Be A Spider (4 Wise Moves for Entrepreneurs)

This blog post sponsored in part by the yummy food, great service and free Wifi at Gilbert’s on 17th Street Grill. 

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Even though I’m a writer and creative consultant, I’m a scientist at heart. Most of my work comes from the revelations I have while studying nature and physics.

By David Maiolo [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)%5D, via Wikimedia Commons

On a walk the other day, I saw a huge banana spider suspended between a tree and a building. There was evidence in its web that it had already eaten a few creatures, and it was busy rebuilding the holes that were left.

On another tree close by sat an iguana.

Well, I thought, the iguana will have a healthy dinner.

But then I looked at the spider in the web again and realized I was wrong. There were four things that the spider had going for it that every risk-averse entrepreneur could learn.

1. Make your way by your strength.

Most spiders eat what they catch in their web. Others build traps and eat what gets caught there. Here’s the key: What they build sustains them. The most successful entrepreneurs aren’t selling someone else’s products. Build on the things that sustain you.

2. Know what is your bread and butter.

Spiders eat insects. So they build their webs where insects are: flying between trees, or in dusty corners of your house. Spiders test their success by what they catch—so even if a spider mistakenly builds a web across your doorway, once you walk through it, you’ll never see that spider web there again. If you’re not catching anything where you are, move.

3. Take a calculated risk.

Contrary to Spiderman’s web-slinging in the comics, spiders don’t shoot silk out to build webs across a space. They fling themselves out there, spinning silk behind themselves during flight. Even baby spiders build tiny little parachutes in a process called ballooning (aww) after they hatch and fling themselves into the wind to find new homes. They do that so that they can test the viability of the places they attach their web to. You can’t judge your market or your products with theory. You’ve got to get out there. One of the first things I tell my clients to do is look at what’s already working— but to use that to push themselves deeper into their market. I talk about that on my TEDxTalk here.

4. Stay on the Web.

The spider’s best strength is on the web. Its food gets caught there. It has a great vantage point on its environment. And the spider’s legs are so sensitive to it that any movement on the web alerts the spider immediately. That iguana would have to leap off of the tree in order to catch the spider… unless the spider comes off the web. Once you’ve found the work you are good at, get better at it. Use the gifts and strengths you’ve been given to protect yourself.

And here’s a bonus tip!

5. Have faith in the world around you.

Spiders that are ballooning were at first thought to plan their trajectory. After many years of research, scientists concluded that they don’t really have a plan. They just know they need to move, and move farther than they can jump. When you understand who you are, and what your strengths are, don’t be afraid to jump into the world. Wherever you land, you’ll bring all of that with you.

Be a spider. Just don’t get caught in my hair.

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6 Things Leaders Can Learn From The World Cup

1. True fans will follow you everywhere.

I was watching the #ivorycoastvsjapan match and was amazed at how coordinated the fans were. They had a choreographed dance, shakers and costuming. This is an important game for the country. People knew that their “Elephants” needed their energy, so they came. The Ivory Coast did not disappoint.

Are you encouraging your fans to come along on the ride with you? Nothing great happens alone.

2. People love the story of an underdog.

I admit it. I’m Lazy.

Yeah, I said it.

Now, that’s lazy.
Source: mrwallpaper.com

I’m lazy.

It feels good to get that off my chest.

I’m a creative launch and development specialist for entrepreneurs who want to make a difference in the world. That means I’m up at 3 AM in the morning with flashes of genius for their next product, and I work late at night on projects that would frighten normal people.

Every year, I throw a huge party for an organization that supports children and families with almost no support just because I want to do something impactful.

I teach over 300 students under the age of 12 the principles of drama and film every week.

But when it comes to my own business development, I’M REALLY LAZY.

I used to think it was fear. Digging deep might reveal something I don’t want to tackle, I thought. But I love a good puzzle. Figuring myself out has been one of the best mysteries I’ve ever discovered.

It’s not what I will discover that alarms me. It’s what I’ll have to do with it.

Once you discover your hidden potential, you have to do something with it. I was telling my adult students the other day that the scripture says, “If you have faith as big as a mustard seed, you can say to the mountain, Move, and it will move.” Your faith isn’t just something to have. It’s something to use.

And like any muscle, to be effective, it must be exercised regularly. It requires strength and discipline.

Eww.

We are not kept back by outer circumstances, but by the lack of discipline required to change those circumstances. -@NerissaStreet (Like this? Click to tweet.)

I know, right? Ick.

I’m lazy. I admit it. The first step to getting help is admitting there’s a problem. My problem is my definition of discipline.

Discipline isn’t what they’ve told you it is. It isn’t the punishment inflicted by way of correction and training. It doesn’t have to be difficult and unpleasant.

Tweet: Discipline = Devotion Intended to Support Consistency and Inner Peace, Leaving the Ideal Nurturing Environment. – @NerissaStreet

It’s devotion to the best parts of me. Not building systems that support me prevents me from fully serving the entrepreneurs and organizations I love.

So, this summer, I’ll be researching and experimenting with support systems: technology, partners and apps that will give me the creative strength to develop more workshops, create more resources, and introduce you to more ways to #beyourownanswer.

I want to produce and curate video, connect with more people on a larger scale and provide classes and consultation to shift their paradigms powerfully.

If you think you can help, comment below, or share this blog with someone.

More importantly, become devoted to yourself too.