Aviation of Business

posted by Andrew Hartley - Business Consultant & Entrepreneur on Feb 21

Where does one find business wisdom? Provided the right mindset, it can be found nearly anywhere - music, fiction books, everyday conversations with family and friends, etc.  The trick is to make the business mindset a habit.  The more you consciously think about business and entrepreneurship, the more you will subconsciously think about business and entrepreneurship.  The more you are subconsciously thinking about it, the more these nuggets of wisdom will appear to you - all around you.

 There are hundreds, thousands, even more business books out there.  Each one is packed full of business wisdom, written in a business-y way.  Some of these books are very good - Robert Kiyosaki’s Rich Dad, Poor Dad is credited by many entrepreneurs as THE book that got them started.  A classic that is also cited by many is Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich.  There are many more books that are recommended highly by entrepreneurs and others.  Check out Ben Casnocha’s Book List (he’s one of the most prolific readers I’ve ever seen); Guy Kawasaki’s Ten Favorite Books; or see Joyful Jubilant Learning’s A Love Affair with Books 2007 in March.

Business books are important.  They have lots of useful knowledge packed into them.  These books are written in perfect business fashion - efficient!  Lots of information in a small space can be good, but it is hard to remember everything - it’s hard to put all of it into practice and make it useful.

Most importantly, however, if you focus on business books to the exclusion of all the other business wisdom that surrounds you, you’re actually missing out on the best learning and the most important lessons. 

As an example of this, I recently read Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials Trilogy.  In the final book of the trilogy, one of the main characters, Will, is told by an angel, Xaphania, that he has important things to do with his life.  His answer, and Xaphania’s response, is below:

“What work have I got to do then?” said Will, but went on at once, “No, on second thought, don’t tell me. I shall decide what I do.  If you say my work is fighting, or healing, or exploring, or whatever you might say, I’ll always be thinking about it. And if I do end up doing that, I’ll be resentful because it’ll feel as if I didn’t have a choice, and if I don’t do it, I’ll feel guilty because I should. Whatever I do, I will choose it, no one else.”

            “Then you have already taken the first steps towards wisdom,” said Xaphania.

I love this passage for several reasons.  I like the reference to personal choice, which is obvious in the passage.  But I also like the underlying message, which is that even though you have the ability to choose anything you want to do, you STILL have to choose, and you still have to DO!  Sitting still, or analysis paralysis, does not count as a choice.  Knowing that you have important things to do is only beneficial if you make a choice and do something, even if you aren’t sure it is the “right” thing - the thing you are “supposed” to do.  Do something, anything.  Whatever you think might be that “right” thing.

Like Will Rodgers said, “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”  Get up and get out there. Do something.

Make it your habit to recognize these nuggets of wisdom… then share them by leaving us a comment telling us what you’ve learned!