Don't be a cog in "The Machine"

One of the reasons Pink Floyd is a legendary band was that a good deal of their songs were powerful social commentaries that caused you to really think.

One of their songs, "Welcome to the Machine" although originally written as a criticism of the soullessness of the music industry, is also, I believe, a reflection of society as a whole. Like I mentioned in previous posts, society is crucial to maintain order. However, in order to maintain order, things must be predictable and controllable.

Just to be clear, I'm not saying you should go out, grab a bazooka and fight "the establishment." What I am saying though is that you should NEVER let ANYONE tell you how to live your life. To be an entrepreneur, you need to be prepared to go against the grain of society. You need to be independent. It's your life, not anyone else's.

With that, I present to you Pink Floyd's "Welcome to the Machine." It is a very powerful song, indeed. For those of you viewing this post on Facebook, you will have to go onto my blog directly (http://gogravytrain.blogspot.com/) to view the video.





Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
Where have you been?
It's alright we know where you've been.
You've been in the pipeline, filling in time,
Provided with toys and 'Scouting for Boys'.
You bought a guitar to punish your ma,
And you didn't like school, and you
know you're nobody's fool,
So welcome to the machine.

Welcome my son, welcome to the machine.
What did you dream?
It's alright we told you what to dream.
You dreamed of a big star,
He played a mean guitar,
He always ate in the Steak Bar.
He loved to drive in his Jaguar.
So welcome to the Machine.

The Power of Imagination

Helix Nebula (sometimes called the "Eye of God")

GOTCHA! SPACE PHOTO!

The human imagination is very powerful. In truth, all of us have the ability to be "mini-creators." Human beings have the power to take something as fleeting and non-existent as a thought and turn it into something that can be felt, seen or heard...almost as if creating something from nothing. Even as you read this blog, you have witnessed the process of creation. I turned my fleeting thoughts into actual text you can read and react to (...and laugh at sometimes ;) ). Who knows what power this creation ultimately has though? But...that is the wonder of creating things...the wonder of a new frontier.

Unfortunately, we are increasingly living in a world where people can't let their imaginations run wild anymore. We're taught from a young age to stop daydreaming, do our work, learn our manners and please everyone. We are not machines.

I repeat: We are not machines.

Imagination is the essence of artists but also the entrepreneur. Most people dream from time to time...but they never create. What separates an entrepreneur from the rest is that he/she takes those dreams and creates a reality out of them. Most people simply "climb the ladder", climbing to heights that have already been predetermined by other people they don't know.

Entrepreneurs build their own ladders, so they can go as high as their dreams can take them.

Look at all the biggest businesses out there. Every single one of them started out as a fleeting, non-existent thought. If nothing was done, they would have never existed...doomed to die with their creator in a graveyard of dead dreams and broken hopes.

So I say to those of you who are entrepreneurs or aspire to be one:

Let your imagination run wild and create something from nothing.

Ideas are great...but motivation is essential

HAH! Not a space photo this time! Office Space baby!

...which probably means next post will have a space photo ;)

Anyway, we were discussing before on how to come up with ideas and research promising ones. However, none of this is possible without proper motivation. A lot of people I've talked to have interesting ideas, but sadly, these ideas are buried or constantly pushed aside due to a lack of motivation.

We are, by design, creatures of habit. We prefer predictability and order in all aspects of our lives. Change and the unknown scares us. That's why successful entrepreneurs are a minority. If entrepreneurship was easy, then everyone would be doing it. However, that is why the rewards of entrepreneurship are potentially great, because it is the path less traveled. A job provides that sort of static predictability. You are given work by your boss, and you collect a paycheck either every 2 weeks or a month. However, remember the golden rule: JOB stands for being "Just Over Broke" There's no shortcut or easy way to anywhere worth going.

As mentioned in previous posts, finding an idea that you believe in and/or enjoy is not just essential in your future success, but also essential in your own self-motivation to see it through. However, sometimes that sort of conviction isn't enough. Often times, people simply daydream day after day of how glorious their idea would be, and eventually realize so much time has passed, and nothing happened.

So, what are some tips to get motivated? Here are some that, from my own experience and the experience of others, work:

• If you cannot bring yourself to be self-motivated, find a trusted business partner who can share in the burden of bringing the idea to life. If the both of you are responsible to each other, you'll find yourself motivated not to disappoint your partner. Deep down inside, all human beings have a strong sense of loyalty to those they respect (authority figure), like and/or trust. Use that inner instinct to your advantage! Your boss certainly does!

• Join a group that's related to what you want to do. Whether it be a group of like-minded entrepreneurs, social activists or whatnot. By surrounding yourself with the right people, you can bring about powerful change within yourself. Machiavelli once said in "The Prince" that "The first method to estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him."

• Declare to others of what you intend to do. I know some people where this method was extremely effective in self-motivating themselves. You don't have to tell people what your idea is specifically. Just tell people you're starting a business, and you intend to launch it by so-so date. It's important to give a rough idea of a timeline, because then some people will try and ask you about it later on. No one likes being thought of as a hypocrite or big mouth (well...most people anyway). Use that fear of embarassment...and your ego *COUGH* ;)... to your advantage!

• Set a goal and post it up on a wall where you can see it everyday. Let it be a constant reminder that you have something to work for.

• Read about success stories of other entrepreneurs. Often times, they are very inspiring. You can also...if you really need to...hire a motivational coach to pump you up and hold you accountable to the goals you set. Mentors are also a great source of inspiration and motivation. Most people do not like to disappoint people they respect.

• It's a basic psychological principle that anger is more useful than despair. If you want to improve your life, despair won't get you anywhere. Anger, although usually a negative emotion, is a source of strength and motivation. If needed, put yourself in a kind of mood in where if you had a bazooka, some mo'fugga would say hello to your little friend.
  

• Readthisblogandtalktotheauthorofthisblogformotivation *COUGH* *SNEEZE* ;)
  

When there's a will, there is a way. Never forget that.