Starting A Business: Define Your Definite Major Purpose & Envision Your Desired Outcome
Before you start doing the things, the tasks, required to start a business, I suggest you spend some time doing some serious thinking and planning. Not just setting specific goals, which is important, but higher plain stuff. The things David Allen calls 50,000 feet thoughts- career, purpose, lifestyle.
There is a very famous book by Napoleon Hill, called Think and Grow Rich. It’s one of those books that most successful people I know have read. In his book, Hill presents his concept of the Definite Major Purpose. It was a challenge to his readers, to ask themselves “in what do I truly believe?” You need to define this, and make sure whatever business you decide to start, is aligned with this purpose. If your business is in some way aligned with your core values, or doing something you truly love, you will have passion in your work. Passion always comes through, and greatly increases your chances for success.
For example, I love to teach. I get really jazzed when I can help someone do something they have been having trouble with. Whether it is something big like starting a business, or something small like helping my wife figure out how to sync her outlook with gmail, I really enjoy sharing what I know. I get real, sincere joy and inspiration from watching and helping others succeed. I believe that is the most important factor in my success as a business start-up coach.
There are a lot of people who start businesses in a niche because they think it will make them a lot of money. They know nothing about the niche, and have no interest in learning anything about it. This can work, but I highly discourage it, especially for your first, or primary business. LOVE WHAT YOU DO!
I often say that most people spend the majority of their time awake, working, so if you hate your work, you hate your life. Don’t be miserable for the majority of your waking hours. Personally, I would rather live in a box on the street.
Love what you do, and your passion, your enthusiasm, will come through in your work. People respond to that. So if you are trying to figure out what business you want to start, begin by making a list of things you like to do, and things you know about. You will be surprised how many great business ideas appear on that list.
Once you decide what business you are going to start, envision the outcome you want. Picture the lifestyle it will bring you. Imagine what you will do with the money you will earn. Be as specific as possible. Don’t think this stuff is important? Ask any pro athlete or any successful person you know. This is not only important, it works! When you picture in your mind, the outcome you want to achieve, you make a connection to the outcome. It becomes something real, and on a subconcious level, it becomes your reality. You know you can do it, because it is something you have seen.
I appreciate your contributation to Napolean Hill’s DMP philosophy. Your statement, “…most people spend the majority of their time awake, working, so if you hate your work, you hate your life.” is profound. I love what I do and believe that the skill set I have has been given to me by God. Therefore, I strive do my work in a manner that glorifies God as I do it.
Your article is really admirable…has given me lot of strength hope you will continue sharing your beautiful thoughts and experiences…as the days go along…am definetly going to read the book Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. am sure it will help me a lot in what am doing..
Thanks again and all the very best.
Javeed.
Reading your articles encourages me even more on what i plan to invest in. i will certainly try to read this book you recommend of napoleon hill. I actually bought a book of napoleon hill called the master key to richest, i never finished it but i did got many positive insights. I totally agree with envisioning ones ideas and having a mind layout of what you expect from life.
Thanks for your thoughts!
I'm glad I could encourage you! I think you'll like the book. Let me know :)
Love it! Very inspriational…
Thanks Digital Paper4u! Glad you liked it :)
Theres a free PDF online of think and grow rich just google it thats how i got my copy.
Btw Ian i appreciate that business plan package u sent me! Ill keep u in mInd when i hit my first mil or 2!
Very encouraging words. Thank you
Beautiful! How curious the Human mind working is…I like the article ! thank you…
I’ve just finished Think and Grow Rich. Great book! You can find many exemples of how great people think (or thought). The most important thing is to have an idea and to transform this idea in your dream.
As you said in this article, it’s very important to love what you do and if you do daily what you love… then is sure you have a great life.
Thank you Ian!
MEDITATION BRINGS OUT THE BEST QUALITY IN YOU AND ONLY THE SET MINDED COULD DETERMINE ITS CORE VALUES..
The truth will set you free —- to do things successfully!!.
i want to start a new buisness but don’t know what buiseness is perfect for me to start with as i am a computer engg. and wanted to start something in this field but don’t know what as i am prity nervous and i belong to india(new delhi) and only have 10000 rs as per indian currency. so
plz suggest ,…i am wating curiously
well i have a business idea in this field just inbox me at valerycelestin@gmail.com and we can talk about it–
Hi
We are group of 4 enthusiastic software engineers with about 10 years average exp in the various IT fields. Can you pls guide us how we should bring our software service startup idea into reality, whom and how should we target customers etc?
I will be really thankful as “passion” is all we have now
I own a clothing business, and I want to make it grow, to make it give more than it currently does. I get good profits from it without having a business plan or a cashflow sheet, but now I want to get more serious about it. But where to start?
A good place to start is to get the free templates I give away. You’d be surprised at what you can accomplish when you have the right tools. Another great resource is your local SCORE organization. Good luck! Ian
This is exactly what I teach at http://www.TrueLifeDevelopment.com!
I have truly been impressed with your professionalism and desire to help others. Your passion and care shine through your work. I am working on a start-up and writing a contract proposal for a government agency. In knowing there will be a profit after a certain number of clients is reached, how do you show that on projected financial reports. It is a fee for service contract and I will be sole proprietor to begin with. Is the profit just listed as income to myself?
Use the templates to put you’re forecasting (of sales and expenses) into the Cash Flow Statement. This will help you determine when you will be profitable (which will let you know how much cash you need on hand to get you there), as well as your expected break even date.
Thank you for pointing me in the right direction
being a management student this article gave me a direction to rise.
I have done all these thing sir
That’s great!
The purpose k-love entertainment & productions1 is to help ones to become successful in the music writing, music publisher, to help big beautiful woman who like to become model and to bring out better stylish brand of clothing line for bbw and have more places to go and shop then hand few sirlet store where to go to buy clothes that fit them, and also my places business is a promoting company, modeling agent, and etc….; it not a another business or company out there that can compete with me in competition aspect badboy recorder label but they are in manhattan, ny
I live in laos P.D.R
I want to do a small business, not spend as much found, but don’t know what kind business can be good and successful.
I’ve found things work best when you have the business idea forst, then try to figure out how to launch it.
___
*Ian Gordon*
REALDIGITAL
t: 416-642-7664 | ian@realdigital.ca | http://www.RealDigital.ca
Mr. Gordon are you available for questions in starting my business
I am. I reply to the weekly newsletter personally.
Thank you so much. This is very helpful and encouraging. The way you explain things is so simple that even I, a Freshman in college, can understand. My teacher tried. Bless his heart.
Happy you found it useful!
This is just great.
By the way, I am discussing Napoleon Hill’s 17 principles of success on my blog… Check it out at http://empowernetwork.com/aldodon
And, Ian, if you want to make a guest post on my blog, just let me know. I would be happy to have somebody guest post.
This was an encouraging article. My husband wants to start his own business and I would like to be as helpful as possible. This is a great start.
A supportive partner is a must. He’s lucky to have one :)
I believe this is a great start for me and I can feel success is just around the corner.
Good luck!
Dear Mr. Ian,
Thanks for the spirit you wanted to Grow inside each Business Starter.
Kindly i Have a Question Can you Tell me How to Contact u ??
Thanks
You’re welcome. Shoot an email to comments [AT] startupdaddy [DOT] com
Hallo Ian
I am so Proud of you.!
I ca’t regret the day I subscribed to your Website 4days Back. For sure you articles are helping me believe in my self more to start-up the best Photography Services Company in My country Uganda!
I am so grateful and am learning alot.!
Best Regards
Henry
Show message history
Hi Henry. Welcome! Happy to help :)
Hello Ian,
So blessed by the way you operate…seeing you as a dedicated family man and entrepreneur is so encouraging. I was laughing at the way you spoke about the things you were managing with your daughter all the while taking care of business! Reminds me of our household! Keep up the great work!
Anyways, My husband and I are starting our business legally now…I say legal, because I make flower arrangements and am desiring to make it grow into a cafe/gift shop one day. We have a very unique way of making them as they are very different from most arrangements, which I can explain on a more personal level.
At this point we wanted to go ahead with the business licenses and so forth. I have known for some time to do a business plan, which your templates definitely come in handy.
I guess I should ask which should come first or does it matter?
I have so much going on …thinking of going to school to get Business Management under my belt as well. I’ll figure it out! Ha!
Thanks so much for your site!
Aurora
You are correct that the order is not that important. I would get the licence going and start the business plan. You can definitely start things as you work through the plan. It will help. Business courses are a great idea as well! Good luck!
Hi Ian,
Thanks for the those words of encouragement, I always believe in loving what you do and giving it your all, for it is when you do that you get positive outcome. I have this business idea a long time but was just looking at the economic situation in my country, but when I sit and look back, if I don’t make a start now it will never happen and the situation is not getting better. So I’ve decided this is the year to make that move start.
Happy to hear it Lily! Waiting for the perfect economic climate is never a good idea. Glad you decided to make a go of it. Empires have been build during bad economic time. Concentrate on what you need to do to succeed.
i am definitely glad i decided to pick your site for my business, you keep me motivated and encouraged to start my business on the right track. And i am definitely going to get that book and read it.
wow…where have this site being all this while? Thanks Ian.
You’re welcome. Happy you find it useful.
This is some reali great stuff. I am stuck with my business venture en need done advice. But it’s a pretty confidential so I will email you.
Hi Ian. Thanks for the good advice. I took my time, and I chose a great career. I love flying and cinema, and now I run those little drone copters around making movies all day long! It’s so fun. I was in an auto accident 23 years ago, and lived on disability since. Now I can finally see a future for myself and my family. It was my daughter that inspired me to action. I wanted her to have a home, someplace she will always know and be able to come back to all her life. I’ve had this thanks to my grandparents, and I want her to have it as well! My wife and I actually went to a custom builder, and the designs for our dream home are being drawn up. Stuff I thought was just daydreams is actually starting happen! Having a DEFINITE MAJOR PURPOSE is an important step!
Excellent advice, especially in using Napoleon Hill’s book. Thank you for using something I am familiar with. My trust in following your advice is now heightened.
That very much ture saying on the article. I like the sentence . “You know you can do it, because it is something you have seen.”
It’s is very important to do what you like. Once you tap on that the rewards are huge. Thanks Ian.
Thank you so much for the advice. It put a significant emphasis on discovering the core purpose of wanting to start a business. Do you recommend starting a business that you have a growing passion for or an interest in learning more about the industry or field of profession? What if you have minimum experience in the business you are trying to start. But with the little exposure you’ve had you feel that its enough to further establish something you’d love to do…
Great advice… I think it creates a solid base for what I am about to built! Thank you!
This was a somewhat basic, yet extremely important lesson to learn. Sometimes the most important things are the ones we overlook. I have been looking through the ocean of information on starting a business and am really glad I stumbled across your site. So far it has been a huge blessing. Thank you for sharing the blessing with others.
I don’t understand
Great piece by all standard
thanks this is vercinating
Thank you Sir !
Quite helpful, thanks for sharing.
I have always thought visualising to specifications of your success kinda blocks the fate because the many times I’ve done that everything fails.
Thanks now I know it ain’t bad.
Hmmm seems to me you may have already sabotaged the outcome if you go into the exercise with the belief that it’s “probably gona fail anyway”. I personally don’t give much weight to the ‘fate’ theory. Leaving life to ‘fate’ is a cop out in my view. I suspect that you are not using the ‘visualising’ concept to its full potential. And before you even THINK about it – NO , I’m not talking about some eeiry fairy, new age bullcrap. I, with great scepticism initially, was introduced to the concept years and was suprised – no, no, AMAZED at what I learnt and experienced. People expect to too much, too soon with too little effort is my experience when I hear people say “oh it’s all shit ! It didn’t work for me”.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the book ‘The Secret’. If not I advise you check it out because it’s a wonderful example (and guide) into how this concept can help people achieve success and happiness in their lives ?