Damn Right, I Take It Personally
“Just let me be great, let me be great.” – Jay Z F.U.T.W
Last week like many days in my business life something didn't go exactly how I wanted it to and I got truly upset. It was early in the day but I needed to just go home and hide and take in what happened and yes do a bit of sulking.
I have been an entrepreneur since 20 years old when I started my first company a call center that pivoted to a data list broker and multi-compiler. Business has been my college, my personal life and my source of great energy. Up until my most recent start up Gocella all of my companies were funded by myself and business partner Sev, also my best friend since I was 17 and we are still at it together.
Even Gocella was 1.5 years funded by us and James Altucher (thanks my man) until we were introduced to Ryan Moore at Atlas venture who decided to lead a round that we didn't even have planned…real boot-strappers. Smart guy : ) Thanks Ryan and Atlas and all our investors, rest assured we are building and working from the brain and the heart.
So yes I take it all personally I don’t know how not to because I feel that is what drives my passion to create successful companies and happy clients. I want everything I do to be great and that takes more than a brain and innovation…it takes heart. Well things involving our hearts are very personal.
I do know this makes things at times more difficult, overwhelming and quite exhausting. However it’s my formula and I refuse to change it, no matter how much sleep I lose sometimes, or tears I shed, or worries I create and amplify. It’s who I am and it is the way I am outside of work as well.
I want to not only make my clients happy but my friends, family and the special person in my life. All the same side effects though come with being so personal and unfiltered in my personal life just like I mention in business.
What if I didn't take it all personally? I would feel like I wasn't giving my all and if I didn't have my heart in something and also I would feel like I was lying to myself, to people, prospects, investors, clients, friends and loved ones. This I will not do. My principles on lying are pretty crazy…yes I get the whole white lie thing but I just hope if I stick to this code, this formula, well it will come back to me from others.
Taking things personally means caring, appreciating, being grateful and trying my hardest to do great work, be a good person and you know what just being great. Let’s be great!
I try more now to at least not amplify the little things that happen to all of us, I try to let go so I can move on and make something else work out versus focusing on the negative or unexpected “let down”
But no matter what it’s all personal, it’s my life and it all affects me. Unfortunately I need to remind myself more often that I am not the only one going through these types of emotions and taking all the risks necessary…I am getting a little better at this from the help of great friends.
So the way I see it is, take it personally and people will know you really care, you really want to be happy and make others happy and I don’t know how that can be done without putting your heart into your work and wearing your heart on your sleeve.
So for those that feel the same way, live the same way and struggle because of it…I say keep up with the struggle, confide in great friends and trusted advisers because in my opinion nothing will ever be great without someone’s heart being on the line and involved.
Take it personal, it’s your life we are talking about here it’s how you want people to view you and trust you and the legacy you want to leave behind and in front of you.
Trust is what it’s all about!
So I end where I started...“Just let me be great, let me be great.” – Jay Z F.U.T.W
“Just let me be great, let me be great.” – Jay Z F.U.T.W