handle everything in small and achievable chunks that end. The whole steak will change shape as you eat it. Cut the next piece a different way then. You can. Just cut it though, don’t simply stare at it.

The only person you have to answer to is yourself. When you’re dead what exactly will be said at your funeral? Will anyone actually turn up for it? Will the people you know give an average speech? Maybe a cut ‘n paste job from the priest or Internet? Will your kids and spouse say just the right and safe and normal and expected things to say about you at a public gathering like that?

It’s too late for you to care at that point. Or, more importantly, do anything about having lived an average life. But so what?

Will they verbalize publicly on how much of a source of inspiration you were to them personally – would that mean something to how you lived today? How you altered the path of their lives because of the manner in which you bulldozed your way through everything that stood in the way of yours? Have them tell tens, hundreds or even thousands of people at their most grieving time that they are better because you lived. Really, fully lived. Like they wish they would themselves.

Or would it be the same speech as could be used around a toilet to flush away a dead fish?

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Bounce out of bed (with a useful attitude of course) and carry out the usual shit, shave, shower, shampoo routine. Then spend five or ten minutes adding something new to your blog that you learned yesterday or that’s buzzing in your life right now.

*Now* your days begins.

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Before you get out of bed in the morning. Before you even open your eyes. Way before any chance for human contact… You have a chance to completely set your attitude for the day: useful or useless.

Useless
Oh crap, another day another dollar.
Is it the weekend yet?
It’s too frikkin’ early
Only eight days until vacation
Couldn’t be bothered

Useful
What’s the biggest thing I can get done today?
I’m going to get past the problem, and here’s how
Time to get up and change the world
Who’s life can I make a difference to today?

*Now* go have your first interaction with the world.

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Go for an entire week without absorbing any news. If it has a current affairs smell or reeks of social media, go do something else.

Quit updating Facebook and Twitter too. Linkedin, Slashdot, fark, TFLN and every other source of noise around you – stop it.

Whatever time sink that doesn’t help you play to your crowd: do not look at it.

So, what are you going to do now with all those hours of spare time?

Exercise. Spend dedicated time with your family. Meet someone new (online too). Think about what you really want to do. Do what you really want to do. Make a positive difference to someone else’s life. Read a book that has a cover that speaks to you before you read it. Try something you wanted to but were too scared. Close down anything that doesn’t make sense. Write the first or next 50 posts for your blog. Grab any video camera or flipcam or ipod nano and record yourself talking about whatever you’re happy about (and repeat until it makes sense). Draw a picture of where you are five years from now. Imagine what it would be like if someone in your family died today and figure out what you would do different if you knew this.

Cut out the noise. It doesn’t help you or anyone else.

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