Stoked on Quotes: A Journey Through 6 Entrepreneurial Books

Want to know some of the gems I’ve gleaned from the first batch of recommended audio-books I worked with in preparation for B-School?  Here goes.

1.  “Do the Work” by Steven Pressfield

I had to rewind and play that bit a few times – it tickled something deep down inside.  I even wrote a brief email to Steven Pressfield to thank him for making a difference in my life – something I like to do. Little did I know at the time that he had also written another book on the list – “The War of Art” and the novel “The Legend of Bagger Vance” – I had just watched the movie the week before as part of my Waking Up to the Movies program.  His insights on how we create obstacles for ourselves (one of the many things I’m good at 🙂 ) were very useful.  By the way, he responded – “Thanks for that, Dominique. It’s great to be quoted! Seriously, thanks for the very kind words — and thanks to Marie Forleo too.”

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2. “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael Gerber

To say that I learned a lot about running a business from this book is an understatement.  It was an eye opener that led to some useful questioning.  In it, Gerber

dispels the myths surrounding starting your own business and shows how commonplace assumptions can get in the way of running a business. He walks you through the steps in the life of a business … (and) shows how to apply the lessons of franchising to any business whether or not it is a franchise. Finally, Gerber draws the vital, often overlooked distinction between working on your business and working in your business. (amazon.com)

That last point was the kicker for me.  I realized that I’m mostly a technician (I like to do my art).  Part of me just wants to be a hermit painting in my studio… and win the lottery so I can do that.  Although I do have a strong manager in me, I’ll really need to awaken the entrepreneur inside if I want to make it as full-time artist in my own business.  That’s why I’m in B-School. I’m already ahead of where I was last week.

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3.  “Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action” by Simon Sinek

I was familiar with Simon’s work.  He gave a great TED Talk that I use with my ESL students.  His main point is that “People don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it.” It’s all about mission / purpose. That’s why Apple is such a success – no matter what kind of product or service they come out with.

About 15-20 years ago, I identified 5 nouns as my governing values: Spirituality, Love, Beauty, Freedom, Integrity. From there, I developed my personal mission statement, a powerful decision-making tool I’ve used ever since:  “My purpose is to travel through life exploring and expressing my love of beauty and the beauty of love.”  After listening to this book, I understand that my values don’t only drive me, but also my customers –  those who believe as I believe. 

Coming up with verbs for those values was a very valuable exercise for me.  This is what is at the root of all I am. This is why I do what I do – my guiding principles.

This book was a great listen and each session was accompanied by a short video and worksheets online. You can also access the first chapter of the book below the first video once you listen to it.

You become a trailblazer by virtue of being your genuine self. It is that simple, it is that profound.

If we want to live bold full lives, we must take our whole selves into the future. Nothing can be forsaken or hidden because it is in integrating all of the aspects of our beings that we expand: cosmic love and worldly ambitions; consciousness and cash; high standards and compassion.

We speak the same language – even if hers is a tad more colourful at times 🙂

Choosing easy is smart, efficient, elegant; a fantastic form of self-compassion; giving yourself a break and getting out of your own way. Choosing easy is letting inspiration be your compass. Choosing easy is allowing for the things that you’ve been asking for to enter your life. … Quality easy brings a sense of expansion to things. Quality easy is compelling—because when you say yes to grace, you’re saying yes to the natural flow of life. You lift your face toward the grace, like flowers lean into the light.

Enthusiasm, the third modality of awakened doing, is when the universe creates through you. You are involved in a creative act. You are bringing something new into this world. When that energy comes in, you feel an intense aliveness that flows into what you do. That is enthusiasm.  ~Tolle

In this book, Steven Pressfield went far beyond helping us understand resistance. It’s his later chapters that most touched me this time. He talked about the Muse – about angels.  I so resonated with his description of the creative process. It was so refreshing to listen to someone describe it in my language. There’s no way I could describe it better, so I’ll leave you with his words.  If you’re not comfortable with references to God and angels, substitute with whatever works for you.

Every breath we take, every heartbeat, every evolution of every cell comes from God and is sustained by God every second, just as every creation, invention, every bar of music or line of verse, every thought, vision, fantasy, every dumb-ass flop and stroke of genius comes from that infinite intelligence that created us and the universe in all its dimensions, out of the Void, the field of infinite potential, primal chaos, the Muse. To acknowledge that reality, to efface all ego, to let the work come through us and give it back freely to its source, that, in my opinion, is as true to reality as it gets.

Creative work is not a selfish act or a bid for attention on the part of the actor. It is a gift to the world and every being in it.  Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.

What a great week of learning – I wonder where the next batch of books will take me.  My goal is to have them read/listened to before the official start of B-School on the 9th.  Alas, my schedule is a bit fuller this week than last, so the hermit must leave the bedroom.