My 24 year, 1000 businesses analysis...CONCLUSION.

[Dien Rice]

Hi Gordon,

I've recently had an unusual line of thought...

Once you've achieved a certain "mastery" of something... it can become an "art"...

Imagine a gymnast... At the start, she's trying to make sure she doesn't make any mistakes... she doesn't fall off the balance beam, doesn't stumble when she lands after a backflip, that sort of thing...

But once she achieves a certain level of mastery...

She can turn it into an "art"... she can create her own, signature moves, and has much more freedom - because she's no longer struggling to learn the basics!

I believe "business" can be like this... Once you achieve a certain level of mastery, doing and creating business can become an "art" (to a degree)... Where it can be infused with your own personality...

At the beginning, you're struggling to learn how to sell... how to fulfil orders... how to coordinate everything harmoniously, amidst the chaos...!

But, after achieving a certain level of mastery, business can in a sense become your "canvas"... an "art" that makes money...

I really think Steve Jobs reached this level of mastery with Apple, for example... I believe Harvey Brody is in the same mold, and has also reached this level of mastery too... Of course, the artist formerly known as "Mr Chattel"* is an "artist" as well - all you have to do is read his various reports and hotsheets!

What do you think? Am I off my rocker?

(Of course, it still has to make money, or it's not a viable business! All "art" has constraints, and that's one of the constraints!)

Best wishes,

Dien

*For those not in the "know"... Gordon once used to run a forum called "Mr Chattel" !

Originally Posted by GordonJ

Tried the nudist thing, didn't like the smirks and giggles; went the opposite...where we wore 3 outfits at a time...decided balance and some modesty suited me just fine.

Knowing what I know today...what would I do?

Well.

THINK things over.

And here is THE thing, I would attempt to do what SUITED me, so what I might say I would do, is going to be a lot different from anyone...it is a futile exercise, however, being MR. FUTILE, 1992, and losing that title to perennial title holder, Mr. D. Trump, it won't stop me from mouthing off (see, I do have some things in common).

What I do know is this: WORK should be meaningful. I mean, if one has to work, why not make it both enjoyable and purposeful, eh?

The most deplorable people I've met in the last 50 years were mostly nepos who didn't have to work...the saying, idle hands are the devil's tools...seems to fit these folks.

But as to the slop and mess of it all; I would have much earlier established a proprietary business, one that was not replicable because of that proprietary position...and built off of that.

One size does not fit all.

So, knowing what I know today, I would spend time to THINK about what my real goals would be, WHY? and then about a Plan Of Action to fulfill those, knowing they are only a rest stop on the journey.

For me, I would have started a publishing company much earlier and developed proprietary products only available from me.

How about you all?

Gordon