Last time I saw my uncle, he told me he had read a life-changing book. A read-three-times-in-a-row kind of book. An everyone-should-read-this kind of book.

What is the book, I practically screamed.

(We like to tell dramatic stories in my family…ones that can go off the rails by the constant interruption of cousins/sons/brothers.)

I was completely surprised to hear the title: Linchpin, by Seth Godin.

The only Seth Godin book I haven't read.

I thought the book was about being an indispensable employee…so I had skipped it. I'm not an employee and I'm pretty darn indispensable in my business of one.

But I trust my uncle, so I got the book from the library.
And devoured it this week.

It's a great book for employees and entrepreneurs alike, but here's what blew my mind: Seth talks, at length about the need to…make your own map. (I'm sorta into you making your own map, remember?)

He has an entire chapter on There Is No Map and here's how it starts:

What does it take to lead?

The key distinction is the ability to forge your own path to discover a route from one place to another that hasn't been paved, measured, and quatified. So many times we want someone to tell us exactly what to do, and so many times that's exactly the wrong approach.

Right?

 This is what I'm talking about. 

This  is exactly what I'm passionate about:
You, getting comfortable with your youness.
You, recognizing that your distinct talents (Seth calls it your genius), your amazing thing (or Seth likes to say, your art) are what your Right People are begging for.

You, getting clear, getting obvious, gettin' jiggy with your youness is what I want for you.

So whether you're working for the man, or your own womanly self – be honest:

Where are you looking to someone else to tell you what to do?

What area of business (life) could you be making your own map for?

Related posts:

  1. The Map is Not the Territory
  2. How to pick your goal
  3. How a dream becomes doable

5 Comments on Linchpin in a Business of One

  1. LaVonne Ellis
    September 20, 2011 at 5:11 pm (13 years ago)

    Wow, what timing! I was just thinking the same thing this morning when I saw a reference to Linchpin – no point reading it because I’m not an employee any more. Thanks for the heads’ up.

    Re the map thing: I’ve recently realized that all of my successes (some big, some small) have come when I went ahead on my own path instead of following someone else. With time and experience, I’m learning to trust my instincts more and more. It’s a good feeling.

  2. Tara Swiger
    September 20, 2011 at 5:25 pm (13 years ago)

    Hey LaVonne!
    Isn’t that the BEST feeling, when you know you made the right decision and you know YOU made it?
    What you said about trusting your instincts is *exactly *why I’ve become so impassioned about this…I see so many supersmart people doubting themselves and looking to others for the answers…when they’ve learned enough from their own biz to know the Next Right Thing.

    Thanks for coming by!

  3. Maryo1485
    September 21, 2011 at 9:31 am (13 years ago)

    Encouraged by this post, thanks Tara! I’ll have to read the book.
    Often I’m feeling rather lost in a routine that has nothing to do with my work dream.. maybe because it’s continually reinforced by those around me that it’s all about having to ‘settle’ so-to-speak. I want to not only dream about my goal but act on it & prove ’em all wrong 😉

  4. Tara Swiger
    September 21, 2011 at 9:38 am (13 years ago)

    Oh, I’m so glad to hear that it encouraged you!

    YES, there is a culture of “settling”, especially among people who feel *they settled, so you should too. *
    Following your own path can bring up THEIR stuff about their discarded dreams.

    Good luck! And keep me posted!

  5. Kristine Beeson
    September 21, 2011 at 3:14 pm (13 years ago)

    wow, that’s so familiar after making my map, brilliant! 🙂