Fame, Fortune or Freedom…Which Motivates You?
Motivation is the inner force that determines much of what we do and how we do it. When applied to business, it is what pulls us through tough economic times, helps us deal with burdensome regulations, and empowers us to successfully navigate the minefield of staff challenges. If I had not been truly motivated to succeed when we opened our first Landscape Warehouse in that little blue house in Pasadena 25 years ago, we probably wouldn’t have been around to open our ninth location in beautiful Bakersfield just last month.
There are different kinds of motivation, any of which can help get you started in business. But it’s the right kind of motivation that will keep you and your business going, and not be part of the 20% of new businesses that fail in the first year, and the 50% that fail in the first five years. We’ll deal with three of them here: Fame, Fortune, and Freedom.
FAME is a motivation that propels movie stars, athletes and politicians to seek it – the more the merrier. Like an addictive powerful drug, however, fame as a motivator is often short-lived. Like spent fireworks on the Forth of July, any fame that may have been attained will eventually flame out, their so-called fans kicking them to the curb to make room for “the next big thing.”
Most certainly then, fame cannot be a motivation for an entrepreneur or business owner who is “in it for the long haul,” for someone who has found a need and filled it with perseverance, longevity, and professionalism…or someone whose work and efforts contribute to the society they serve, rather than one that simply takes from it.
FORTUNE is another strong motivation. It’s an illusion that cannot be attained with any satisfaction, because those who seek it are never satisfied with how much of it they have. Yes, we entrepreneurs and business owners started and operate our businesses to make a profit…businesses that create decent incomes for us and our employees and meet the needs of our families and loved ones. That’s a goal of every business. Goal yes, motivation no.
As a motivation, the lure of fortune is never enough to make up for the time away from family, missed little league games and soccer matches, dance recitals never seen, credit cards bumped up just to make payroll, and other sacrifices we entrepreneurs and business owners make on a daily basis, or be willing to make. If it were easy, everyone would be in business…right! Of course, you know this…or should.
FREEDOM is my motivation, and I would suspect it is that of most entrepreneurs like yourself. Freedom allows us to do what we want to do, when and where we want to do it – within the limits of course of certain rules, regulations, and heavenly guidelines. We have the freedom to be our own boss, and freedom to open new locations for our businesses, while those in other industries are closing locations.
With freedom as your motivation, you are also free to manage your business in a way that maximizes your talents and experience. This enables you to produce products and services that are significantly better than those of your competitors.
President Ronald Reagan once said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” He wasn’t just talking politically. As entrepreneurs whose motivation is based on freedom, we must continue to hold dear those rights granted to us by God and our Constitution. There are people out there who would gladly take our freedoms to ensure their protection and lifestyle.
Finally, it would be good now and again, to take an assessment of your current motivations. Make sure they have not morphed into something contrary to those that helped get you and your business to the level of success you presently enjoy.
– José Robles, owner, Landscape Warehouse