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| Breakthrough To Your 'Big Idea' |
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| Written by Tiffany Ford | |
| Monday, 28 July 2008 17:58 | |
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Experimentation and risk are always scary when you apply them to your career, but don't let those fearful emotions confuse you into thinking that taking the path less traveled is also veering off the road toward success. Most likely, the traditional route is less direct than it promises, and blazing a new trail will become your short-cut to success. You're not the first person to pursue a 'Big Idea.' Trail blazers share their courageous stories of breaking away from the pack everyday... or more accurately every weeknight... from 10 to 11... on CNBC's The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. Watching The Big Idea on CNBC, Donny Deutsch’s inspirational talk show for entrepreneurs, always puts me in the mindset of success, creativity, and motivation. Deutsch recognizes that an entrepreneur is not just someone who starts his or her own business. Entrepreneurs are people who think of their work, whatever it may be, as their own small business. Deutsch interviews successful entrepreneurs right along side celebrities, or anyone who ditched the norm and fulfilled their dream. All the guests have a similar message: no matter what your work or your passion, you should take personal responsibility and control just like a business owner needs to do in order to be successful, and part of taking control is finding your own path. I was recently watching a re-run of an interview with Ann Curry on The Big Idea. Curry's path to success may seem much too traditional to fit into a Generation Breakthrough friendly philosophy, but Deutsch has a fantastic ability to squeeze an inspirational message out of all of his guests. In the interview, Curry commented that determination is what makes a person successful because each person has 100% control over their personal drive. She's right on the money, and our generation must expand upon this idea. Such determination will help you define your own path, and the choices that will lead to you dreams. Furthermore, Generation Breakthrough must define and focus our drive so we can learn to will our success to happen. She went on to talk about the moment this “clicked” for her. As an intern she was offered a job reporting at another network, and her boss told her not to take it for several reasons, mostly because she was a woman with no news instinct, and she'd have too much trouble carrying the heavy camera. Curry initially responded by thinking, “Oh yeah? Watch me.” Donny Deutsch implied that he would have said “Oh yeah? Bite me.” This type of response, particularly “Bite me,” is a very Generation Breakthrough perspective, and is also the reason why employers erroneously believe we are spoiled and lazy. What we mean when we say “bite me” is “I don’t need this.” It is not that we have no concept of loyalty, or that we quit when confronted with conflict. We simply know that we can do better by changing courses. There are plenty of great paths out there, the most important of which is forging your own. For another of Deutsch's guests, Today Show correspondent Maria Menounos, the plan involved taking a detour from her specific dream, which wound up being a short cut around everyone who was pursuing the more obvious methods. She saw that by conquering the beauty queen circuit, she could strategically control her own path, and ultimately wind up better of than those who fell in line. Taking control of your future may mean breaking the rules that all the good little yuppies follow, and finding an alternate path. The moment I decided to quit my day job and focus my time on Generation Breakthrough was the most self-defining, clarifying, and potentially rewarding decision I have ever made. This brings me to another point that Donny Deutsch squeezed out of a different creative and entrepreneurial guest. While interviewing chef and Food Network ace, Bobby Flay, Deutsch asked Flay what the key was to his success. Flay stated that the trick is simply constantly thinking “Why not me?” Upon hearing these numbingly obvious words, I yelled out “Exactly!” But keeping this mindset isn't as obvious. In order to take control of your future and your success you have to believe that you are worthy and deserving of it. Don't you believe that if you put all your intellect and effort into a dream that you could achieve it? Generation Breakthrough was raised with this self-confidence, but as we enter the workforce, where 'taking one for the team' is promoted, we are devalued and denied this gift. Do not forget or neglect the belief, or rather the KNOWLEDGE that you are exceptionally smart and deserving of all the success in the world RIGHT NOW. If you forget this fact, you are sabotaging your own success. Decide now to take control of your future today. The Roadmap to Success: The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch (2 DVD set)Bookmark with:
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Comments (6)
  written by SRF, August 21, 2008
"Winners Never Quit? Well, Yes, They Do"
By ALINA TUGEND NY Times August 15, 2008 From the title you can tell this article supports your Gen Breakthrough advice. Check it out. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08...tcuts.html report abuse
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 written by tiffmford, August 22, 2008
Great article. The statement that "'rather than thinking about winning, they’re playing not to lose'" is really profound!
We're too often focused on just not losing, so we stay in bad situations... sometimes because it's easier. We essentially give up. Instead, we should be focused on winning, and achieving our goals, like Donny Deustch encourages. You're never going to win if you don't take a gamble. report abuse
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written by akahn22, August 22, 2008
Like many people that Donny Deutsch has interviewed I have had creative ideas which would lead me away from the pack, but I have lacked the motivation to act on any one of them. I need to take my ideas and run with them - not just sit at home with a great idea and let someone else capitalize on it first!
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 written by MikeFogel, August 23, 2008
I think the article misses a HUGE factor, that really makes all the difference. It treats quitting exclusively as 'settling' or taking a step backward - giving up all together. She brushes on the fact that quitting can improve other aspects of your life...
But often, and certainly what we are trying to encourage with Generation Breakthrough, is that quitting your job can (in fact it should always) lead to a better situation in your career. Essentially, you shouldn't 'stick it out' in a job that isn't rewarding. You have to quit that mediocre job, in order to pursue an even bigger, greater goal. Quitting as a means of advancing. It's only then, in this more desirable situation that the debate about when to quit becomes more complicated. But never over complicate the debate to quit a lousy situation! report abuse
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I've been there. I've fallen into that ditch... and it doesn't seem like a ditch. That's the biggest problem. You're proud of yourself for finishing the project on time, or making that 'big' sale. Yes, you may have accomplished that goal, but is that goal really important to you?
Don't give up and merely fulfill your responsibilities. Take it all on.
Go Generation Breakthrough. I'm glad there's a site like this out there for us.