The Seven Deadly Sins of entrepreneurship — part two

The second of our seven deadly sins of entrepreneurship, adapted from Gandhi’s list of seven spiritually detrimental traits, is “pleasure without conscience.”

What this “sin” speaks to is greed. Greed is also commonly listed as one of the biblically defined seven deadly sins. What we speak of is the accumulation of wealth without regard to how you procure it or for what purpose you intend to use it. The goal is simply the acquisition and nothing more. Think of the character Scrooge from Dickens, or, for those of you with a more well-rounded education, Scrooge McDuck from the comic books. [Read more…]

Are you handcuffed by your business?

Here’s a real problem for many small business owners, particularly those who engage in what are commonly known as the “professions.”  An added expense to maintaining a business is additional expenses to one’s personal lifestyle. This is sometimes known as “the golden handcuffs.”  A professional needs to maintain a certain image to attract business, and then has to chase increasing amounts of dollars to pay for that image. He or she needs the right clothes, the right car, the right house, and to eat, shop and be seen at the right places.  If at some point the professional wants to take a step back and simplify his or her life, the golden handcuffs make it difficult to do so. [Read more…]

The Seven Deadly Sins of entrepreneurship — part one

Mohandas Gandhi created a list of seven traits that he believed to be spiritually detrimental to each and every one of us. Today, and for six articles thereafter, I am going to adapt these seven sins, applying them to the world of the entrepreneur.

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Tranquility now?

A quote to ponder:

“We must learn to be still in the midst of activity and to be vibrantly alive in repose.”

Indira Gandhi

Is a shutdown a good idea?

As I write this, the federal government is shut down. Whether you think that this is a good or bad idea, what if you took this concept and applied it in your personal life?

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Did I see a squirrel?

One of the things that attracts many solo entrepreneurs to their business is the fact that the business which they are creating can be run from the comfort of their own home. Putting that spare bedroom or basement space to use as an office or in some cases, even a small shipping, receiving, and assembly area, can be an economical and efficient way to operate a small business.

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Excuse Me – Who is Your Boss?

One of the main reasons that a lot of people give for why they become entrepreneurs is that they do not want to work for someone else. Sometimes this feeling arises early in life. I knew early on that the best person for me to work for was me.

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Annabolic Times-September, 2012 Forgive & Be Free

Forgiveness and Freedom

“Always forgive your enemies – nothing annoys them so much.” – Oscar Wilde

CROSS

My old man’s a white old man And my mother’s black.
If I ever cursed my white old man I take my curses back.
If I ever cursed my black old mother And wished she were in hell,
I’m sorry for that evil wish
And now I wish her well.
My old man died in a fine big house My ma died in a shack.
I wonder where I’m gonna’ die, Being neither white or black?

LANGSTON HUGHES (1902-1967)
Langston Hughes was an American poet. He also wrote humorous newspaper sketches, a novel, and a short-story collection. He is most widely known for his poems, which use blues and ballad rhythms.

This poem speaks to both the healing effect of forgiveness and the ridiculousness of labeling people on the basis of appearance. The lines “I take my curses back,” and “And I now wish her well” represent Langston Hughes’ expression that he is spiritually mature enough to say to his parent, “I forgive you and I’m sorry for any evil thoughts I’ve ever directed your way.”

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Annabolic Times-March, 2009 Clean It Up!

 

Spring is finally here (well, the calendar says so) and it’s time to embark upon a popular seasonal activity-spring-cleaning.  How about taking this opportunity to take one of the first steps to bringing your best self to the world?  The transformation of your home or office will literally transform your life!

As a life-coach, I help individuals determine not only what they want most, but also what they need to rid themselves of to discover who they really are.  When you look around the spaces where you live and work, who and what do you see?  Is it time to step off of the excess express and out of your life as a pro-crap-in-ator and embark upon a clutter-busting journey?

[Read more…]

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