The means determines the end

I have a process oriented, achievement based mindset that has made me into a terrific employee and manager in my past jobs.   Even though I've spent the past 15 years running my own business,  entrepreneurship is a difficult mental process for me.  I am hardwired to follow the plan and get results.  I would probably be a great candidate for a franchise.   I have no fear giving a job all my energy and time,  but not without certain predetermined results and financial gain. 

 This is my challenge as I attempt to break the mold and take a leap of faith with our cookbook venture.   I've been doing some mental homework in addition to cookbook research.   My mental homework has led me to listening to Oprah's Super Soul Conversations and reading Sylvia Browne's Soul Series.

I've had sort of an epiphany tonight.    "The means determines the end."     If you toil and agonize for years to create a widget to sell and finally make it to market with financial success,  what have you gained?   Probably years of being grumpy with your friends and family and now you have money but no personal fulfillment. There is still a personal void in your inner purpose.

Comparatively, you take something that you utterly enjoy doing and do it to the best of your ability for years.   Perhaps there is no financial gain or there is a tremendous financial payoff in the end.  Which route has a better outcome for your inner peace, how about your family and friends?

This is how I see our current process.   LOVE reading cookbooks + LOVE inventing new recipes + LOVE feeding my friends and family delicious healthy meals + LOVE tweaking recipes to fit dietary needs = making a cookbook with a dear friend.   So, here we go... even if we can't sell one copy of our new cookbook... we have spent time doing something we love and creating something special that our families and friends can enjoy.

Nevertheless,  we are awesome and we will create a best-selling cookbook - even a whole series of cookbooks!  This will be a launching pad of a new career.  A career that allows us to work from anywhere,  spend time doing what we love - cooking for our families and a low-stress, fun, creative outlet for our energy.

Now for the fun part -  a creative explosion of new recipe ideas.   Stay turned.