Recently as I was reading Jim Collins book, Good to Great I was propelled into thought. Collins’ book helped me consider the areas of my life where I can be great personally, and within that vision, the specific areas in which 180byDesign can ultimately be great.
This is a bit of a non-traditional (and longer) than most of our 180 posts, but it can be extremely useful for some individuals and companies who want and/or need to reconsider their future plans.
The Hedgehog Concept
First, I’ll summarize the part of Collin’s book that sparked my interest. It’s from the chapter titled “The Hedgehog Concept (Simplicity within the Three Circles).” This is a principle based on an essay by Isaiah Berlin.
Hedgehogs are little dudes with very simple lives. Their counterparts, the fox, are sleek and cunning, and supposedly much smarter. The fox is always trying to scheme a way to catch the hedgehog, and spends many long hours and days conniving new ways to attack.
However, the hedgehog doesn’t ever even waste one thought on the fox. While the hedgehog is enjoying his typical day, if it is attacked by the fox it simply does one thing: the hedgehog balls up in a sphere of little spikes. The fox will then retreat at once and begin planning for its next attack, leaving the hedgehog to uncurl and continue just as it had before.
Now you might ask: What does the hedgehog have to do with growing up and finding a place for yourself in life?
It’s simple, really. Unlike the fox – who is continually planning, scheming, failing, and also succeeding in his multi-ventured world – the hedgehog has created an environment which provides him with a narrowly focused yet highly enjoyable and sustainable lifestyle. The concept is fairly easy. Once you find something that: (1) you enjoy doing, and (2) is economically sound, and (3) – this is the best part – you have the potential to be extremely good at it: DO IT.
For you as an individual or business, the Hedgehog concept is the principle of finding an area where you can merge these three areas:
1. What you are deeply passionate about?
2. What you can be the best in the world at?
3. What drives your economic engine?
Each of the above items can individually be found in many areas of a person’s life, but when they all collide it’s simply golden.
Here is a picture by Collins in the book, using the 3 circles to create a sort of intersect where the good stuff happens:
When someone only focuses on only one or two of the above things, he or she will eventually need or want to move on to another discipline. We all know these individuals, and we have probably experienced this ourselves. Artists that passionately focus on something that makes them less money than they need to live will eventually fall into economic crisis. Salespeople who make great money selling items they are not passionate about often die a slow painful death from a calloused heart. And even great people who are placed in one area doing the the same service as a million other people will ultimately be replaceable.
I believe that all humans are created with unique gifts that, though sometimes hard to find or acknowledge, set them apart in a way that is amazing. Those assets were designed to give their family, company, and community something that few others can provide.
What Do You Really Want?
So the real key here is to be able to find those gifts (all of us have more than a few) that combine all of the three areas from above. I’ve created my own questions that I think could apply here: both to individuals and to businesses. In fact, I filled this out for both myself, and for 180byDesign.
Here they are. Don’t think about $$ for these, or what job you’ll be doing. That will be easier after these questions are answered.
1. What things am I best at?
Example: Building up businesses and people.
2. What things am I worst at?
Example: Maintaining my home, keeping up with long-distance relationships, etc.
3. What things would fulfill me most?
Note: Imagine when you’re dying and someone asks you to summarize your happiest moments/accomplishments.
4. What would make me happy temporarily?
Example: Monthly gardener, new motorcycle, etc.
5. What does a dream day look like?
Note: Not just a holiday, but if this day represented a perfect fulfilling day for you.
6. What does a dream week look like?
Note: How many days are you working/playing/relaxing?
7. What does a dream year look like?
Note: How many days will you take off and how many are you working? Will you be traveling? Etc.
8. How can I best serve God?
Note: Only if you’re religious, obviously. 😉
9. How can I best serve Others?
After spending a bit of time with the above questions – you will be best able to answer 2 additional more practical questions that will ultmiately help you make your above dreams more possible.
10. How much $$ per month or year will you need to make these dreams a reality?
11. Does your current job or occupation have the possibility to help you fulfill any of the above questions?
I spent half a day thinking through this (with coffee & a nice pipe!) so even if you are in a hurry at first, maybe think about some of these more thoroughly later.
Finding Your Perfect Patch of Universe
After answering (more or less) the above questions, you’ll want to take the Hedgehog concept, the 3 circles, and formulate what you could imagine yourself doing.
I recommend to just start thinking about this broadly. Really open the funnel to dream about positions or opportunites you never really considered. You just might surprise yourself with what you find.
I think I’ve found it myself, at least for now. I love creative directing and developing websites. And I think for 180byDesign, this has helped us clear out the side projects we’re always playing with (mobile apps, software, film, etc.) to focus 100% on what we do best: designing and building frontend websites.
Note from author:
Our 180 content editor said no one would read this article because it’s TOO LONG for today’s busy-paced lifestyle! Although she is probably right (darn her), please help me out by letting me know if this is helpful. Commenters get a prize!
What would you like to be when you grow up?