If I were to give anyone a gift, it would be that of awareness - the ability to uncover and pursue what they can do best. What's your drive? How does that scale in organizations? What does that look like in the marketplace? Has the definition of value changed?
Jim Collins talked about the three circles, the intersection of what you are passionate about, what you do really well, and what people will pay you for. Marcus Buckingham has been telling us about finding our strongest life. The power resides in motivation. You want motivation because, as Umair Haque says, the challenge of the 21st century is creative - learning to create fundamentally better stuff in the first place.
With motivation, it's important to define where you're coming from, what's your ultimate drive. Collins uses business as the data set for interesting questions, for example. It's also important to remember that sometimes we need to ask better questions - of ourselves first, and in the context of work with others.
The concept of awesomeness and conversation is a bit broader than say a customer community, or an advocacy program, or a branding effort for a business or career development. It doesn't identify with agreement, yet it doesn't need dissent to justify its fairness.
Opportunities - digging deeper, looking for what you respond to positively
Challenges - getting stuck on the control issue, inability to move away from status quo, "me too" complex
Your power resides in motivation, you control that.
The 4 pillar of awesomeness, according to Haque (in bold) and in my version for conversation are:
- Ethical production - are you transparent about your motivations?
- Insanely great stuff - how creative are you in the pursuit of your passion?
- Love - do you love the process of creation?
- Thick value - how is what you contribute making people authentically better off?
Balance is bunk in the same way that a conversation built for the sole purpose of hearing yourself talk is moot. Today at #kaizenblog chat we will discuss the four pillars of awesomeness with examples from your story. Join us there at 12 EST and participate here.
Haque's basics are true. But they're just the basics. What makes awesome is passion. It begins LONG before the conversation.
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I wrote a post about the power of language and the lost art of letter writing a long time ago, that you might enjoy. It probably won't change your mind, but it will change your brain.
Awesome, totally agree with these words. Despite a low income and struggles, I try to keep my chin up and "push" to inspire others in poetry, even with all the things that go on in this world, even if I don't profit, I emotionally do, if just one connects with another emotionally to "lift"
Posted by: April | September 24, 2009 at 02:42 PM
Your head's in the right place, April.
By helping others to participate in something they love doing (sometimes push, sometimes pull), you are setting yourself up for great things. As more people join in, everyone benefits in their own way.
Karma has a way of coming back around. I've seen that participation in the community - online or otherwise - improves lives. Give without expecting anything in return. Your consistency and dedication will come back around and surprise you when you least expect it!
Be clear about being poetic for the art of poetry.
Thrill in the creative process.
Remember that what you're doing entertains, engages, and empowers others.
Rock on.
Posted by: Brian Driggs | September 24, 2009 at 04:10 PM
I associate awe with the absence of self ( passion being an expression self (perhaps the pinnacle).
The more I remove myself from awareness (the judgement's I make) the more awestruck I become.
Take breakfast this morning - I was hungry - a glass of clean water, sour dough bread, spinach, smoked salmon and hollandaise. What makes this awe inspiring is that this experience is unimaginable for nearly all of history (including our own). Humbling ( and utterly delightful).
Perhaps it is the customer who has lost their appetite - who is no longer in awe of their times. Who demands awesomeness but fails to honor the unique moment crafted for them ( self absorbed in their passion). (Watching those around me it was clear the enormity of the occasion was lost in small conversation).
To be human is to be both awesome and awful.
I guess what I'm thinking is how to help consumers to honour their consumption.
Spk soon.
Peter
Posted by: Peter | September 24, 2009 at 09:58 PM
I love your blog. To identify what we are passionate about is a requirement to any human being. If we have not identified this, we should be working hard to find out what our passion is.
Once we indentify our passion, to work towards that goal will be totally enjoyable. A lot of people do a lot of things that they don't like trying to get money. Few fortunate people do what they love and money will follow sooner or later...
Posted by: Boris | September 24, 2009 at 10:35 PM
@April - poets have always been the engine of motivation coming from the heart. I have a shelf dedicated to poetry in my library - in all languages and cultures. From Dante Alighieri, to RM Rilke, poets have spoken the truth they felt about their time and, by doing so, have enriched our lives. So thank you, for being a poet.
@Brian - very eloquently put.
@Peter - it took me a couple of days to reflect on what you say about awe and passion. Very good question: how do we help consumers honor their consumption? In a way, I think we do need to take a step back and relearn to appreciate (be in awe) after years of being taught about driving/acting/creating from passion.
@Boris - thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on awesomeness.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | September 27, 2009 at 01:34 PM
Thanks for leading me (via twitter) to Umair's Awesomeness Manifesto. I wrote an article of my own about why this is important in today's economy here:
http://www.annacallahan.com/blog/2009/09/29/the-awesomeness-economy/
Posted by: Anna | September 29, 2009 at 02:17 PM