THAT QUESTION that Gordon keeps asking....

This is in response to Duane's post further down the forum.... I moved it up here so it doesn't get "lost" in the clutter.... :)

> Thanks Dien! My current mission is to
> determine SPECIFICALLY which direction I
> want to go. TOO MANY options! As Gordon has
> been asking, WHAT DO YOU WANT??!!!

Gosh, I know what you mean! I've had the same kinds of questions myself....

I finished with academia, and the last 8 months or so have been an incredible learning process. I've intensively been studying business (through discussions as well as reading and doing).... But you know what? I've discovered (as you have) that it REALLY does boil down to what Gordon keeps saying.... WHAT DO YOU WANT?

It's not an easy question to answer.... It involves really knowing yourself well. In the process of answering this question, I've been learning about myself.... Fill in the blank.... DOING ________ makes me PASSIONATE!

I've discovered that certain things other people do, wouldn't make me happy to do them.... So I can see the financial opportunity, but it just doesn't "mesh" with my personality.

For example, one of the people I admire greatly is Joe Cossman. He made a lot of his money in getting the rights to and selling "novelty" items -- things like novelty shrunken heads. Now, I've realized that I wouldn't be happy doing that.... I've discovered that I like to do things which I feel are "substantial," which change people's lives or change humanity in some way.... (Yes, I know it sounds grandiose.) I've just discovered that this is an element of my personality.... It's what makes me passionate about something.

Here at Sowpub, I LOVE this forum. I believe we have the potential to change people's lives for the better, which is the kind of thing I love and which I can get passionate about. I also enjoy the nature of physics research (which I'm still doing on the side), since I love the idea of pushing forward the frontiers of knowledge.

These answers are all very specific to me and my personality.... I know everyone will have different answers to WHAT DO YOU WANT? I would perhaps extend the question to something like....

What kind of WORK would you like to DO which would you would be PASSIONATE about doing?

I think it's a VERY important question....

When Gordon talked about this, I must admit I didn't quite understand what he was talking about. Of course I know what I want to do -- so I thought. But I didn't really.... I didn't really understand what makes me (as a specific individual) passionate about doing something. Now, I've come MUCH closer to an answer.... And certainly what you probably "should" do is very much dependent on the answer to that question....

This is also the kind of thing Julie Jordan Scott talks about too.... FINDING YOUR PASSION!

> I can't wait to hear about your experiences
> in Silicon Valley! I do enjoy hearing about
> the latest developments. ( I was in IT a
> couple of months back and I am debating
> whether to return)

Yes, I didn't actually go to Silicon Valley (but I was in San Francisco in June 2000), but a couple of my friends were on holiday in Australia (where I'm based).... I'll write an IT post soon on some of the things I learned.... :)

- Dien

I think finding one's passion is aided by asking a few questions: can I imagine myself doing anything else? If I won the lottery tomorrow, would I still be doing this?

Sometimes when we are AFRAID of something, that is an indication that it is what we should be doing. Think about it for a moment...if I took a job at McDonald's today, I certainly wouldn't be afraid of it. Who cares? It has nothing to do with my life goals, so my success or failure at the job isn't going to affect me too much. Now imagine someone who has a dream to manage and some day OWN a McDonald's. That person may be very scared of applying for a job, even as the counter help.

Why? Because they are afraid of failing. If they fail at this entry-level position, they will never see their true passion and dreams realized. That person CARES what happens, because the passion is there.

Now for myself--I am working my way through grad school, and I am very concerned about every thing I do, because all of it is going to have a direct bearing on one of my passions--research and teaching.

What happens if I won the lottery tomorrow? I would take some time off (lord knows I need it), and then I would continue going to school. I am THAT passionate about my dreams.

I also write quite a bit. I know this is my passion for a few reasons: I started my second book before I put the first one up for sale. A ha! I am not in this for the money...I do it for passion. Second, I can't imagine doing anything else (indeed, most of what I do at grad school is researching and writing, so writing in my "spare" time is a natural extension). Lastly, it doesn't feel like work. It is pure fun for me--I will get up VERY early in the morning to get some "work" done before I go to school at 8:00, and I will stay up very late. Even with very little sleep, the adrenaline rush of doing what I love has kept me going for YEARS!!

Becky

p.s. Dien, I emailed you about this matter. Just so you know where the email came from...


Does your web site need a booster shot?

Hi,

You wrote:

>Fill in the
> blank.... DOING ________ makes me
> PASSIONATE!

Maybe the question is more easily answered as:

"If I do something, the following is the REACTION I most LOVE to get:_______________."

I had a hard time with the format "what do you want and why do you want it." I'd just say something stupid like "I want money. Why? So I can buy stuff."

I agree with Gordon that the WHY is crucial: in my not-so-humble opinion, most of the marketers in our community don't know Why they're in business.

Anyway, I think my upside-down question is easier to answer: "If I do something, the following is the REACTION I most LOVE to get:_______________."

Best,

-Boyd

Hi Boyd!

Since I am such a feeling (emotive) type of person anyway, I know for a fact that anything that I stay with is exactly what gives me that certain desired 'feeling' about what I'm doing.

I have pursued other endeavors through the years and had some successes which I've cut short...and moved on just because those projects/businesses didn't give me the desired 'feeling' as part of the end result that made me want to spend my efforts to keep on keeping on.

At certain times, I would just conclude that "it"...whatever I was doing that was ultimately evaluated to be less than satisfying to me... was probably somewhat not in total sync with my particular set of beliefs and values. But, still...that wasn't always the case.

I know the difference of how it 'feels' to get a desired result and how it feels to just be considered successful but without internalizing a result that is completely satisfying.

And, it makes all the difference in the longevity of interest I maintain.

I can only speak for myself, of course, but I think that what you've said is just so true for many of us.

Sometimes, only getting a nice sum of money for our efforts just doesn't adequately fulfill us with the rewarding 'feeling' part of the result that we are seeking as well.

Of course, many could care less about how their result makes them 'feel' as long as it meets their needs in other ways. But, great food for thought!

Hmmmm...could this be categorized as a paradigm shift? :)

Thanks Boyd! Brilliant thinking!
~Amber

> "If I do something, the following is
> the REACTION I most LOVE to
> get:_______________."

> I had a hard time with the format "what
> do you want and why do you want it."
> I'd just say something stupid like "I
> want money. Why? So I can buy stuff."

> I agree with Gordon that the WHY is crucial:
> in my not-so-humble opinion, most of the
> marketers in our community don't know Why
> they're in business.

> Anyway, I think my upside-down question is
> easier to answer: "If I do something,
> the following is the REACTION I most LOVE to
> get:_______________."

> Best,

> -Boyd

Hi Dien,

You hit the nail on the head. Even though, you and I and probably everybody that reads these posts, can spot opportunities...Everywhere.

We still haven't found one that "mesh's" with our personality! (like you state in your post).

It reminds me sort of like buying/renting a vehicle, THOUSANDS of makes and models designed to take you from A to B.

The choice is dependant on where you want to go? (ie. What do you want?) and why are you going there?

Example.

- If I know I want to go to the prom (The What), then I would rent a LIMOUSINE as my vehicle to arrive In Style (The Why)

If I want to go help my friend move, I'd probably
rent a Truck to Carry the furniture.

If I have a large family I would buy a mini-van to transport the troops. However, if I'm a Young bachelor that wants attention from the ladies, I'd probably get a good lookin' SPORTS car!

All of the vehicles could get me to where I want to go. I just have to choose one based on where I'm going and why I'm going there.

Anyways, that's my 2 cents on how I see the issue.

Duane

P.S
Looking forward to the I.T Post.

Duane

> This is in response to Duane's post
> further down the forum.... I moved it up
> here so it doesn't get "lost" in
> the clutter.... :)

> Gosh, I know what you mean! I've had the
> same kinds of questions myself....

> I finished with academia, and the last 8
> months or so have been an incredible
> learning process. I've intensively been
> studying business (through discussions as
> well as reading and doing).... But you know
> what? I've discovered (as you have) that it
> REALLY does boil down to what Gordon keeps
> saying.... WHAT DO YOU WANT?

> It's not an easy question to answer.... It
> involves really knowing yourself well. In
> the process of answering this question, I've
> been learning about myself.... Fill in the
> blank.... DOING ________ makes me
> PASSIONATE!

> I've discovered that certain things other
> people do, wouldn't make me happy to do
> them.... So I can see the financial
> opportunity, but it just doesn't
> "mesh" with my personality.

> For example, one of the people I admire
> greatly is Joe Cossman. He made a lot of his
> money in getting the rights to and selling
> "novelty" items -- things like
> novelty shrunken heads. Now, I've realized
> that I wouldn't be happy doing that.... I've
> discovered that I like to do things which I
> feel are "substantial," which
> change people's lives or change humanity in
> some way.... (Yes, I know it sounds
> grandiose.) I've just discovered that this
> is an element of my personality.... It's
> what makes me passionate about something.

> Here at Sowpub, I LOVE this forum. I believe
> we have the potential to change people's
> lives for the better, which is the kind of
> thing I love and which I can get passionate
> about. I also enjoy the nature of physics
> research (which I'm still doing on the
> side), since I love the idea of pushing
> forward the frontiers of knowledge.

> These answers are all very specific to me
> and my personality.... I know everyone will
> have different answers to WHAT DO YOU WANT?
> I would perhaps extend the question to
> something like....

> What kind of WORK would you like to DO
> which would you would be PASSIONATE about
> doing? I think it's a VERY important
> question....

> When Gordon talked about this, I must admit
> I didn't quite understand what he was
> talking about. Of course I know what I want
> to do -- so I thought. But I didn't
> really.... I didn't really understand what
> makes me (as a specific individual)
> passionate about doing something. Now, I've
> come MUCH closer to an answer.... And
> certainly what you probably
> "should" do is very much dependent
> on the answer to that question....

> This is also the kind of thing Julie Jordan
> Scott talks about too.... FINDING YOUR
> PASSION!

> Yes, I didn't actually go to Silicon Valley
> (but I was in San Francisco in June 2000),
> but a couple of my friends were on holiday
> in Australia (where I'm based).... I'll
> write an IT post soon on some of the things
> I learned.... :)

> - Dien