Thursday, October 8, 2009

Change, Entrepreneurship, Anger

Response to Change

The main idea about entrepreneurship is related to dealing with change. An entrepreneur is sensitive to change, in fact he seeks out change. And it is in the change that he finds opportunities.

There are many responses to change from different people. And with some very successful entrepreneurs I have found that their approach to change is almost welcoming. However, this is the exception, rather than the rule. I believe that the most common reaction to change with many people is anger.

The fundamental reason for the anger is that attention gets diverted. I've had my mind on doing something; possibly I'm enjoying what I'm doing - and all of a sudden, I've to change course. I resent it. I hate it.

It happens while driving: I know where I want to go and the thinking about how to get there is already done and now I'm free to enjoy the drive, listen to soft music and think some pleasant thoughts. Right in the middle of this pleasurable state comes an interruption - heavy traffic, someone cutting in in front of me, causing me to brake. I can feel the anger boil up inside me.

Same thing happens in office when a new requirement comes up in the work that I'm doing. Everything was planned and the whole thing was going smoothly when a new requirement was made that requires undoing a lot of the stuff that has already been done and the redoing it differently. Again the feeling of boiling anger.

The Planning Paradigm

The problem is with the paradigm: Its the paradigm of following a plan. I've done all the thinking that was necessary for my activity and had gone on autopilot. And now I'm having a great time while things are getting done almost by themselves. I hate it when this is disturbed.

The problem with the paradigm is that it is far removed from reality. Things rarely go according to plan - there are changes. Even if that does not happen, you don't get the best outcome by following the plan you set out with.

What you need is an alert mind - a mind that is alert to the reality around you; not one that is wandering away into some distant place in space and time. It is the alert mind that will recognize the signs of thick traffic and provide the alternative of taking a different route. The wandering mind will only notice the traffic jam when you are almost in the thick of it and cant do anything about it.

Entrepreneurship

The mind grounded in the present is always looking around, seeing the beauty of things around, taking part in the present. This is the paradigm for entrepreneurship - remain in the present, notice what is happening around you, seek opportunities for leverage. Something will certainly come out of it.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Samir's General Blog