The Challenge – Because I Can

Posted on May 25, 2010 by caseyjohnellis

: Image via Wikipedia

I got asked an interesting question over the weekend, one that I often asked other people:

Q: What’s in your heart to do?
My Answer: I want to build an empire.

I’ve answered it many times before (and for the record, there are lots of other things that i want to do besides build an empire – The answer suited the context of the conversation)… It was the next question that hit the gold for me.

Q: Why do you want to do do that?
My Answer (after a short pause for consideration): Because I think I can…

There are lots of reasons I want to build businesses…
I want my family to be comfortable and financially secure, I want to contribute to the work of my church, I want to contribute to the work of the Church globally, I want to research ways to produce energy and feed the third world and generally leave a positive dint on the earth. I want a boat, an nice car, and maybe a plane… That’d be cool. My wife wants a nice house on a flat block somewhere in the Shire.

But honestly, all of these reasons above are secondary to the main thing that, because of a probing question from a friend, I realized this last Saturday.

It’s because I think I can.

I am convinced that we each have something in us, whether we know what it is yet or not. Some strange potential, something that is in there and wants to be let out. Something that burns and bubbles and keeps us awake at night, and is almost always there within a few moments of waking up in the morning. This is more than a hobby or an interest, it’s a dream… a purpose.

The thing I like about “because I can”? You can’t mess with it. The only real counter is “I don’t think you can” to which I respond “well let’s just wait and see”.

Here’s the kicker… A God fearing person who chooses manifest the gifts and dreams that have been put into their heart testifies by their life story to the character of the One who designed those gifts and dreams and put them there in the first place.

Here’s the refined kicker: When you go after what God has put in you His creativity, which is in you, testifies to His character.

I love it when you boil something down to the point where you feel like it can’t be boiled down any further.

What’s your “why”?

What's Your Dream?

Posted on March 6, 2010 by caseyjohnellis

: Image by Hamster P via Flickr

I heard a speaker at a business seminar today so something quite simple, but I quite a profound way:

“When the perceived value is an issue, the cost becomes a problem.”

This is basically Sales 101: Establish an understanding of the value of what you are selling to your prospect before you discuss price.

The thing it made me think about though was along a different vein – the decision to become an entrepreneur or a businessman in general.

I love the ride I’m on. I love what I’m learning, I love the success of it, I love the people I’m doing it with, I love the feeling or being a part of building something significant… Except for when its boring. Or I lose. Or the people I’m doing it with just don’t quite “get it”, or there are what seems to be insurmountable roadblocks.

Then what do you do? Enthusiasm, passion and excitement is fantastic, but it is meant to get you though the start, not sustain you in the long run. For the long haul you need a vision, you need a dream. I have a belief system that is pretty big on dreams and life’s purpose – When ever I get the the place where my passion is not carrying me I just go back to why I got into this thing in the first place.

I’ll put it to you – being an Entrepreneur to “be rich” or being in business to “get out from under the man” is not enough. Riches are lovely to have, but at various points in a persons journey there are times when the purpose of all they are building will be challenged, and the size of their bank balance or asset base alone will not be enough to justify the effort they’re expending on their business pursuits.

What is your dream?
Do you have one?
Is it big enough? Here’s a thought – If you have a $5 million dream but are working to build a $50 million business – why would you do that? A $50 million dollar business has exponentially more hassle involved in it than a $5 million one. Could it be that you are dreaming too small?
Can you whisper your dream in retort to the arguments that challenge your progress?

I know for me, at this juncture of my life and professional development, having my dream on the tip of my tongue will mean the difference between abdication and victory. Time to go grab the journal.