The artist is the perpetual creative.
He always longs for more and is caught in wonder about what’s next.
Here’s to setting our sails off the shores of complacency so that we may find new islands of opportunity.
Your music is yours and only yours.
The same goes for your story.
Own it.
Make it.
Create it.
Lead it.
Speak it.
Breathe it.
Live it.
Share it.
These are the things no one can take from you – AND, they are your competitive advantage as well.
This is the good news of all things entrepreneurial.
Q: Why am I here?
A: _________________________
Q What are my goals?
A: _________________________
Q: Where am I going?
A: _________________________
Q: What keeps me up at night?
A: _________________________
Q: What is my story?
A:__________________________
Q: What is my music?
A:__________________________
Not enough of us are brave enough to ask these questions – and even less of us are brave enough to find the answers.
Want to dent the world? Start asking questions.
Want to change the world? Start finding and creating answers.
Back in the day (not long ago), art wasn’t blessed within the lines of commerce.
We just wanted the news and maybe The Late Show.
We just wanted a pair of shoes.
We just wanted a hotel for the night.
We just wanted a cup of coffee.
No room for art here in these wants.
But that was then and this is now.
We just wanted a pizza when that is all Dominoes offered. Now enter Cane Rosso to open pandoras box on what you thought a pizza was. You didn’t know you wanted art with your pizza did you?
We just wanted to make mobile calls when that is all Motorola offered. Now enter Steve Jobs and with his cronies looking to bring sexy back with your phone. You didn’t know wanted fashion and art with your phone did you?
We just wanted to take a picture, but Instagram knew we wanted to make art. You din’t know you could be or wanted to be an artist did you?
Look at who is gaining market share and you’re going to find a bunch of artist, modern day hippies, ex-hippies, and so called “randoms” shaking things up and changing the world.
Intro to Art, in my opinion, is just as necessary as Intro to Business in your career development.
“Why reinvent the wheel?”
That’s a dangerous question that typically leads to nothing, no growth, and no action.
Sure you can’t reinvent the wheel, but you can reinvent how it intersects our world and culture.
Homes will always need to be sold, but ways for that transaction to transpire will always need to be reinvented.
Communication will always be needed, but reinvent the means of communicating. (Pony Express, Postal Service, Phone, Email, Text, Twitter – what’s next?)
You can’t reinvent the concept of a hotel, but you can reinvent what an overnight stay looks like.
Travel will always need to happen, but please reinvent the way your wheel gets you traveling.
Ask yourself this daily, “if I was starting my business today what would I do/create that didn’t do when I did start my business _______ years ago? – AND, what would I do away with that I did do 10 years ago when I started my business?”
Whatever that answer is will be how you should reinvent yourself today and everyday.
Just don’t convince yourself that your wheel is as perfect as you think it is.
Ashton.Gustafson 