Author: Michael M. Reuter
The job is never done for great entrepreneurs. There is always that endless, passionate pursuit of something more – a dare, a challenge of the seemingly impossible, an obstacle, a hurtle. Seth Godin captures this chase poignantly in his article, Dancing on the Edge of Finished.
Before, when your shift was done, you were finished. When the inbox was empty, when the forms were processed, you could stop. Now, of course, there’s always one more tweet to make, post to write, words with friends move to complete. There’s one more bit of email, one more lens you can construct, one more comment you can respond to. If you want to, you can be never finished.
And that’s the dance. Facing a sea of infinity, it’s easy to despair, sure that you will never reach dry land, never have the sense of accomplishment of saying, “I’m done.” At the same time, to be finished, done, complete–this is a bit like being dead. The silence and the feeling that maybe that’s all.
For the marketer, the freelancer and the entrepreneur, the challenge is to level set, to be comfortable with the undone, with the cycle of never-ending. We were trained to finish our homework, our peas and our chores. Today, we’re never finished, and that’s okay.
It’s a dance, not an endless grind.
The idea of never finished in not a burden that haunts the daily pursuits of great entrepreneurs. Their passionate pursuit of what they love to do and choose to be in life has transformed their view of the world. Their voices joyfully echo the words: “It’s a dance, not an endless grind.” And for that beautiful dance of their life, they write their own scintillating music – with its moments of high pitch and whirling excitement, magnificent solos, refrains that bring emphasis and importance to their lyrics, bridges that highlight and link the parts of their music and solemn notes for the special parts of their life. Their choice of their partners in dance is highly selective – ones who give them energy, inspire them and are faithful, trusted companions and friends on their magnificent journey. It is all so beautiful.
Find joyous, wondrous rapture in your dance. As William Purkey, author writes: “You’ve gotta dance like there’s nobody watching, love like you’ll never be hurt, sing like there’s nobody listening, and live like it’s heaven on earth.” Add to that thought the words from an anonymous author: “Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another.” Dance with you heart; dance with passion! Life is so very beautiful.
About Michael M. Reuter
Professor Reuter is the Stillman School’s Director of the Center for Leadership Development at Seton Hall University, the Stillman School’s Honors Program. Over the past 22 years, Professor Reuter has been an executive coach and mentor, and has led and implemented many successful organizational change management initiatives in major corporations. His passion for leadership studies and understanding their operational application is reflected in his work with senior executives He writes a weekly newsletter, Three Minute Leadership, for a broad spectrum of business leaders, students and people he coaches and mentors addressing various topics on the subject of leadership. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Hispanic Advocacy Association (USHAA), and also the Board’s Ambassador for Leadership. He is also the Chairman of the Board of Directors for WitnessHOPE and the Executive Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Raise Hope Foundation.
