Recently, I started taking yoga classes. As my yoga instructor focuses our breathing through the different poses, he gently weaves tiny bite-sized life lessons into his yoga instruction. He talks often about the flow of energy throughout the body; the attainment of your greatest self through compassion and spiritual awareness. The messages can be summed up into: love, inner peace and working toward a greater purpose rather than personal survival or the attainment of power.
The history books are filled with compassionate leaders who served mankind for a greater good. Does your business serve a greater purpose?
Antonina Geer and Shae Bynes team up to deliver a small yet powerful book entitled The Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur: Doing Business God’s Way. The authors map out eight principles on how to start or grow a business driven by a greater purpose.
Have you ever heard a small business owner say that they didn’t want their business to get too big? There are over 7 billion people in this global economy who do not know borders. If a business creates value in the lives of its customers through the products and services offered, why then would the owner not want to touch the lives of as many people as possible? Antonina and Shae challenge the thoughts of the business owner who has yet to realize that their business is meant to serve a greater purpose and be of abundance and growth.
The Big Idea
Your business is a change agent
"When we view our business through the lens of a change agent, the manner in which we conduct business, embark upon collaborations, and create product or service offerings become more strategic. Strategic because the end result of everything we do as Kingdom Driven Entrepreneurs is to bring honor to God and to bring transformation to those we serve through our businesses."
The brands that have changed the world all have one thing in common: it was about more than the money—they desired to transform the lives of their customers. Entrepreneurship is a tool that can be used to challenge the strongholds some people may have such as limiting beliefs, procrastination and mediocre living.
Insight #1
Comfort is the enemy of success
"We cannot afford to allow idleness due to fear or complacency to take hold…"
Have you ever wanted to venture into something new and exciting but found yourself paralyzed by the thought of everything that was unknown to you? Success is found on the outskirts of your comfort zone.
A business that serves a divine purpose will have to cross many unchartered waters. The fear of the journey can be overwhelming for those that have not properly forged their spirits. The authors encourage their Kingdom Driven Entrepreneurs to operate a spirit-led enterprise by feeding their faith regularly.
A critical step to defeating complacency is being proactive, by setting your intentions up front for what you desire to achieve for the month. Take care to make sure that the activities you focus on in your business are those that will drive your business forward.
Insight #2
You cannot do it alone!
"A God-given vision for your business is always larger than what you’re capable of doing on your own."
Everyone who has ever accomplished work that has been truly remarkable has had an equally amazing team assisting them. The one-man show will never be able to run a successful business that touches the hearts of many. You will need a team that can assist you. Before you draft the right team, you will have to do some work to create a compelling vision for your business. The authors present three simple steps for how to cast the God-given vision for your company:
Prepare. A business that is built to serve a larger purpose can never be accomplished alone. In order to properly implement your vision, you will have to take time to fully conceive it and define it in such a way that people can quickly and easily identify with it.
Make It Simple and Memorable. Design your vision for engagement. The message of your business should be clear and concise so that people can remember who you are and what you do.
Communicate and Celebrate Regularly. Don’t keep your vision a secret. Identify opportunities to communicate your vision through everything that you do in your business.
Yoga teaches us that self-actualization is achieved through compassion. Developing a business from your heart will drive your desires greater than you can imagine. The visions for your business, that you sketch from a divine perspective, will propel you to take greater action, achieve greater results and surround yourself with a team that can assist you in those efforts. The Kingdom Driven Entrepreneur presents viable action steps to assist you in developing a greater purpose for your business.
