June ‘04. I had just quit my job selling mufflers at Midas. I went for 6 weeks without making a single dollar. It was one of those wonderful warm summer weekends you get in the Midwest… yet it was as though I couldn’t sleep, eat or breathe. The pit in my stomach grew daily, I was terrified. I took a leap of faith, quit a decent paying job, to pursue a full time career in online marketing and almost like a little bird who decides to jump out of the nest a just a couple days too early, only to find the ground is patiently waiting to reach up and smack him in the face.
I was sure I would have to go back to my job. Mentally, I was flailing. Questioning myself incessantly, feeling stupid for deciding to quit so soon. I was throwing every piece of crap I could conjure at the walls in hope of making something stick. Only to have it fall right back into my face and burn my eyes.
This dream, that I thought I was entitled to be fulfilling, was crumbling in front of me like concrete made without limestone. I felt a sense of pending doom and panic come over me, unlike anything I had ever (and now will never) experience. I found myself paralyzed with fear, crippled with debt, completely insolvent. Credit cards maxed out, unable to pay my rent, and out of money. Out of time.
It wasn’t long after the proverbial ton of bricks hit me. The solution MUST be inside me, hiding in some back corner of my subconscious mind, covered by the web of paralyzing fear and chatter. The solution was there from the beginning, patiently and simply waiting to be discovered. The whisper of the solution was drowned out by the static of my fear. I was days away from railroading myself back to my job, and my old defeated way of thinking. Back to a way of life where I was sitting victim and being defined by my circumstances.
I made the decision right then and there. The decision that I would refuse to revert into the old person who was powerless, and paralyzed by fear. I was going to create my own circumstances, regardless of the cost. As a reactive being, I prepared myself mentally to live in a cardboard box should that be required. But going back, admitting defeat, was no longer an option. I burned the boats. This was it.
If you know depression. I know it as well.
If you know panic, and every other fight and flight response. I know them better.
If you are broke. I was likely more broke.
If you are afraid, and know fear. I was just as terrified.
I decided to try to go inside, and retain the power that I knew was lying dormant in me. To take the initiative to recreate my circumstances the way I wanted them to be created. It became clear to me to persist, even just a little longer than I thought possible, a solution would appear. Not an indignant refusal to quit, but rather a calm knowing, that I could do it too. Not unlike the thousands of successful entrepreneurs that have proven the dream of free enterprise is attainable, if you are willing to pay the price to earn it.
Lose my house and get evicted? Big deal.
Suck it up and work a couple side jobs to pay the bills? Who cares.
Sell my couch to buy groceries? Not so bad.
Sleep less? I will sleep when I am dead.
Allow my ego to learn its place? Finally.
Now, I am not here to present to you a overly simplified recollection of the events. Or make this sound easy. All I know is that once I was able step OUT of my head, and start to truly trust myself, my innate ability (that we all share) to formulate systematic solutions for each of the problems I was facing, started to happen organically.
In the end, I didn’t have to go back to my job. I didn’t have to call any more friends or family for more bailout funds. I didn’t have to spend another dollar that I didn’t have on leads. Most importantly, I didn’t have to allow the fear to continue to suffocate me. It was clear the only person that I could trust, or needed was myself. The cacophonous clamor of my mind was drowning them out, Like an old tube radio, slightly off tune, the crackling static tuned into a clear message like a calming symphony.
Within 10 days of this weekend experience, now over five years ago, I was on the leader-board for top sales in my company. I was being recognized nationally and mentioned on calls. I was now an example of someone that “Could.”
I say this not to brag, but to rather fortify the notion that we ALL have what it takes inside. Somewhere along the journey we forget.
I choose to remember, and I choose to remember it well. I choose to remember that if I keep my head down, stay humble about my success, take responsibility for my failures, I can continue to contribute more to society than I take. Somehow, we all know inside that the secret to a happy and fulfilled life as an entrepreneur is really nothing more than this: Giving more than you take.
What are you giving? What are you taking? Who are you going to help get closer to their dreams today? Who are you going to challenge to become a more selfless person? Who are you going to inspire? How are you going to be the tide that raises all of the boats in YOUR harbor?
Figure out how to answer these questions, and you won’t know what to do with the abundance that begins to flow. To me, that’s ultimately all it took. Looking back it seems easy, but for everyone of you still trying to earn your way, there is no circumventing this lesson.
And if there was, it probably wouldn’t be honest and right. Madoff come to mind?
My best,
-Jay Kubassek
Visit Jay on Wikipedia and Imdb.com
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Thursday, October 8, 2009
TRUST
It is popular amongst successful entrepreneurs to talk about certain intangibles that make for good business. Intangibles such as leadership, innovation, persistence and follow- through. I say this, because I too speak of these things, both passionately and often. Their importance goes without questioning. Each cannot be given, and consequently must be earned. Each is intrinsically valuable in and of itself, and may stand as a singular example of character.
However, in my opinion, a single gift endures beyond each of these items. It endures because, in my opinion, it’s the single most valuable gift human beings can share, and could stand as it most rare. That gift is Trust.
Trust is a rare bird in an age where celebration of “the self” is most prevalent. Constantly we are pitched, marketed and sold things thought to appease our own wares. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with this. We all deserve to live a life free from suffering. However, I think most would agree that it is more than possible, and more enjoyable, for the comforts we enjoy to exist for mutual benefit.
We can give someone a dollar, but it soon will be spent and migrate to the pocket of another. We can give flowers, but they too will one day wilt. We can give presents, compliments, advice and embrace one another in moments of despair. But to give another the gift of your trust is a commodity for which no darkness, time passed, or circumstance can ever wither. Trust allows us to walk taller, to face our troubles without fear and to triumph in the hour of greatest uncertainty.
Trust requires great bravery, to be vulnerable and humble. Trust is the first step to love. Trust is the highest form of human motivation. It is well known, and spoken of, that time is precious, but I believe trust is more precious than time.
Let us be reminded, the greatest of us to be given is always from within. Remember these things, for it will never be Yesterday.
However, in my opinion, a single gift endures beyond each of these items. It endures because, in my opinion, it’s the single most valuable gift human beings can share, and could stand as it most rare. That gift is Trust.
Trust is a rare bird in an age where celebration of “the self” is most prevalent. Constantly we are pitched, marketed and sold things thought to appease our own wares. There is nothing fundamentally wrong with this. We all deserve to live a life free from suffering. However, I think most would agree that it is more than possible, and more enjoyable, for the comforts we enjoy to exist for mutual benefit.
We can give someone a dollar, but it soon will be spent and migrate to the pocket of another. We can give flowers, but they too will one day wilt. We can give presents, compliments, advice and embrace one another in moments of despair. But to give another the gift of your trust is a commodity for which no darkness, time passed, or circumstance can ever wither. Trust allows us to walk taller, to face our troubles without fear and to triumph in the hour of greatest uncertainty.
Trust requires great bravery, to be vulnerable and humble. Trust is the first step to love. Trust is the highest form of human motivation. It is well known, and spoken of, that time is precious, but I believe trust is more precious than time.
Let us be reminded, the greatest of us to be given is always from within. Remember these things, for it will never be Yesterday.
Celebrate the Opportunity
As entrepreneurs and business owners, it’s incredibly important for us to stay attune to the world’s financial news. The recognition of trends, niche opportunities and the anticipation of economic movements are nothing short of necessities. However I personally, and I’m sure this resonates with the majority of you reading this, have grown tired of the incessant negativity that is spoon fed the masses daily.
Yes, things are precarious, and there is no definitive, singular resolution for the mess we have found ourselves in. But what I propose is that we begin shift this doomsday, limiting perspective into one that actually celebrates the opportunities this “calamity” has presented. The reality of the situation is that the structure of our larger global system was flawed, and needed massive renovation. Would we have preferred it happened differently? Of course we would. The painful byproducts of corporate irresponsibility, imperialist arrogance and simple greed have touched us all in some manner.
But the momentum has begun, and is ready to be harnessed. We exist in an age where the dissemination of information has created a more democratic and equitable platform for global progress than ever before. Not just in the limiting sense of more consumerism, but more comprehensively as real humanistic responsibility. Of course there will always be classes of wealth, I do not argue against that. But I would argue that they do not have to ignore the principles of mutual benefit. We all can prosper. It does not have to come at the expense of another human being.
The days of corporate monopolies, disguised as mergers, strategic acquisitions and the like are over. Commercial banking is dead. The days of building business on bricks of debt and the mortar of creative financing are over. I personally could go the rest of my life without hearing the word “derivative” ever again! So where does this leave us? Exactly where we should be, reliant on ourselves.
Strangely, no one really discusses with as much fervor about how bad things are, what actually pulled us from the first depression, or the recession of 2001. Entrepreneurs. Innovation. Risk takers. Half of our current Fortune 500 companies were started during a recession. What does this tell us? Well for one, sometimes its takes somebody skinning their knees a bit to get them stand up and do something different. Two, as the old adage goes; “every problem is an opportunity in disguise.”
There are 3 months left before we step into a new decade. How we choose to approach this next chapter, will determine its shape. Fear and unrest, or excitement and positivity.
I choose the latter.
Yes, things are precarious, and there is no definitive, singular resolution for the mess we have found ourselves in. But what I propose is that we begin shift this doomsday, limiting perspective into one that actually celebrates the opportunities this “calamity” has presented. The reality of the situation is that the structure of our larger global system was flawed, and needed massive renovation. Would we have preferred it happened differently? Of course we would. The painful byproducts of corporate irresponsibility, imperialist arrogance and simple greed have touched us all in some manner.
But the momentum has begun, and is ready to be harnessed. We exist in an age where the dissemination of information has created a more democratic and equitable platform for global progress than ever before. Not just in the limiting sense of more consumerism, but more comprehensively as real humanistic responsibility. Of course there will always be classes of wealth, I do not argue against that. But I would argue that they do not have to ignore the principles of mutual benefit. We all can prosper. It does not have to come at the expense of another human being.
The days of corporate monopolies, disguised as mergers, strategic acquisitions and the like are over. Commercial banking is dead. The days of building business on bricks of debt and the mortar of creative financing are over. I personally could go the rest of my life without hearing the word “derivative” ever again! So where does this leave us? Exactly where we should be, reliant on ourselves.
Strangely, no one really discusses with as much fervor about how bad things are, what actually pulled us from the first depression, or the recession of 2001. Entrepreneurs. Innovation. Risk takers. Half of our current Fortune 500 companies were started during a recession. What does this tell us? Well for one, sometimes its takes somebody skinning their knees a bit to get them stand up and do something different. Two, as the old adage goes; “every problem is an opportunity in disguise.”
There are 3 months left before we step into a new decade. How we choose to approach this next chapter, will determine its shape. Fear and unrest, or excitement and positivity.
I choose the latter.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Entrepreneurial Objectivity
For most of us, it's obvious that the bulk of the decisions we make on a daily basis are based upon the summation of our previous experience. Then
combined with some sort of reactive observation. “That looks hot, I once was burned, don’t touch it.” A rather simplistically calculated decision to a situation, correct? There are a lot of philosophical explanations to this phenomenon, (of which I have no desire whatsoever to regurgitate.) However, the idea of understanding, evaluating and augmenting our decision making process, is quite possibly one of the most effective, yet difficult things to do.
As entrepreneurs, we are consistently confronted with decisions, both minute and large in scope, that will severely affect our bottom line one way or another. These decisions usually carry with them some sort of emotional impact that is equally important (we are not robots after all…not yet at least), and making decisions that seem contrary to our emotional compass (outside our comfort zone) is a discipline that we all must cultivate.
The nature of the entrepreneurial attitude puts us in unprecedented situations constantly. Sometimes I find myself so far out of my comfort zone it makes me sick to my stomach. Circumstances that I have no frame of reference or prior experience of. How do we make sound decisions in times like these...?
What we must do mentally is not as difficult as it may seem. It simply requires us to embody an objective stance. A third party perspective so to speak. This does not mean that we divorce our prior experience and emotional compass from our decision making process. But we, as human beings, are highly capable of turning these situations into opportunities for mental growth. It simply requires us to stop projecting, or interjecting our personal bias, or past experiences upon the current dilemma. We must assess the situation logically and objectively, and then act accordingly with the best information on hand at the time. At that point you have to then trust that the best
decision was made, and stick to your guns.
This doesn’t require any special skills, or crazy amounts intelligence. We all have a natural intelligence within ourselves that is only hindered by, well, bad habits and programming. Bad habits can be changed. Many of us are introspective by nature anyway, but you must take the time to consciously make the habitual changes that you seek. This is hard work. Learning something new can seem daunting, but the reality is when you engage yourself mentally, you usually discover something you already know.
All my best,
combined with some sort of reactive observation. “That looks hot, I once was burned, don’t touch it.” A rather simplistically calculated decision to a situation, correct? There are a lot of philosophical explanations to this phenomenon, (of which I have no desire whatsoever to regurgitate.) However, the idea of understanding, evaluating and augmenting our decision making process, is quite possibly one of the most effective, yet difficult things to do.
As entrepreneurs, we are consistently confronted with decisions, both minute and large in scope, that will severely affect our bottom line one way or another. These decisions usually carry with them some sort of emotional impact that is equally important (we are not robots after all…not yet at least), and making decisions that seem contrary to our emotional compass (outside our comfort zone) is a discipline that we all must cultivate.
The nature of the entrepreneurial attitude puts us in unprecedented situations constantly. Sometimes I find myself so far out of my comfort zone it makes me sick to my stomach. Circumstances that I have no frame of reference or prior experience of. How do we make sound decisions in times like these...?
What we must do mentally is not as difficult as it may seem. It simply requires us to embody an objective stance. A third party perspective so to speak. This does not mean that we divorce our prior experience and emotional compass from our decision making process. But we, as human beings, are highly capable of turning these situations into opportunities for mental growth. It simply requires us to stop projecting, or interjecting our personal bias, or past experiences upon the current dilemma. We must assess the situation logically and objectively, and then act accordingly with the best information on hand at the time. At that point you have to then trust that the best
decision was made, and stick to your guns.
This doesn’t require any special skills, or crazy amounts intelligence. We all have a natural intelligence within ourselves that is only hindered by, well, bad habits and programming. Bad habits can be changed. Many of us are introspective by nature anyway, but you must take the time to consciously make the habitual changes that you seek. This is hard work. Learning something new can seem daunting, but the reality is when you engage yourself mentally, you usually discover something you already know.
All my best,
Spike Lee's 'Righteous' Film
SPIKE Lee has partnered with Internet marketing guru Jay Kubassek on a movie about a bank robber who redeems himself. Kubassek -- the man behind the "Chelsea on the Rocks" documentary about the Chelsea Hotel -- and Lee are co-producing "Evolution of a Criminal," a film by Darius Clark Monroe about his life, which hit bottom when he robbed a Bank of America branch at age 17 and did three years in a Texas prison. Monroe made the jump into movies by enrolling in Lee's class at NYU.
Source: NYPost.com
Source: NYPost.com
10% of Americans still think that the Earth is circled by the Sun
Last week marked the 400-year anniversary of Galileo presenting the telescope to the world. With a simple leather tube, and nine times the magnification, Galileo forever changed the modern world. His simple invention fundamentally rocked the authority of the Church, and the prevailing beliefs about the universe. A single act of foresight, and broad minded questioning, scientifically proved many of the accepted teachings and beliefs false.
Arguably the most destructive, was the revelation that the Sun revolved around the Earth, instead of the opposite. The vision of one man, forever changed the perspective and trajectory of modern evolution and technology like no other.
Sadly, according to recent survey, over 10% of Americans still think that the Earth is circled by the Sun. This I find to be incredibly sad.
Ignorance, was a legitimate excuse 400 years ago. Literacy was a luxury, scientific revelations, or any progressive knowledge or shared understanding for that matter, was limited to the intellectual elite. These limitations have long since been eradicated. Today's information age, the advent of the Internet, has made information more democratic and available than ever before, and continues to expand daily. We have a social, and civic responsibility, to ourselves, and to the world to continue to move this progress forward.
Complacency kills, and ignorance is a cancer of the brain. Educate yourself, take action, and change your life. Opportunity lies abound everywhere for those who are looking for it.
Arguably the most destructive, was the revelation that the Sun revolved around the Earth, instead of the opposite. The vision of one man, forever changed the perspective and trajectory of modern evolution and technology like no other.
Sadly, according to recent survey, over 10% of Americans still think that the Earth is circled by the Sun. This I find to be incredibly sad.
Ignorance, was a legitimate excuse 400 years ago. Literacy was a luxury, scientific revelations, or any progressive knowledge or shared understanding for that matter, was limited to the intellectual elite. These limitations have long since been eradicated. Today's information age, the advent of the Internet, has made information more democratic and available than ever before, and continues to expand daily. We have a social, and civic responsibility, to ourselves, and to the world to continue to move this progress forward.
Complacency kills, and ignorance is a cancer of the brain. Educate yourself, take action, and change your life. Opportunity lies abound everywhere for those who are looking for it.
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