(This post is part of a series: the Six Personal Perspectives. Click here to review the first perspective, and here to review the second.)
The third of the Six Personal Perspectives is to move from Entrepreneurial to Purposeful.
Most of us who are entrepreneurs have a tremendous driving capacity – we can get a lot of things done, and achieve result through our determination, grit and focus. We know what we want and we have ideas for how to go after it and get it. And often it works.
Regardless of our personality, we all have limits on what we can accomplish through the force of our will. When we behave entrepreneurially, we are doing what comes naturally to us, and that will take us up to a certain point, at which we reach a ceiling.
Have you ever hit a ceiling in your work, or in some effort that was meaningful to you? Its been said that it’s not one problem or failure that hurts, it’s having the same failure or problem over and over again that causes us great pain. This is the heart of the concept of moving from E to P.
A real estate agent might be able to go out and hustle and sell 20 homes in a year. Or maybe 30. Or maybe even 50! And yet at some point, there will be no more hours left in the day. In order to achieve at a higher level, they may find themselves sleeping less, not spending time with their family or friends, and they may burn out. This is because they are continuing to act entrepreneurially; doing what comes naturally.
The key to greater levels of success (in real estate, business or anything else) is to learn how to break through the ceiling – to become purposeful.
The challenge is that moving from entrepreneurial to purposeful requires that we get outside of our comfort zone and do things that do not come naturally to us. Gary Keller outlines the following five steps for moving from E to P:
- Focus (write down your goals and focus on your 20%)
- Find Strategic Options (ask “how can this be done? Are there better or different ways?”)
- Find Models to Follow (training, mentors, role models)
- Install Systems (time-blocking, checklists, and text your systems to ensure they work well)
- Bring in Accountability (track & measure your metrics, get a coach or accountability partner)
At the risk of being stereotypical, most entrepreneurial personalities are not the type to naturally do the things on the list above. This is where the discomfort comes in, initially. With time, however, we can learn and grow and train ourselves into new habits. And these things will begin to feel natural. And we will have reached the next level.
What is your experience with moving from entrepreneurial to purposeful? Have you ever hit a ceiling in your work or other endeavors? Connect with me on Facebook and share your thoughts!