The source of a startup venture is usually one person’s strong passion. Whether the passion is clear and known, or murky and a hidden driving force, it aids in the process. Your passion can provide energy, direction, discipline, differentiation, and infuses itself into numerous areas.
Where does passion come from? It depends on what type of passion. One way to divide it is into the two camps of “Carrot” or “stick“. The carrot is pleasure, reward, success, money, and other positive outcomes that one has pulling them forward. The stick is pain, fear, concern, failure, and other negative areas.
Are you looking to save the world from ecological disaster? Stick. Are you looking to retire by age 35 with the admiration (and envy) of friends and family? Carrot. Are you looking to help people avoid catching the H1N1 virus with a plastic sneezeguard to make a quick fortune? Carrot and stick.
Your passion – that energy – also contributes to confidence. The energy of your pursuit flows through you and builds confidence. (And that confidence may be what makes you be the one who is launching when others are still waiting).
The video for this post is the Rolling Stones “Waiting on a Friend” from 1981.
The video is about 4 1/2 minutes long.
