Looking for the flow…

While doing some random blog reading a few days ago, I stumbled across NYC based entrepreneur Jonathan Fields’ blog.  Among his must reads section he has a great post about finding “effortless success.”  It’s that seemingly impossible intersection of career and personal passion.

“What would it take, I wonder, to have a job where you worked harder than ever before, earned more than ever before, and succeeded bigger and faster than ever before, but felt like the whole experience was natural, so engaging, so intrinsically-rewarding, you’d have paid to do it as a hobby, had it not have been your job?”

I’ve heard his before (also referred to as “Flow”) and I agree that this is truly possible for everyone.  But after many years of “thinking” about this, researching, planning, seeking I still can’t seem to reach it.  The truth is my brain gets in the way.

I have gotten very good at keeping myself in a perpetual state of research.  That is a place where I can safely read, think, plan, and plot the next steps of my life.  But like tomorrow, flow never comes because action is never taken.  Instead I find myself propelled far enough by excitement to start the wheels in motion, only to be pulled back by fear masked as “research.”  It’s really amazing for me how well I know something, how much I know about the web, business, investing, networking, and how well I am able to put it all together in my head to a point of a powerful vision.   I know even more about my potential and my abilities, my opportunity that lies in just simply getting myself out there. Yet, I sit in this perpetual state of waiting.  It’s pretty hard to find flow, when you’re sitting still. Or as my mom used to say it’s much easier to steer a boat that’s already in motion…just MOVE.  My head knows it, and my head stops it.  Let’s make a change, shall we?

I’m going to put myself out there, starting here.  I’m going to tell everyone what I’m working on, I’m going to tell everyone my vision, and I’m going to ask anyone who reads this for their help.  I’m building a real company without following any of the rules.  I’ve never entered corporate America, and I’m certainly not going to build a company in one.  I believe in empowering the people, working with them instead of them working for you, and focusing on creating value for all sides of the equation: shareholders +employees/partners—customers.

Flow is an attainable state, but you have to actually move to get there.  For me, moving can be hard…but I’m going to make it fun.