Passion in your journey is good. Purpose is better.

Every entrepreneur is on a journey. As with human development, this journey is divided up into clearly discernable stages:

     There are baby business. (“Waaa!”).

     Toddler businesses. (A little wobbly, but practicing).

     Teen businesses. (“I don’t have to do anything you say!”).

     Young adult businesses. (“Clear the way! I’m changing the world!”).

     And even elderly businesses. (“We are tired. Just tired”).

The goal of course in any business is to find the fountain of youth.

Eventually, during the course of evolution from one stage to another, something happens in every entrepreneur’s journey. Perhaps it is a cash flow crisis. Perhaps a competitor moves in. Maybe they just need to ditch the ‘D’ customers and attract better clients. But whatever the reason for the restlessness, they begin to question, and realize that what they use to believe about business is not working anymore. Entrepreneurs often get so caught up in the tyranny of the urgent that they find themselves unprepared for these challenges. And they find themselves dissatisfied. They know that there has to be something more. Much of the problem lies in the vision and the goal.

Many small business owners begin with a goal to simply make money. (“We will get to the important stuff later!”). It is not uncommon for these same entrepreneurs to later find themselves like the shrimp on a treadmill. (Have you seen that video?) Some entrepreneurs begin with much passion for the product, knowing exactly what they want to do. Unfortunately, they have never bothered asking the customer what they want to do. Once the customer figures out that the business is only interested in the almighty dollar and has taking mentality instead of a giving mentality, sales will naturally slump. And the thrill is completely gone.

Without a worthy vision and goal, entrepreneurs find themselves falling into a crisis of identity, context, and meaning. They fall into the ditch, whether financially, intellectually, or emotionally. If you find yourself there right now, good. You now have a perfect opportunity to create a business with deeper meaning and richer purpose.

Take a step back from your business for a moment. Context is everything. Get the big picture view.

What is it that you are trying to accomplish? How will the world be different because your business existed? Your business does not revolve around you. It does not revolve around your product. (What product line ever lasts more than a few years?). Your business revolves around your customer. What is it like to be them? Focus on their objectives, and a reason that goes beyond the almighty dollar. Your business also revolves around your gifts, and what you are best suited to give to the world.

Imagine your business in ten years. Now imagine it successful. What does it look like? What are you doing? Who are you doing it for? What are people paying you for? If you want the world to be a different place, what does the world look like when you have done what you have set out to do?

The point of seeing into the future is not to see everything. You do not need to answer every question. The point of seeing is to believe in your own vision. Seeing the goal helps you to know how to take the next step.

Sure, like many non-thinking entrepreneurs, you can wing it. You can wait and see.

But how much better to see and wait.

And while you are waiting you can work diligently and intelligently, toward your Big Picture Goal. This is doing business–by design.

That is this week’s Imagination Hat!