How do you know when to say yes or no to a project or a client? Which Big Ideas get the green light or the kibosh?
What exactly does “right time, right place” mean for you?
Only your Dominatrix of Decisions knows, and she has your best interests at heart. She will love you to the edge of your greatness, and snap her whip when you waffle. She wants you to stay on purpose, on target, and on fire. She wants you to say no to soul-draining gigs and time suckahs. She wants you to keep it pointed to where you want it to go.
This is how I employ her (remember, your Dominatrix actually works for you.) When a new idea or opportunity comes into view, I picture her in a kimono, with smokey eyes and platforms (yes, she is my altar/alter ego.) She leans over, surveying my potential choices, and whispers one word to me: Hedgehog. And snap! I know just what to do. Every time.
Let me back it up. Jim Collins wrote the mega seller, Good To Great. Good to Great features the Hedgehog Principle.
The Hedgehog Principle is one mighty power tool for clarity and purpose-driving. It is deceptively simple. If you don’t have a hog, you lose.
Hedgehogs for personalities or service-providers may seem different than that of product makers. But it’s the same science. Here’s a comparison of My HH vs. that of yoga wear business phenomenon, lululemon athletica’s – as told to me by founder Chip Wilson a few years ago. BTW, lululemon is religious about the hog — it’s one of the many things I love about them.
ME vs. lululemon…an illustration of Hedgehogs at work
1. A) I am deeply passionate about: Liberating truth
Freeing the truth and truth that frees. My purpose is to inspire authenticity – freeing talent, ideas, voice, opinions, consciousness. I journey to freedom. It’s a cellular-level commitment, and when I’ve diverged from that path in the past, the cost has been dear. When I stay the course of my truth, and support others in doing the same, I prosper in every possible way.
1. B) lululemon is deeply passionate about: helping people to be better athletes.
It’s that simple and grand. Every single thing they produce – from innovative fabric that wicks away sweat, to thumb-hook sleeves – is a means to that end. Period.
2. A) I can be best in the world at: Sharing my journey
Telling my story and inviting other people to relate. I racked my noggin’ on this one. But eureka! It came to me…no one can tell my story or share my acumen like I can. My experience is what I sell and the more I show up, the better.
Note: the most important word in this Hedgehog sentence is *can*. It’s not what *are* you the best in the world at (maybe it’s not on purpose,) or what do you *want* to be the best in the world at (could be unrealistic.) Maybe you can only be the best in the world at making widgets that fit widget machines in Scandinavia, or advising females under thirty on investing in ethical funds in North America, or wedding planning in the tri-state area for under $20,000. Or maybe it’s just one thing you sell, such as…
2. B) lululemon can be best in the world at: women’s black yoga pants.
Not very glamorous or all-encompassing, but a undeniably fundamental.
3. A) My economic engine is driven by: Multimedia.
I make money by packaging my wisdom in as many forms as possible, and most of those forms become passive income (ie. books.)
3. B) lululemon’s economic engine is driven by
I do not bust a move, say yes, or make new stuff unless it’s in sync with my Hedgehog Principle.
@DanielleLaPorte (Click to Tweet!)
It’s pure, it’s powerful and it works good and hard. Snap! Now be a good boy or girl and go get yourself a hog of your own.
Danielle LaPorte is the outspoken creator of The Desire Map, author of The Fire Starter Sessions (Random House/Crown), and co-creator of Your Big Beautiful Book Plan. An inspirational speaker, former think tank exec and business strategist, she writes weekly at DanielleLaPorte.com, where over a million visitors have gone for her straight-up advice — a site that’s been deemed “the best place on-line for kick-ass spirituality”, and was named one of the “Top 100 Websites for Women” by Forbes.
You can also find her on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter @daniellelaporte.
Image courtesy of Peter ᴳᴱᴼ Kent.
