What does it take to be successful in business?

I gave a speech to the Entrepreneurship Class at the University of California at Santa Barbara. I asked them what they thought it took to be successful in business. The words the students gave me were absolutely right-on. It occurred to me after I left what the wisdom of these words could also illustrate.

Their words described what a success looks like from the outside-in. I’d heard similar words for years before and during the building of my business, but all of a sudden they had different meanings. How might you take what each of these words embodies and implant it into your psyche to function day-in and day-out with them as part of your own internal operating system? People will someday say that you too had a good idea, built a team, had talent, enjoyed some luck, persevered, had many customers, used creativity, and made a ton of money. Now let’s look through the other end of the telescope:

It looks like an Idea from the outside looking in…
but, from the inside looking out—You had a problem, solved it for yourself, and then created a product or service others could use to solve their similar problem.

It looks like Perseverance from the outside looking in…
but, from the inside looking out—You are possessed with the notion that there has to be a way to make something work. There is a way, you just may not know it yet, but you’re going to do it no matter what.

It looks like Talent from the outside looking in…
but, from the inside looking out—You’ve been learning, making mistakes, sorting out what works from what doesn’t, practicing and perfecting your skills.

It looks like a Team from the outside looking in…
but, from the inside looking out—You’ve figured out what talent you bring to your business and organized what needs doing, the additional skill sets needed and then, you hired the people that combine to form a productive company culture.

They look like Customers from the outside looking in…
but, from the inside looking out—Certain people have a problem or an interest. You have developed a unique or better way to give them what they want and need.

It looks like Luck from the outside looking in…
but, from the inside looking out—Preparation meets opportunity. When you can apply your background, interests, skills, and vision to the solution of a problem, and you know who else has the problem, so-called luck can be created.

It looks like Money from the outside looking in…
but, from the inside looking out—What do you need the money for? What if you could have whatever it is you want without cash? What can you trade? When I first ran my advertisements, I convinced a couple of magazines to give me credit. That way I could pay for my ad after I sold my products. That was much easier than finding money to first pay cash for the ads.

This is called Creative in business.