“If you want advice, ask for money. If you want money, ask for advice.”
I like this adage, not because it’s a hard and fast rule, but because it speaks to the sideways nature of things.
There’s a difference between our intent and our effect.
The founder of Patagonia didn’t have an aim to build an outdoor clothing empire, but rather to improve the tools he used for rock climbing. He realized that solving his own and others problems provided a way to make a living.
Concerning growth, there are different perspectives to see the work you do.
Business is not a determined science. There aren’t any formulas for success. This isn’t chemistry. There isn’t a “right way” to do thing regardless of how many “best practices” we implement.
Different perspectives offer different opportunities to create new effects.
How would you change your approach, if you viewed your business as:
- A R & D lab for problems your customers have
- A startup
- A vehicle to accomplish an important mission
- A low risk investment vehicle
- A school to study in
What could be the shift in effects as your intent shifted?
Featured image is William Henry Jackson’s 1899 photograph of El Capitan. Used under public domain.