Start Something That Matters

by Blake Mycoskie

No matter how convenient it is for us to reach out to people remotely, sometimes the most important task is to show up in person.

People are hungry for success—that’s nothing new. What’s changed is the definition of that success. Increasingly, the quest for success is not the same as the quest for status and money. The definition has broadened to include contributing something to the world and living and working on one’s own terms.

TOMS is only one example of a new breed of companies that are succeeding at this volatile moment in capitalism. The tremendous growth of TOMS would never have been possible during my parents’ generation or even when I was first getting started in business in the not-so-distant past. In this fast-paced and constantly mutating world, it is easier than ever to seize the day, but in order to do so, you must play by a new set of rules—because, increasingly, the tried-and-true tenets of success are just tried, not true.

They teach that having a story may be the most important part of your new venture; that fear can be useful; that having vast resources is not as critical as you might think; that simplicity is a core goal in successful enterprises; that trust is the most important quality you bring to your company; and, finally, that giving may be the best investment you’ll ever make.

If you’re like me and most of the people I know, you yearn for something more than just business success. You’re searching for meaning.

Stories are the most primitive and purest form of communication.

“Human minds rely on stories and story architecture as the primary road map for understanding, making sense of, remembering, and planning our lives—as well as the countless experiences and narratives we encounter along the way.”

When you have a memorable story about who you are and what your mission is, your success no longer depends on how experienced you are or how many degrees you have or who you know. A good story transcends boundaries, breaks barriers, and opens doors. It is a key not only to starting a business but also to clarifying your own personal identity and choices.

A story evokes emotion, and emotion forges a connection.

“Facts are neutral until human beings add their own meaning to those facts. People make their decisions based on what the facts mean to them, not on the facts themselves. The meaning they add to facts depends on their current story … facts are not terribly useful to influencing others. People don’t need new facts—they need a new story.”

Facts are important, but the story matters. Poorly presented facts can even get in the way of the story’s impact.

Conscious capitalism is about more than simply making money—although it’s about that too. It’s about creating a successful business that also connects supporters to something that matters to them and that has great impact in the world.

The lesson: The power of your story isn’t just a way to connect to your ultimate consumer but is also a means of making you attractive to potential partners who want to attach themselves to something deeper than buying and selling.

Everyone belongs to some community, whether it’s based on your background, your home state, your college, or your favorite sports team. By identifying all the possible communities to which you belong, you may well find an affinity group—and a story—that helps get your business off the ground, secures your dream job, or lets you achieve whatever goal you are pursuing.

That’s why it’s so important that you first find a way to articulate your passion to yourself. When you discover what your passion is, you will have found your story as well.

• If you did not have to worry about money, what would you do with your time? • What kind of work would you want to do? • What cause would you serve?

If you organize your life around your passion, you can turn your passion into your story and then turn your story into something bigger—something that matters.

Don’t ever think that good ideas will come only from within your organization—sometimes your supporters will think up ideas as good as anything your employees could ever invent.

Make a list of every group to which you have a connection and that could help get it out there. This list might include your social network online (e.g., Facebook friends, Twitter followers), an alumni organization, a weekend sports team, yoga class members, a church congregation, and so on. These are your communities, and they already have a vested interest (even if loosely) in what you are doing with your life.

you’ll quickly see if your story is resonating or falling flat—not only are you spreading your story, but you’re also finding new ways to refine it.

Stories don’t have to stand alone. If your story resonates with someone else’s, find a way to merge the stories,

When you have a story that’s larger and more interesting than your product or service—or you—other people and companies will want to incorporate your story into theirs to share in the halo effect.

You want prospective partners, employers, colleagues (and dates) to find you—your online presence gives you a wonderful way to affirm the impression you make in person. But the key is to make sure that the online persona represents who you really are and is consistent with the themes of your story—and take care that you don’t put anything out there that you don’t want someone to find.

Sharing your story with a hermit may earn you one new convert; sharing it with someone at the center of a social network will have an exponential effect.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. —MARK TWAIN