Make Your Purpose Your Business Step #2: Get from Point A to Point B
In my previous article, Step 1, your challenge for the month was to find out where your passion lies. Based on his research, he may have discovered that self-research can take us two places; either we find our answer or we realize we need to ask more questions to get that answer.
Finding your purpose takes a lot of effort, but it can be easy at the same time. It seems that once we start chasing what we were meant for, everything falls into place. But the thing we have to realize is that time plays a big role.
Sometimes people are successful overnight and others have to nurture their purpose for years to come. However, keep in mind that as long as you enjoy what you are pursuing and the motivation you have is strong, that will only maintain your ambition and give your passion longevity.
Remember that you are making a commitment to yourself. You should treat that commitment the same way you would a devoted marriage or friendship. The key is to value yourself as you value others. Having a good attitude from the beginning can make a difference and affect not only your career, but the people around you. The self-dedication shows and the commitment will be reflected in your professional life and in your relationships.
Assuming you now have a general idea of what you would like to do, you now need to visualize how to get from Point A, where you are now, to Point B, where you would like to be. Sometimes it’s easier to set a structure for your business if you look at the big picture of your purpose and where you intend to be in the future. Granted, your ideas and goals change as you change, but your overall purpose will generally stay the same, it just branches out.
Now that you’ve researched what you want to do, take the time to research what others in your area of interest have already done. Conducting market research will allow you to get an idea of the industry you are entering. It is important to see what is out there. Look for trade newspapers and magazines. Really put in the effort to get involved in your career and learn about it. Each career has a wealth of resources available, and much of that information is free. If you see a trade publication or magazine you like, sign up for their newsletter. This will help you stay up to date on industry events and trends.
Reading and research can be one-sided tasks. Sometimes it’s easier to learn about your career by interacting with others in the field. This can be done on your own time instead of regular business hours thanks to the Internet. Now you can find chat groups, user groups and forums and you are not limited by time zones or borders.
One of my favorite resources is Yahoo Groups at http://groups.yahoo.com/. You can search for any particular topic and find a group where you can discuss some of your professional objections. This is a great way to network with your colleagues and experts in the field. It is not uncommon to find many other “newbies” in these groups, as well as professionals. The most important thing is not to be afraid to ask questions. If you don’t know what questions to ask, reading a group’s files is a great place to start. Groups vary in size and theme, so what I suggest is joining a couple to see which ones fit your personal needs.
Another resource you can use is ListServ lists http://www.lsoft.com/catalist.html. Usually, you subscribe through your email client to a discussion group within your field of interest. You can also do a search for “list servers” or “user groups” on the Internet for a large number of sites that list a variety of groups. Not all lists are treated the same, so again use your own judgment when joining.
Personally, I also like forum communities. You can often search online for “forums” to find one in your professional field. It’s a great opportunity to share your discoveries and learn from others. Not to mention that you can do various searches within a forum and read old posts. This is a great way to see other member profiles that often reference their personal or business websites. Some forums even have a ‘members’ section that lists all their member profiles. Any profile with a “www” next to its name usually has a direct link to your site. Be sure to take the time and visit these sites for reference.
When visiting other people’s websites in your field, I advise you to check if they have a links page. I have found so many great resources through other people’s link pages. It also helps you get an idea of which sites may possibly request link exchanges in the future.
By networking with others and doing your own market research, you will gain a better sense of direction and have an idea of where you want to be in the future with your career. If you see a website you like, bookmark it. Then, once you’ve collected enough information, go back and review your favorites one more time. Ask yourself what do you like about him? What information was useful to you? Was the site visually appealing? Was the site easy to navigate? If not, what would you change? What information would you add? Take notes, write down your thoughts and remember… patience plus perseverance equals purpose.