What Will You Become

The problem with blogging is it is so easy to de-prioritize. Most the people who would read this blog hear from me regularly anyway. Yet, blogging is a chance to summarize all those conversations into something meaningful.

This post is about the value of thinking about the end before you start. Before you click away thinking you have heard this before, I want you to stop and ask yourself if you have asked what you want the end result to be? I mean, in all areas of your life, do you know what success looks like?

I frequently do not. Most of the time, I just do. I spent the last few years trying to change this bad habit.

Both the corporate world and early stage start ups do not think about the end before they start anything new. In other words, to quote the ending of a trailer (1:26 of the Youtube clip) from one my favorite movie franchises, what will you become?

Most of us work for a corporate overlord where at some point the appearance of working is more important than the end result. In this case, no one knows, or cares, about what the goal is or what the organization will become as a result.

So, let me bring this home. What will we become? Our micro-fund's strategy is to serve our portfolio companies. We help our founders fund raise by making productive introductions to other angel groups or venture funds. We try to help them commercialize their product faster by connecting them with our best in class limited partner base that has relevant experience in their target markets.

What will we become? An ethical fund with four to five times return on assets under management. We will be a catalyst driving our portfolio companies to a successful exit by executing on our service strategy.

Be committed. Be focused. Take one small step each day. Know what you want to become.

P.S. The best Rogue One trailer is actually here. If you want to get pumped up, listen to the soundtrack.