Dreamers Who Do

Among the many things that I will remember from my MBA coursework, is this screencast by Steve Blank.  In it, Blank a lean startup evangelist articulates the soul of the entrepreneur: Dreamers who do.

I am not going to wax poetic about the virtues of the self-made business person, or contribute yet another web tribute to its late high priest, Steve Jobs. Terry Gross, the famed NPR interviewer once rated "entrepreneurship" as the most overrated trait.  I don't  agree, but I am conscious that not everyone is cut from this cloth, has the desire  or means to start their own enterprise, and that many are perfectly happy in all manner of other worthy pursuits.  I may be one of these. I intend the entrepreneurship track next year, and I am not completely sure if I will follow that path.

The Ultimate

Whatever your vocation, however, I am struck by the power and simplicity of Blank's adage, and think that much joy and agency can result when  we learn to dream and do.

Recently,  I read an article in Fast Company. Joss Whedon, the prolific director of last summer's blockbuster, the Avengers. In it, Joss gives a couple of insights of doing, but also dreaming.

Next Actions

Rather than scoping out your whole action plan, Whedon recommends going with your next logical actions, making a small specific plan.  This point resonates with me.  Whether living life or doing a project, it seems that the ones that I do, usually follow a logical progression from one small step to the next.  I moved out Oregon almost on a whim, I got involved in sustainability in college mostly to impress a girl, and because I got a free trip to a conference in San Francisco. Little did I know what a shift this would mean for my future.  My mother would agree with Joss, she always tells her kids to "follow the next indicated step"when exploring a life decision. It seems that as a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, it is also completed by millions of subsequent ones.

Eat Dessert First

Joss, who also writes films advises people to engage first with their passion.  Instead of writing things in order, or thinking about the hard stuff, he recommends writing or doing the things that are interesting. Once you've invested your passion in the fun parts, he says, it's easier to do the rest of the necessary grunt work.  This is encouraging for me, as I am often stymied in my ambitious dreams by the arduousness of things that are necessary but boring. I also eat dessert first, so this is an easy one to embrace.

Keep Learning

One thing I appreciate about BGI is its interdisciplinary approach to learning. We catch a broad view of business, and engage in a wide variety of issues. This attracts a wide range of people with a variety of experiences.  One way that I learn well is by interacting with such people. Diverse experiences and viewpoints stimulate my learning, and spark my creativity.  Work is a big part of learning for me too.
A few years ago I was in Australia, and lacking any other options, picked up the business classic "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" While I found much of the author's insights spurious, particularly about real estate as the path to riches ( it was fall of 2008!). But, one thing has stuck with me from that book: Work to Learn.  I have had the opportunity to work with some outstanding people, in areas such as sustainability, farming and green building.  Making the aim primarily about learning has given purpose more than the paycheck.

Finally…

Enlist your Friends

I am consistently surprised by the creative minds that I encounter at BGI. Even more, though, I am inspired by their capacity to get things done and make dreams real. I have a lot of good ideas, and am fairly good at getting things done.  I appreciate the peer pressure at BGI, even if it is not intentional, it makes me want to do more than I do, and to know that there are people that can help me along the way.

So here's to all the fun projects I have been putting off these past 9 months. Thanks to Whedon for the good practices, and to my loyal BGI readers for the inspiration!