From the Heart

I recently found an old John Denver album in my basement.

It was a 1975 live recording of a performance at Red Rocks ampitheater in Colorado when his career was beginning to blossom.

I know, I know.  I'm a geek. 

But as I listened to the four-decade old recording, I couldn't help but be impressed.  Impressed by the emotion in his music. Every lyric in every song felt authentic.

From the heart.

I doubt John Denver ever began writing a song with a focus group.  Or by hiring a team of consultants from McKinsey and Company on how he could best "leverage his synergies" to "maximize market share" to "enhance stockholder value."

I suspect John Denver first and foremost wrote songs to create great work.  Work that was bigger than him. Work that would endure beyond his life.

Work from the heart.

I suspect that even those who dislike his music would concede the authenticity in his music.  And that he succeeded in creating work that endures.

I have no musical talent.  But I hope that in some way I can create work that conveys the passion that people feel in John Denver's music.

Work from the heart.

I sometimes wonder if college business schools have it wrong.

Business schools teach students to earn a profit by identifying a need then creating a product to meet the need.

But it seems like the truly great entrepreneurs, artists, writers, athletes, and musicians do it the other way around:  They create great work, and THEN find the need.

The iPod, The Grapes of Wrath, It's a Wonderful Life....even the yellow "sticky-note" were all created BEFORE we knew we needed these items.

Perhaps college business schools and should look to children--that's right CHILDREN--in teaching entrepreneurship.

Why are we always attracted to a child's artwork?

Because we know it is made from love.

It is authentic.

It is from the heart.

What if more companies made and sold products this way?

So how about this for an idea:

Instead of asking,  "what SHOULD I do with my life?"  Perhaps the better question is "what is it that I HAVE to do with my life?"  

The work that I MUST do. 

The work that is authentic.

And from the heart.

AMJ