The Meaning of Meaning

Originally shared by Guy Kawasaki

The Meaning of Meaning
"I have never thought of writing for reputation and honor. What I have in my heart must come out; that is the reason why I compose."
—Ludwig van Beethoven

When I was a venture capitalist, I noticed that entrepreneurs whose primary goal was to make money usually failed. This is because this kind of entrepreneur attracts other people who primarily want to make money, and then when the company doesn’t pay out big bucks immediately (and no startup does), these folks look for greener pastures.

Many people recommend a rigorous process of self-examination before starting a company. That’s good, but entrepreneurs usually ask themselves the wrong questions:

Can I work long hours at low wages?
Can I deal with rejection after rejection?
Can I handle the responsibility of dozens of employees?

The truth is that it is impossible to answer questions like this in advance, and these questions ultimately serve no purpose. On the one hand, talk and bravado are cheap. Saying you’re willing to do something doesn’t mean that you will do it. On the other hand, realizing that you have doubt and trepidation doesn’t mean you won’t build a great company. How you answer such questions has little predictive power about what you’ll actually do when you get caught up in a great idea. No one really knows if he or she is an entrepreneur until after the fact—and sometimes not even then.

The key question you should ask yourself before starting any new venture is:

Do I want to make meaning?
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I just launched my first online Skillshare   "Art of the Start: Turning Ideas into High-Growth Businesses."  Learn startup lessons from Bill Reichert and me at:  http://skl.sh/1h7aDKI