Evidently Marcus

My last post about getting “sidetrailed” reminded me of what a wise older gentleman in my church once told me…

“Everything we do takes us another step down a path, a path with a very real destination., and all destinations aren’t the same. Be sure the path you are on takes you somewhere you want to go.” - I’m paraphrasing of course… it was years ago.

The wisdom of that statement really struck me though, and has stayed with me. It is something I still reflect on from time to time. Am I on a path that will someday take me to a place I want to end up?

I have thus far found the path of entrepreneurship to be as much about self-discovery, personal growth, and faith, as it is about creating a business. Reality hits you in the face much harder and faster than when you are just a small part of a larger machine whittling away “for the man.” The experience has shown me how much of our identity (rightly or wrongly) can be wrapped up in what we do… and how well we do it. In addition, it has instilled in me not only a strong desire (a need even) for greater personal discipline, diligence, and self-control, but also the resolve to take action on that desire. A proverb along those lines keeps ringing in my head… “The diligent hand will govern, but the slothful will be enslaved.” (In modern terms - either be diligent, or you will work for someone else).

I continue to learn humility as well (I’m sure many would say I have a long ways to go)… since I so often don’t really know exactly what I am doing … I am no longer constrained to the “safe” boundaries set first by the school system and then by my employers… I am free to fail, and fail spectacularly! Yet, I know roughly where I am going, and I trust that with the amazing support I get from my family, friends, and my faith everything will turn out alright… though don’t ask me just what that will look like :-).

This, of course, reminds me of what Steve Jobs said in his great 2005 Stanford Commencement speech (transcript | video):

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever [ed. - I would recommend a different object for your trust]. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

The two statements are more related than one might think. One is about knowing your destination, where you are going. The other is about not worrying about exactly how you are going to get there… not trying to anticipate all the twists and turns on the trail.

Happy hiking!

Technorati Tags: lessons, stevejobs

Well, it has been far too long since my last post… 96 days to be exact. Some friends have begun to wonder what happened. Have I given up? Am I thinking about looking for “normal” employment? Neither of those is the case, at least not yet. I was just sidetrailed for a while.

Sidetrailed, not sidetracked, because well… I headed down a completely different trail, with a very different destination. I knew going in that there was a high likelihood it would be an entrepreneurial dead end, but for a variety of reasons I took the path anyway. I had an opportunity to work with a good friend on a very interesting project (one I may pick up again someday).

Bad decision? Maybe, especially given my limited funds. Good fun? Definitely. Would I do it again knowing how it turned out? Absolutely. You never know what that brief detour could enable in the future. Besides, how many of us get the chance to work on an exciting venture with one of our best friends? A partnership based on more than financials with someone you know you can trust.

That makes me feel all the more fortunate, since I am now partnering with my best friend on my original idea. Two great opportunities in just a few short months. Only time and hard work will tell how it all goes, but I’m optimistic.

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