Do you know that out of every 3000 ideas only 100 are explored, 10 are developed, 2 are launched and 1 is a success 11. That’s 1 in 3000. So today, if you’re an innovator or entrepreneur working on your idea, bringing value to people and/or making money out of it, congrats! You’re already a success!
But, how do the rest of us get to that point?
Here are a few brief tips to getting on that road to a purposeful and fulfilled life. Side note: hopefully you make money out of it too!
1. Identify your passion
It’s said that the thing that you enjoyed doing most when you were 10-12 years old, that’s usually the thing that you were born to do and the thing that you’re probably going to find the most fulfillment doing. Think back to that time. Remember how you filled those post Common Entrance / SEA days and look back on the joy that that brought you. If you can’t and you do have a passion right now – something that, if you were to wake up every day for the rest of your life and do it would not feel like ‘work’ – that’s probably the thing you’re called to do. Now consider whether or not that passion can bring value to others. Does it solve a problem? Does it solve a problem for which others are looking for a solution? Does that passion line up with your natural or learnt talents and giftedness? Does it line up with your value system? Can you make money selling it? If you’re able to find the sweet spot where your passion lines up with your talents and you can make money out of it, you’ve identified your calling!
2. Determine what you’ll need to do to be able to pursue that dream
It’s one thing to know what you want to do or what you’re passionate about. It’s another to go from there to success. That’s a long hard journey but you can only reach that destination if you take the steps to get there. Before taking any step though, come up with a plan. Start at the top and work backward to where you are now. Here are a few sample questions you may need to ask yourself: Determine what qualification you’ll need to pursue that dream! Do you need certification? If so, what are the prerequisites to the programme? Do you have those? How do you get them? Do you need capital? Do you need permits?
3. Create a map to get there
Line by line, write down. Yes, WRITE down every single answer to every single question that comes up and every single step that needs to be taken to get there. Write them, as much as possible, in the order in which they must be accomplished. If there are parallel tracks, put them on the same timeline. Add estimates to these steps with definitive dates by which you must accomplish them. Make that plan clear. Leave nothing to chance. If you know someone who’s gone down this road before that you trust, talk to them, get their input and ask them to help you tweak and manage objectively. Get help! Better yet, enlist someone to hold you accountable to your self-imposed deadlines and mini-goals.
4. If it’s all new, carve the path out
If your dream is different and it’s not something that anyone’s done before, then make your plan but know that your road might be a little more curvy than most others. Know that you may have to figure some of it out by trial and error. That’s ok! Still make a plan. And make sure to stick to it as much as you can.
5. ACT
Go for it. Get what you need to to go there. Take one step at a time. The most important part of this is not just coming up with a promising concept, but positioning yourself to own it, rethinking and reworking it, implementing it and then putting it to practice. Document your journey. Note your successes and failures as this info will help you to consistently make better decisions. Make sure that you use all the resources to your disposal. Execute!
This is by no means a complete guide to leading a purposeful and fulfilled life but I hope that these few pointers and thoughts would’ve re-ignited that little flame of passion that you have inside and would’ve gotten you thinking about how you can have impact!
Drop us a line and tell us what you’re passionate about or what lessons you’ve learnt on the road to success. We’d love to hear from you!
Go get ‘em!
If you don’t build your dream, some
one will hire you to build theirs – I challenge
you to build YOUR dream! Do IT!
- See – Stevens, Greg A., Burley, James 1997 3,000 raw ideas = 1 commercial success! By: Research Technology Management, 08956308, May/June97, Vol. 40, Issue 3