subject: Being an entrepreneur doesnt mean "cheap", it means "doing more with less" [print this page] Being an entrepreneur doesn't mean being cheap, it means doing more with less.
"We are trying to be more entrepreneurial so we are doing it on a small budget"
"We are trying to incorporate the entrepreneurial spirit so we are doing things on the cheap so we are forced to be resourceful"
"How do I make my $100 stretch further?"
Heard these statements before? I know I have!
Today, more than ever individuals, organization and big companies are trying to find ways to infuse the entrepreneurial spirit into their lives and their work. Companies often give the mandate to their teams to act more entrepreneurially and less corporate. Individuals and small business owners look at successful entrepreneurs and try to find ways to mimic their results in their own lives.
This entrepreneurial mandate that we've given ourselves makes sense given the state of the world. The entrepreneur has always been the shining light of big dreams and daring action. There is this sense that unleashing the entrepreneur within will lead to more happiness, amazing dreams and more opportunities. In many ways I think this is correct. The entrepreneurial spirit is what allows us to think differently, see opportunities where others see blank spaces and have more presence and energy.
But, what does it mean to live the entrepreneurial spirit? From my vantage point as an entrepreneur, speaker, idea tinkerer and observer of life the entrepreneurial spirit is often misunderstood as the resources or results produced by that spirit. I think the spotlight is often on the wrong part. It's not actually about the result, it's about the mindset that got to the result.
It's these mindsets that I want to explore and bring to life. I've had the honor of not just being but meeting so many people that really embody the entrepreneurial spirit and there is something unique and different about all of them. I think we've all met that person. They just see the world differently. Sometimes we think they are crazy and a little off their rocker but we can't deny that they somehow always break-through and find a way to stand out in a sea of sameness.
There are several mindsets that we will explore moving forward in what I'm calling the Green Light Life Series. I call it Green Light because those that embody the entrepreneurial spirits always look for the green lights, the turn, the curve and the path that keeps them learning and growing in motion. That's the Green Light Life unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit in every action every day.
The first mindset I want to explore is "do more with less". Most people confuse this with cheap or scrappy but those words couldn't be further from this mindset. I can't tell you the number of times organizations have told me they want their employees to be more entrepreneurial so they cut their budgets. Individuals that want to live a more entrepreneurial life will tell me that they want to stretch their resources further. It's often followed with a statement like, "we are going to do things cheap and scrappy."
Is not having a lot of resources or cash at hand entrepreneurial or is how you think about those resources the true spirit or mindset behind being entrepreneurial? Clearly, I would say it's the mindset that we need to pay attention to, not just the resources and results.
Yes, it's true many entrepreneurs don't have the grand resources at the beginning of their journey. But, and this is a big but, there is a difference between I'm only spending $10 on this because I'm cheap and how do I add value to what I'm getting for this $10. That is the essence of the Green Light Entrepreneur and the Green Light Life. How do I do more with less? How do I not just stretch my dollar but swing for the fences with every penny, every quarter and every single dollar that makes up that $10. How do I get more out of the situation, the experience or the resource? The difference here is that that mindset lasts regardless of whether you have $10 or $1 Million dollars. If I get an hour with my team, how do I make it the most impactful hour ever? Do I really need an hour or can I get even better results with 30 minutes? If my to-do list is 10 pages deep, what can I prioritize that will move me forward?
Do you see where I'm headed? There is nothing cheap about this mindset at all. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It's a mindset of abundance. It's a mindset of - wow , I can do so much with what I have. The key here is that it applies at all levels, not just in the beginning. Cheap and scrappy is a mindset of scarcity and doesn't fit into the entrepreneurial spirit of abundance. Green Light Entrepreneurs are probably some of the most abundant thinking, optimistic people I know. And for those of you that know me, I have no doubt that you probably describe me as crazy optimistic.
If you are like many people out there right now looking for that feeling of abundance remember that "do more with less" can get you there. Ask yourself where are you being cheap and scrappy, ie. mindset of scarcity and where can you do more with less, ie. mindset of abundance. Take a look at how you approach your life, your work, your goals and your family? How do you tackle that problem or that amazing opportunity? Here are a few Green Light versus Red Light Questions that can help you make sure you are doing more with less and embodying the Green Light Mindset every day.
Green Light (do more with less) vs. Red Light (cheap and scrappy) Questions:
Am I optimizing my time? vs. How can I cram it all in with the time I have?
How can I get the most impact from my team? vs. Who can I delegate the work too without adding resources?
How can I get the most for my money? vs. How can I stretch my dollars?
What are the opportunities from this situation? vs. What's the one thing I should focus on?
What do I prioritize that will move me forward? vs. How do I check off my to-do list?
If you ask yourself Green Light Questions you will get Green Light Solutions. You might even amaze yourself with some new thinking and ideas. Today, I challenge you to embrace the Green Light Life and unleash the entrepreneur within. Replace your Red Light Mindsets with Green Light Mindsets and you'll be on your way to a Green Light Life.
Dream big. Imagine often. Swing for the fences!
Next Green Light Mindset: Doing the opposite of what's expected
Being an entrepreneur doesnt mean "cheap", it means "doing more with less"
