Going with the flow from the inside out.
The world we live in applauds the successful.
In the startup world, the yardstick for success is focused on 6As:
- Affluence – What we have
- Associations – Who we know
- Abilities – What we can do
- Appearance – How we look online and offline
- Accomplishments – What we have done
- Acquisitions – Exits
Most founders set out to achieve the 6As as an end in itself.
The 6As, however, should only be viewed as by-products of a founder who has executed his idea at scale with a clear sense of purpose.
While there is nothing inherently wrong with having the desires to achieve 6As, it is important to get the orientation right because meaning should precede doing. Entrepreneurship is brutal and it is not for everyone. It is the founder with a clear sense of purpose who will trudge on till product-market fit happens and scale is achieved. Nietzche is right to note that he who has a why can bear almost any how. It is the purpose that gives the founder the why, and the why comes from the depth for the founder.
The founder who set out to achieve the 6As from the onset is the founder who is building from the outside in. Depth Flow is about building from the inside out. The breadth of the founder’s work will scale when he orientates his life towards the building of his depth.
Scaling from the inside out is impactful because of its compounding power and all benefits in life come from investments that yield compound interest; a powerful force that allows huge returns from consistent small investments – be it in relationships, learning, goodwill, love, knowledge, relationships, character, integrity, purpose or making money.
Investing in the cultivation of inner depth will bring about a compounding effect that scales over time.
It is, therefore, worth the founder’s time and effort to build deep.
