Entrepreneurship & Career Building Accidental Success? No Such Thing By Catherine Volz ~ volzcat@yahoo.com


SANTA ROSA, CA. ~ There is no accidental success. It’s mo- tivating to examine the quali- ties it takes to get there.


Success


starts with a burning de- sire. William Barclay said that there are two great days in a person’s life—the day we are born and the day we discover why. Your ideas and your art are signs of your excellence. People grow a lot when faced with their own mortality. Nurse Bronnie Ware spent several years working in palliative care in Australia and became ac- customed to hear the elderly reveal their regrets. The most common repentance? “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” Iden- tify your intrinsic motivation because it’s never too late to achieve.


Learn what you need to learn and get the experience you need. Nothing is too challeng- ing or too foreign to learn. Even when you’re exhausted from a current situation, show up on nights and weekends to net- work with like-minded people. Eventually you’ll become part of the community and have an


opportunity to gain experience. When I returned to the Bay Area in 2012, I was inspired by the energy and innovation of the startup scene. I spent all of my time outside of work learning about how entrepre- neurs prepare to bring their vi- sons to life. Last year I became a founding gen-


eral partner at an early stage venture fund. It felt great to connect startup founders with investors to build products that impact the world.


Commit. Put in the effort. Look at the reasons you give for not doing what you know you should. Are they out of your control, or excuse to avoid responsibility? Do what needs to be done on time. Hu- mans feel happy when they are making progress toward goals. Believe in what you’re do-


ing. Align your energy with the feeling of already having achieved your goal. Your ener- gy overrides your intentions. If your energy is not in sync with your desires, they won’t come true. You cannot fake energy. Feeling love and gratitude is the fastest way to shift into a state of fl ow.


Use determination to honor ... continued on page 23


UPBEAT TIMES • March 2015 • 19


Self-respect is the cornerstone of all virtue. ~John Herschel


UPBEAT TIMES • March 2015 • 19


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