Did you know that some of the biggest companies around today came from humble beginnings? By now, almost everyone knows Apple’s origin story and how Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak spent endless hours hand-building computers in their Cupertino garage. What you may not have known was that Amazon, which is now the largest online retailer in the world, started as a bookstore in 1994. Jeff Bezos ran the company out of his garage and didn't even sell his first book until a year later.
So In my mind, there are two things that matter:
- You have to start. Your mind will tell you a million things to deter you. Don’t listen!!!
- Believe in yourself. Life is a place where those who believe eventually succeed.
The history of companies like Apple and Amazon are more than just stories we tell to motivate ourselves. They also demonstrate that anybody is capable of having a good idea, but it takes someone who’s motivated, willing to work hard, and isn’t afraid to step out of their comfort zone. Those are the three components that are necessary to turn a great idea into something big.
If you want to know how motivation and insight can completely transform a person’s career, take a look at Ferruccio Lamborghini. While Lamborghini certainly did not grow up poor, he wasn’t always involved with building fancy Italian sports cars. In fact, he started his career as a mechanic who primarily worked with tractors and other farming equipment.
One day, Lamborghini contacted Enzo Ferrari to tell Ferrari how he could improve his clutches. But instead of appreciating the feedback, Ferrari insulted Lamborghini by telling him that a tractor repairman doesn’t know the first thing about sports cars.
Motivated by a desire to prove Ferrari wrong, Lamborghini officially entered the sports car market with one mission: to outdo Ferrari. And if it wasn’t for Enzo’s arrogance, the world might have never been introduced to Lamborghini sports cars.
Turning Your Inspirations into a Reality
While you don’t need some vendetta to inspire you to do great things, you do need motivation. Lamborghini was driven by the need to prove someone wrong, while Jobs and Wozniak wanted to revolutionize the way we use technology in our everyday lives. This past summer, Wozniak said that motivation is far more important than knowledge when it comes to becoming successful.
In other words, you need to determine what it is that drives you. What makes you want to get out of the bed and work the hardest you’ve ever worked? Some people might be motivated by a need to improve their financial situation, while others want to create something innovative or prove to themselves that they can overcome any challenge. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what motivates you, as long as you’ve got that drive to succeed at all costs.
With that said, you also need to have a good idea as well. For that reason, you never want to overestimate your ability to remember a great idea when it comes. Inspirations go just as quickly as they hit you, so the next time that you feel a good idea coming on, either write it down or record it on your phone.
If you look at all the best companies in the world that are changing everything and anything we do in society, they all started with one small idea coupled with the passion to see it through. They all failed fast and then pivoted and kept moving forward. The amazing thing is none of them have ended up where they thought they would when they started. So be a Nike commercial and just do it!!!!!
