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This online business malarkey, it’s all about building relationships, getting influential people to respect and refer you, getting your twitter count up, and building a following who adore you and want to buy your products, right?
Wrong.
It’s all about you.
There is excellent (and free) advice on the Internet about how to get started with your business online, how to market your business, and how to build relationships with customers to keep them coming back for more.
But forget that for a moment.
Forget what your customers want, forget what your online friends are saying about you, good or bad and forget your friends and family who tell you what a success you are, or that you should get a real job (which is…?)
Ask yourself: “What do I want?”
What would you write about on your blog if you didn’t care how many people read it? What subject would you cover if you weren’t thinking about its retweetable value? What would you create if you weren’t thinking about who would buy it, what would you really like to do with your client’s project if you weren’t hoping they’d rehire you?
Go and do that.
I’m not saying throw everything you’ve worked towards away. I’m saying take some time and create something that has absolutely no purpose other than your own selfish satisfaction.
Write the story burning inside of you without any thought to where you could submit or sell it. Write a blog post that doesn’t fit in with your editorial strategy, might upset your audience but would give you a huge buzz to get down on paper.
Forget the outcome, forget thinking if it’s going to make you money, or if people will like you afterwards.
Do it because you want to do it, because you feel inspired. Get it out of you. Get it on paper, or canvas, or on the phone or in a song, or in a run or a walk.
Are you surprised by what you do?
Is it vastly different to what you are creating day in day out? If so it might be time to have a rethink your purpose or your audience. You can always learn how to market your creations, but you can’t be taught your passion by anyone else.
Without that passion you will never find success. You may find it in other’s eyes but chances are there will be a large part of you that is massively unfulfilled.
Don’t let the concern about the outcome or opinion dim your star.
Forget everyone else, remember who you are and shine.
Amen to that!
It’s funny you should mention heart-centered business, I’ve been reading a lot of Mark Silver over at http://heartofbusiness.com, are you familiar with him?
I have heard of Mark, though I can’t remember how…. will hope over now and check him out properly! 🙂
This is verrry interesting. There are lots of ‘mixed-messages’ on the net “Focus on your target market, provide value!” and now “Screw everyone, write what you love.”
To make sure I understand correctly…
By your reference to “Is it vastly different to what you are creating day in day out?”, I believe you’re saying, write what we truly want, as a step 1, and then find an appropriate niche to ‘provide value to.’ 😀
If that’s what you’re saying… I love it 🙂
Either way, that’s what I’m getting from it 😀 Thanks for the awesome article!
Hey Jason!
I do believe that you can match up your passion to a niche. And you’re right, there are mixed messages but I think it’s because it’s never black and white (if only it were that simple!). It’s a constant balance of doing what you love (which makes you better at doing it) and listening to your customers (listening to the right ones makes this easier)!
I know a lot of people who choose their business on profitability alone (rather than a passion) but this is usually because it lets them lead a lifestyle they are passionate about. Other people want a more heart-centered business that feeds their soul. It’s a different marker for everyone. 🙂
Hi Ashok, thanks for the comment, I do firmly believe that if you want to be successful and happy you have to love what you do so it’s important to look after yourself and your interests.
wow, very very inspiring,, but without all these there we can’t be successful,,