This article was written by L. John Jones, and though he tends to be full of himself his thoughts are really interesting so I edited it and put in a Sun Tzu quote. Enjoy!
Sometime during my teenage years I decided that my personal motto would be "to have my friends always underestimate my virtues and my enemies to always overestimate my faults". I didn't coin this phrase myself but I borrowed it from Mario Puzo’s famous character, Don Corleone, in his novel, ‘The Godfather’. I have come to believe that this is the greatest advantage that a human being can have over others, be they friend or foe: that their true worth should be underestimated and their inevitable blemishes overestimated. Instead of correcting the mistaken assessment, Do Nothing; sometimes I will even go as far as to even stoke the fires and encourage an erroneous approximation of myself. If a friend does not appreciate the full measure of my virtues or an enemy has over estimated my faults, they are at a serious disadvantage to me, so I always try to remind myself to keep things as they are. It is however very difficult not to assert oneself in such situations because most human beings naturally desire to have their full worth appreciated by others. Perhaps I am a bit fortunate in this because I am one of those people that enjoys shocking people constantly; excelling in doing things that they did not think were possible for me to do. Consequently I have decided that it is necessary for me to ensure that both my allies and adversaries never have an accurate measure of what I am fully capable of, what my true intentions, actual goals and inner motivations really are; always be prepared for the unexpected, the awe inspiring and the baffling when it has to do with me (...okay it appears he’s blowing a horn here...ignore this hubris filled narrator when the horn blows – KAA).
At first it appears that allowing people to hold a wrong assessment of you is not just ill advised and irresponsible but reduces your prospects with them; or does it? Underestimated virtues and overestimated faults have been the cause of a great many disappointments and innumerable huge surprises and account for the victories or losses of a myriad battles. They remain an inextricable part of fiction and non-fiction tales as well as movie plot twists. They are a recurring theme in epic anime saga’s that have bleached their mark on our psyche and inspire true-life tales of impossible triumphs. If you assess my virtues and faults inaccurately I have a great advantage over you because you will always be unprepared when I prove that I am more virtuous or less faulty than you thought. This fits in perfectly with what ‘our’ favorite Chinese philosopher has to say, “All [warfare] is based on deception, hence when able to attack, we must seem unable, when using our forces, we must seem inactive, when we are near we must seem far away and [vice versa]”. This is the hallmark of excellence, the ability to deceive people without lying to them but rather allowing (or encouraging) them to lie to themselves about you. It involves using the other persons preconceptions, biases, attitudes, upbringing, observable traits and the like against them in such a way that is simply reaffirming what they expect of you, instead of what you can really do – until the point where it is advantageous for you to play your hand!
To fully explain this concept would be impossible in a three-paragraph blog so I encourage you to deliberate more on this. Essentially this is how magicians create illusions and seasoned poker players always seem to win – they play on your perceptions and misdirect you from the truth about what they are actually doing (or holding) so that your assessment of what is going on is completely wrong. It is important for every Business Mind to appreciate the power of ‘intentional misdirection’ in order to maintain a critical advantage over any competition. Never ever make the mistake of putting all your cards on the table, rather put up your most useless cards first and wait until the advantageous moment to reveal your ace in the hole. But before you can create illusions on your virtues and faults you must first know yourself completely – you must be completely honest about your capabilities and limitations to yourself before you can try to make others assess them inaccurately. When you are completely aware of what you are truly capable of then can you truly become a master strategist who excels at befuddling other people's expectations of you. There is nothing I love to hear more than statements like, “I know you Jones, you can’t do it”, “I have you all figured out Jones” or something along those lines – I laugh with joy inside because I know that there is only one entity that knows me through and through. Anybody else who thinks they have ‘read’ me accurately is only being misled and Yes, preparing to be SHOCKED!
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR?.......Part 2
This is the second part of the article written by Samuel Okore Mintah, the Operations Officer of BMIC. What a marvelous piece - Enjoy!
I initially stated that the journey of every entrepreneur starts with an idea that begins in the mind. But the idea has to be fully developed and nurtured to the extent that it becomes a Burning Desire. It is this burning desire that invigorates the entrepreneur to go every extent no matter the inevitable impediments to attain his or her goal. This burning desire reinforces the mind to focus on a goal and propel the entrepreneur by reinforcing them for the long arduous journey to their desired destination. Having a burning desire will only take an entrepreneur halfway on the journey required to turn an idea into reality: unless the whole mindset of the entrepreneur is consumed by this desire. A consuming desire is stated by Noel Bempong “as the energy, fuel or power that is capable of launching one into action to bring the goal in mind to reality”. This means that consuming desire is what encourages, strengthens and motivates the entrepreneur to endure and act even in the face of adversity. Without this consuming desire, the entrepreneur is bound to stop pursuing his goal when unavoidable obstacles surface, but with this consuming desire any impediment is seen by the entrepreneur as a minor obstruction or even an opportunity in disguise. Apart from external impediments like a lack of funds or required experience, there are internal obstacles that emanate from within the entrepreneur’s own self in the form of low self-esteem, doubts, fear, procrastination etc. Acting at all times and in the face of all these obstacles is the underpinning manifestation of consuming desire that will get you to your destination. Action is the bridge between our dreams and reality, so ACT NOW because without action there is no progress.
They say what you see is what you get but this is not necessarily true in the world of business because what occupies your thoughts most of the time is what tends to manifest in reality. I prefer to say ‘how you think it is how you get it’. How you visualize an idea in your mind’s eye determines the probable reality that [with enough work] will materialize. Therefore as an entrepreneur, the positioning of your thoughts after every experience is what will make or break you. For example after your business suffers an unexpected setback, you have two options; you can admit failing abysmally and give up; or you can decide to see the setback as an opportunity to re-examine what caused the problem and consequently correct mistakes and root out inefficiencies. The second option allows you to approach the same project again but from a different direction which will yield the desired results, but the first option prevents you from trying again. So the difference between the businessman who succeeds and the one who fails lies in their mental outlook to life. Those with a consistently positive mental attitude tend to succeed even after many hiccups whiles those with a negative outlook to life inevitably give up. Human thoughts are powerful enough to transform into a reality exactly as has been envisioned. This means that Success or Failure is already decided in the mind before it manifests into observable reality.
A true entrepreneur never gives up because in the dictionary for entrepreneurial skills the word ‘quit’ does not exist. Perseverance [or persistence] is the word that defines every entrepreneur’s success. Though giving up may seem the best thing to do, your success is inevitable if you refuse to cave in. They say the darkest time of the night is the moment just before the break of dawn; this means that in every endeavour the point where going on seems impossible is when you must realise that victory is just a step away. Persistence is a mental attitude cultivated from self-discipline that will get you to your final destination no matter the odds you face. It is easy to dream but to be determined enough to achieve those dreams is the hardest of all the traits that an entrepreneur must cultivate but with self-discipline and hard work nothing can stand in the way of a person who desires to be an entrepreneurial success.
Acres of diamonds exist right beneath our feet therefore it is up to us the young entrepreneurs to identify these burgeoning opportunities so we can develop them for the benefit of the masses. Though lack of funds and experience may cause us to doubt our capabilities it should be understood that though many have tried and failed those who succeeded were the ones that never gave up. No matter the obstacles that may exist nothing can prevent you from dreaming. Dream and imagine where you want to be and work hard and sacrifice to make them realities. Imagination is the ‘workshop of the mind’ where ideas are assembled together to form big dreams; true entrepreneurs are those individuals that persevere in their efforts and use their failures as stepping-stones to propel them to their final destination - SUCCESS.
I initially stated that the journey of every entrepreneur starts with an idea that begins in the mind. But the idea has to be fully developed and nurtured to the extent that it becomes a Burning Desire. It is this burning desire that invigorates the entrepreneur to go every extent no matter the inevitable impediments to attain his or her goal. This burning desire reinforces the mind to focus on a goal and propel the entrepreneur by reinforcing them for the long arduous journey to their desired destination. Having a burning desire will only take an entrepreneur halfway on the journey required to turn an idea into reality: unless the whole mindset of the entrepreneur is consumed by this desire. A consuming desire is stated by Noel Bempong “as the energy, fuel or power that is capable of launching one into action to bring the goal in mind to reality”. This means that consuming desire is what encourages, strengthens and motivates the entrepreneur to endure and act even in the face of adversity. Without this consuming desire, the entrepreneur is bound to stop pursuing his goal when unavoidable obstacles surface, but with this consuming desire any impediment is seen by the entrepreneur as a minor obstruction or even an opportunity in disguise. Apart from external impediments like a lack of funds or required experience, there are internal obstacles that emanate from within the entrepreneur’s own self in the form of low self-esteem, doubts, fear, procrastination etc. Acting at all times and in the face of all these obstacles is the underpinning manifestation of consuming desire that will get you to your destination. Action is the bridge between our dreams and reality, so ACT NOW because without action there is no progress.
They say what you see is what you get but this is not necessarily true in the world of business because what occupies your thoughts most of the time is what tends to manifest in reality. I prefer to say ‘how you think it is how you get it’. How you visualize an idea in your mind’s eye determines the probable reality that [with enough work] will materialize. Therefore as an entrepreneur, the positioning of your thoughts after every experience is what will make or break you. For example after your business suffers an unexpected setback, you have two options; you can admit failing abysmally and give up; or you can decide to see the setback as an opportunity to re-examine what caused the problem and consequently correct mistakes and root out inefficiencies. The second option allows you to approach the same project again but from a different direction which will yield the desired results, but the first option prevents you from trying again. So the difference between the businessman who succeeds and the one who fails lies in their mental outlook to life. Those with a consistently positive mental attitude tend to succeed even after many hiccups whiles those with a negative outlook to life inevitably give up. Human thoughts are powerful enough to transform into a reality exactly as has been envisioned. This means that Success or Failure is already decided in the mind before it manifests into observable reality.
A true entrepreneur never gives up because in the dictionary for entrepreneurial skills the word ‘quit’ does not exist. Perseverance [or persistence] is the word that defines every entrepreneur’s success. Though giving up may seem the best thing to do, your success is inevitable if you refuse to cave in. They say the darkest time of the night is the moment just before the break of dawn; this means that in every endeavour the point where going on seems impossible is when you must realise that victory is just a step away. Persistence is a mental attitude cultivated from self-discipline that will get you to your final destination no matter the odds you face. It is easy to dream but to be determined enough to achieve those dreams is the hardest of all the traits that an entrepreneur must cultivate but with self-discipline and hard work nothing can stand in the way of a person who desires to be an entrepreneurial success.
Acres of diamonds exist right beneath our feet therefore it is up to us the young entrepreneurs to identify these burgeoning opportunities so we can develop them for the benefit of the masses. Though lack of funds and experience may cause us to doubt our capabilities it should be understood that though many have tried and failed those who succeeded were the ones that never gave up. No matter the obstacles that may exist nothing can prevent you from dreaming. Dream and imagine where you want to be and work hard and sacrifice to make them realities. Imagination is the ‘workshop of the mind’ where ideas are assembled together to form big dreams; true entrepreneurs are those individuals that persevere in their efforts and use their failures as stepping-stones to propel them to their final destination - SUCCESS.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
WHO IS AN ENTREPRENEUR?.......Part 1
This article was written by Samuel Okore Mintah, the Chief Operations Officer of BMIC. He is a true friend and a brilliant business partner with the mind of a business guru in the making. Enjoy!
I have been asking myself the same question time and time again, “Who is an Entrepreneur?”
From the many books I have read on Entrepreneurism the same answer to this very question pops up; simply put “An Entrepreneur is anybody who DESIRES to take the risks necessary to employ him or herself and others in a business venture.” Desire is a required mental attitude for an entrepreneur, but in the harsh world of business it is not enough to simply have desire, in order to succeed you need something more. An entrepreneur , formulates a definite goal(s) from an Idea, identifies an Opportunity and without procrastination works diligently towards achieving his or her objectives no matter the inevitable impediments to create value from a potentially profitable venture. Ideas are the children of the brain, which means that Entrepreneurism begins in the Mind. It is important to note that any business idea is potentially profitable but transforming the idea into a lucrative reality depends of the amount of work and determination that the proponent of the idea wants to expend in the pursuit of success. It is most often fear of the uncertainties of self-employment that results in most people giving up potentially profitable entrepreneurial opportunities in favour of securing a ‘safe’ and secure job, which was created by someone else.
The striking fact of economics is this; entrepreneurs are the minority who create opportunities for the majority to make a living. Every successful business, big or small, local or global, was the brainchild of a determined entrepreneur(s) that consequently created opportunities for others to benefit from, either as employees, shareholders or consumers. Their activities buttress that of state-run institutions by providing occupations for all the people seeking jobs that cannot be employed by the government. Entrepreneurs make up and define the Private Sector of any economy, which in most capitalist societies is much bigger than the Public Sector. All these jobs and opportunities originated as a little idea in the mind of an entrepreneur, which consequently contributes to nation building, creating jobs for the people and wealth for him or herself. Wealth creation through job creation is the universal attribute that is seen in every entrepreneur. Members of the entrepreneurial minority usually start with nothing but a simple idea, massive amounts of Determination, an incredible Work Ethic, the refusal so accept Defeat or Failure and eventually accomplish great feats in diverse areas because of their willingness to work, work harder and then work some more. With an idiosyncratic CAN-DO attitude and a NEVER-GIVE-UP spirit, entrepreneurs have been able to change the destinies of others and the fortunes of entire nations.
During a conversation a friend once asked me, “If entrepreneurial skills and job creation was important why wasn’t it being taught in schools?” I responded as Robert Kiyosaki wrote in his book, “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, “wealth creation or entrepreneurism is not taught in schools”. The syllabus taught in schools teach nothing about job creation or how to realize value out of an idea because the syllabus has been designed to turn us into job seekers instead of job creators. Therefore entrepreneurism is an individual pursuit that begins with an idea and manifests into reality through Determination, Hard Work, Perseverance, Discipline and Creativity. Indeed because of the unique and rare qualities that are necessary for a true entrepreneur to be born, not all of us can become entrepreneurs, which means job creators must not necessarily equal job seekers to decrease the large rate of unemployment. According to Noel Brempong, if just 5% of the citizens of Ghana become bona fide job creators then the unemployment rate of this country would reduce drastically.
An entrepreneur doesn’t wait for opportunities to come their way instead they actively search for opportunities and when they find one, they are able to capitalize on it to create value through which they create jobs for others and wealth for themselves. They use these opportunities to create an efficient effort-based system where wealth is generated by taking hold of the idea no matter how simple or complex and putting in the work necessary for it to become a successful reality. These entrepreneurs have Limitless Courage, a Positive Mindset, a Persistent Spirit and most importantly Self-Belief. Besides the above traits, entrepreneurs take responsibility for their actions; they have confidence in others, they cooperate with others and learn from their mistakes. When they sense an opportunity they move into action without leaving any room for procrastination. In entrepreneurism one’s level of education, sex, age, and race have no bearing on becoming successful......
I have been asking myself the same question time and time again, “Who is an Entrepreneur?”
From the many books I have read on Entrepreneurism the same answer to this very question pops up; simply put “An Entrepreneur is anybody who DESIRES to take the risks necessary to employ him or herself and others in a business venture.” Desire is a required mental attitude for an entrepreneur, but in the harsh world of business it is not enough to simply have desire, in order to succeed you need something more. An entrepreneur , formulates a definite goal(s) from an Idea, identifies an Opportunity and without procrastination works diligently towards achieving his or her objectives no matter the inevitable impediments to create value from a potentially profitable venture. Ideas are the children of the brain, which means that Entrepreneurism begins in the Mind. It is important to note that any business idea is potentially profitable but transforming the idea into a lucrative reality depends of the amount of work and determination that the proponent of the idea wants to expend in the pursuit of success. It is most often fear of the uncertainties of self-employment that results in most people giving up potentially profitable entrepreneurial opportunities in favour of securing a ‘safe’ and secure job, which was created by someone else.The striking fact of economics is this; entrepreneurs are the minority who create opportunities for the majority to make a living. Every successful business, big or small, local or global, was the brainchild of a determined entrepreneur(s) that consequently created opportunities for others to benefit from, either as employees, shareholders or consumers. Their activities buttress that of state-run institutions by providing occupations for all the people seeking jobs that cannot be employed by the government. Entrepreneurs make up and define the Private Sector of any economy, which in most capitalist societies is much bigger than the Public Sector. All these jobs and opportunities originated as a little idea in the mind of an entrepreneur, which consequently contributes to nation building, creating jobs for the people and wealth for him or herself. Wealth creation through job creation is the universal attribute that is seen in every entrepreneur. Members of the entrepreneurial minority usually start with nothing but a simple idea, massive amounts of Determination, an incredible Work Ethic, the refusal so accept Defeat or Failure and eventually accomplish great feats in diverse areas because of their willingness to work, work harder and then work some more. With an idiosyncratic CAN-DO attitude and a NEVER-GIVE-UP spirit, entrepreneurs have been able to change the destinies of others and the fortunes of entire nations.
During a conversation a friend once asked me, “If entrepreneurial skills and job creation was important why wasn’t it being taught in schools?” I responded as Robert Kiyosaki wrote in his book, “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, “wealth creation or entrepreneurism is not taught in schools”. The syllabus taught in schools teach nothing about job creation or how to realize value out of an idea because the syllabus has been designed to turn us into job seekers instead of job creators. Therefore entrepreneurism is an individual pursuit that begins with an idea and manifests into reality through Determination, Hard Work, Perseverance, Discipline and Creativity. Indeed because of the unique and rare qualities that are necessary for a true entrepreneur to be born, not all of us can become entrepreneurs, which means job creators must not necessarily equal job seekers to decrease the large rate of unemployment. According to Noel Brempong, if just 5% of the citizens of Ghana become bona fide job creators then the unemployment rate of this country would reduce drastically.
An entrepreneur doesn’t wait for opportunities to come their way instead they actively search for opportunities and when they find one, they are able to capitalize on it to create value through which they create jobs for others and wealth for themselves. They use these opportunities to create an efficient effort-based system where wealth is generated by taking hold of the idea no matter how simple or complex and putting in the work necessary for it to become a successful reality. These entrepreneurs have Limitless Courage, a Positive Mindset, a Persistent Spirit and most importantly Self-Belief. Besides the above traits, entrepreneurs take responsibility for their actions; they have confidence in others, they cooperate with others and learn from their mistakes. When they sense an opportunity they move into action without leaving any room for procrastination. In entrepreneurism one’s level of education, sex, age, and race have no bearing on becoming successful......
To Be Continued!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)