I mentioned awhile ago that I am going to start doing some expert interviews for my bi-monthly podcast. The first one this month is with Martha Beck, author of Finding Your Own North Star and O Magazine monthly columnist.
I have no professional boundaries around Martha — I love, adore and worship her as I think she is one of the smartest, most tuned-in “life coach” types out there. Besides which, she is wickedly funny.
I am interviewing her tonight or tomorrow for the podcast. What questions do you have about the general topics:
What kind of business should I start? or How do I know what work I am meant to do?
Boy, I am fired up about this interview. I will publish it in my podcast on Monday.
Your thoughts are appreciated!
I had read few pages of “Finding Your Own North Star” at Amazon and it seems interesting point of view. Today I think my social self is not sync with my essential self (what really want and i best could do). Now I’m in a continuus finding of oportunities that really helps me to sync that selves.
I think there are more opportunities but no all could help everyone to sync all that selves. It’s the most difficult thing to me now. One think it’s clear for me: independence.
How do you go from the “dreaming”, or “thinking” to “doing” and how do you get over fear.
I’ve been contemplating Real Estate for quite some time, but my fears always come into play. How will I pay the bills initially, will I succeed or am I just making another bad career choice, I have no experience in sales, etc, etc, etc….
A big part of the problem is the pressure one feels in having to decide which course from among several available.
It’s not always as simple as “pick your passion” when you may have more than one interest.
Also, maybe Martha could offer a less pressure filled word than passion, since part of my dilemna is not knowing the difference between “interested” and “passionate” in this context. Do you have to be willing to do something 24/7 for no money in order to conclude you’re “passionate”?
I’d like tips on getting past fears of picking the wrong thing when, financially, the consequences could be too much, and how to overcome second guessing when other opportunities present themselves while you’re working on one?
Pam I don’t know why that thrills me so…oh and is narcissist spelled with two C’s?
Sincerely, Truman
I would like to now how to stay on focus and motivated once the business is started – falls in line with what business to start.
How much of that is gut feeling? Do you risk breaking all the rules out of the gate because your gut tells you?
Thanks and I look forward to hearing this show.
-Scott
Thanks for your comments guys!
I only officially asked Michael’s question, not that I didn’t want to ask the rest (they are great questions, which I will most likely spin into blog posts soon), but found that I got so caught up in the convo I didn’t ask the rest. I think she addressed elements of each, so let me know what you think after you listen on Monday.
All the best,
-Pam
I *loved* _Finding Your Own North Star_, and went through the exercises with gusto; I’ve a pretty good idea of what I love doing (performing in front of an audience), and married that up with what I’m knowledgeable about (leadership, project management, and problem analysis/resolution).
My stuck point is… what now? How do I start to execute on what I know is my real calling? More important, what Michael said – how do I execute when I have a househould to support, without risking the cardboard box under a bridge scenario? How can I start gaining some momentum so I’ll have a reasonable amount of certainty that I can quit my day job without risking homelessness?
(if your eyes are now bleeding, I apologize) 🙂
Its not really a question. Please excuse the whining — It seems like I have read it all regarding “pursue your passion the money will follow”, “you only have one life live”, “…go confidently in the direction of your dreams”, “put it out to the universe” etc. — I want to believe it – also don’t want to live on cardboard under a bridge — I wrote a blog post about feeling like being on either the “cusp or precipice” — no offense to Martha, Seth or whomever but how does one make the jump — with two kids readying for college and cars, a lacking retirement plan and a little short, OK very short on the requisite 3 months savings — ask Martha if she has any new insight or ideas related to making the plunge without hitting bottom
Could you ask her about how young people, pre-university age, can find out what sort of business or work they might potentially be interested in and, thus, what sort of further studies they should set out upon?
I’ve got one. Whenever I’m at my dayjob dreaming about the kind of business I’d start, I run into two crucial decision points that I can never get over:
* Given the choice between idea that you’re passionate about that might take forever to make you any money, or an idea that just came to you one day, that you kinda sorta like, that looks like an easy money maker, which do you pursue? Pursuing the easy money maker will, at the very least, defer pursuit of your passionate ideas. And as we all know, it only *looked* easy…
* Do you start with what you know and say “How can I make a business out of this?” or do you start with an idea you think you can make a business out of and say “How can I learn more about this?”
I guess what I’m saying is, we all have lots of ideas, but pursuing an idea comes at a cost (time, energy, money) so you have to choose wisely which ones to pursue. How do you do it? Every time I think I’ve picked one I wonder about the ones I left behind.
Duane