This morning when I got up, I decided that because this blog is about my thoughts, my perspective, and my opinions, that I can’t exclude all that I am learning about starting a company and some bits about general life learnings (which also shape my perspective). So, I’ve decided to share some of the things that I’ve had on my mind a really learned in the last few months.
This post applies to both entrepreneurship that I’ve seen thus far, as well as mobile design (as I eluded to in a previous post). But, as with most important things in life, I didn’t learn it from a book, but instead from engaging with a couple life-touching individuals.
The last few months of my life have changed outrageously. They have gone from 6:30 am scheduled alarms, 2 hours of commuting, marathon training schedules, to not ever needing to leave my apartment for days on end. I’ve been thinking a lot about how much this change has changed everything about my life. And in the last couple days, I’ve had the chance to feel it, as well as consciously really *get it*, I think.
The rules don’t apply any more!!! Whatever you thought they were: a 6:30 am wake-up, jog, and tea; clearly marked exits; or business meeting thank you letters. They don’t apply!!!
As an entrepreneur and creator, I make the rules now. All the rules. But, more than that, there are NO RULES. There is only your sensibility and more importantly your gut. And unless you have done this all before, you are bound to make mistakes and put yourself in situations you have never been before. You are vulnerable. You never know if they will love you or hate you. Will they call for a follow-up meeting or will then slam the door when you leave? It takes self trust. It takes self understanding. It takes self discovery. And it takes, not falling back on the old rules in times of stress, but instead at that very moment not fearing creating a new rule.
There is no bedtime. There is no routine. There is only your own style.
And there is little need to worry about knowing what to create because in the end what will happen and what you will create, you will never have thought of to begin with anyways. You will just do it.
And after you make something or meet with someone, whether it works or not, whether they like you or not… you’ll have learned something. So meet with them. Try it. Go and do it. And then, embrace that new thing that is sparked inside your head from that meeting or design and run with it. Allow yourself to explore those doors that open inside your head. Be courageous.
And if you do happen to meet with folks, be ever greatful. Remember to tell them:
Thanks for opening the door. Thanks for listening.
Anita
(Perhaps this was really intended for all of you who have listened to me lately in any capacity…)
You so totally freakin’ rock.
🙂
-Russ
P.S. You know I’ll never last at Y! if I keep reading your weblog, right?
I agree with Russ, this site does rock (and so does his ) but I can’t help but think of mobile devices with a metaphor for the Borg in Star Trek . Some sort of symbiotic almost organic hive mentality where information is exchanged seamlessly and all function as a virtual network. Maybe I’m just a geek but it popped into my head. I’m thinking that maybe this type of software needs to be incorporated into the firmware of the device rather than an adjunct. Sorry for my rambles but keep up the good writing
Anita,
Thank you so much for posting this! I’m in the midst of starting my own business at the moment (never leaving my apartment, no routine but my own, etc.) and the past few days have been extremely frustrating. Those types of days when you continually ask yourself “Why am I doing this? Does anybody get it? Will anybody ever get it?” – It’s all somewhat compounded as I’m in Vancouver, Canada and my market is primarily Asia and Europe.
BTW – thanks for opening the door (virutally), following your train of thought lately has been very enlightening.
Absolutely spot on Anita. I too am in the same position over in the UK. I’m just about out of the worry/honeymoon period after leaving the 0630 regime behind me. Sometimes it now feels very lonely without an office full of people around me and I seem to be getting through a lot more coffee! You have to believe in yourself and make the most of every opportunity.
Nice to hear the experience is shared.
All the best and great blog.
Steve
You are so totally rock! Spot on. It’s funny because I was thinking about this today… see, when I got my new, analogue, watch, I felt more relaxed because it’s harder to read the time than with a digital watch. Time is a rule! What I’d like to do once I get a PowerBook with Tiger is to make a “clock” which simply shows the position of the sun, and some color based alerts to tell me when I have a meeting or something. No time! Rock!
– Mark Wubben (novemberborn.net)
Thank you for this, you’ve captured the spirit of entrepreneurship perfectly. As you aluded, I think the biggest shift is an internal one, to conquer one’s inner critic. Wow, that’s a hard one.
There’s that saying about surfing “A feeling a surfer only knows”. I’m not a surfer (though I’d love to be), but I think it captures the spirit of being in your own space, doing it for yourself, making mistakes, picking yourself up the floor and carrying on, to celebrating the milestones (first invoice, first big break, first office etc). Versus not realising that you’re wasting away your sanity and health for someone else. For sure not everyone wants to be self-employed, but those that have discovered that are so much richer for it.
Keep up this journey’s postings – would love to share in the human side of your (ad)ventures. Ha!..tips on finding the holy-grail of self-discipline are priceless!
PS Have you seen this – Bruce Mau’s (via brandautopsy) Incomplete Manifesto for Change?
snip:
4. Love your experiments (as you would an ugly child). Joy is the engine of growth. Exploit the liberty in casting your work as beautiful experiments, iterations, attempts, trials, and errors. Take the long view and allow yourself the fun of failure every day.Ciao
Simon in Cape Town
http://www.ideafarm.co.za/blog
Thanks for all these great comments! I wasn’t really sure how a post like this would go over… I usually keep these types of thoughts to my personal writings. Well, thanks for embracing it.
Russ, when you finally get off the Y! train, too, let me know… I’ve got somethings here I could use some help with. 😉
Simon, I really enjoyed the Incomplete Manifesto for Growth. I don’t know that it could have come at a better time. I think there are many things there worth calling out… I may incorporate these somehow into something in the future, although Im not sure how yet.
Anyways, a few I really liked:
1. Allow events to change you. You have to be willing to grow. Growth is different from something that happens to you. You produce it. You live it. The prerequisites for growth: the openness to experience events and the willingness to be changed by them.
3. Process is more important than outcome. When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go to where we’ve already been. If process drives outcome we may not know where we’re going, but we will know we want to be there.
41. Laugh. People visiting the studio often comment on how much we laugh. Since I’ve become aware of this, I use it as a barometer of how comfortably we are expressing ourselves.
Biggest thing is don’t let anybody tell you what to do, even if they have your interests at heart. If you are going to start something you have to succeed or fail on your own terms. It’s you whose life will be impacted in the end, so ultimately you are the only person who can decide if any particular idea or dicrection is the correct one to take.
i worked for my self and then joined a mega-corp. one thing didn’t change, i still work for myself. in my mind and atitude, i work ‘with’ the company rather than ‘for’. the difference being that it’s the fun and excitement that drive you and the self-confidence to move on to bigger and greater things.
also, one thing i didn’t see you mention about your new stage in life – that brain of yours is really firing big time! wow, not to sound repetitive, but i’d say you’re THE mobilegirl. ah, to get your thinking process into the little heads of all the self-styled mobile geniuses at my company. we’re not all that bad, but some days i think we’re wandering off away from our core.
as my boss says, we all need a little more wasabi. you certainly have it.
thanks for sharing.
tchau,
charlie