At the end of my Harmony talk last Monday with my cousin’s company I mentioned my desire to grow my company leveraging the concepts of harmony.
His business partner says to me, “if you can package this… this concept of harmony…. You can create a huge company. There is such a hunger for this concept right now.”
I know… I know… I know… And, I love hearing it… but I don’t know how… yet.
I have read that more books have been sold speaking to the concepts of “mindfulness” in the past decade than ever.
There is definitely an appetite for the concept. And, there are a ton of books.
So, where is my differentiation? And, how can I take it to market?
I don’t know.
I do believe that the differentiation in the concept of harmony is two fold:
1. It applies to EVERYTHING: It so very clearly in my head applies across the spectrum - self development, relationship development, organizational development and strategy development. I am so convinced that you can create more successful and happier people, families and companies with this concept.
2. It acknowledges that it’s a DISCIPLINE and a lifestyle, not a formula. There is no “goal”, there is no “finish line”, it is hard to measure progress. All of the things that we are taught to believe are essential in progress and success are harder with harmony.
The second point is why I struggle with it as a “product”. Sure, I could write a book on harmony, and part of me wants to, just to “check that box”. But, that is the wrong motivation.
This blog makes more sense. Harmony is an on-going conversation.
It’s like, how do you sell “getting stronger” or “living well” into a product or service?
As human beings we are conditioned to BUY and to OWN.
We want to find THE answer. We want to BUY the book so that we all of a sudden understand the concept.
More often,
we want to BUY the house,
or the CAR,
or the JEWEL,
or the WATCH,
or the TRIP,
or the COMPANY,
or the ??????
We grow up heavily defining our lives by the things we will have.
What if we grew up with an equal or greater desire to be happy than to be “successful”?
What if we grew up and instead of dreaming of a big house, we dreamt of a loving relationship that was ever expanding?
What if we grew up instead of dreaming of a big job with a big office, we dreamt of living with greater peace of mind as we got older?
What if we grew up and instead of dreaming of “what we were going to do for a living”, we dreamt of how we were going to attempt to change the world?
I always feel the need to clarify…
This doesn’t mean that you can’t aspire to those things ALSO… but I do encourage you to aspire to the WHY of those things, not the things in themselves…
I aspire to show my family and eventually their families the world… to invite them on trips to learn about new cultures, taste new foods, see new lands, and experience that together.
I aspire to create moments, joyful moments, where we can relax and enjoy each others company, and I would love to make those in a place where we can be comfortable and relaxed… so the beach would be nice.
I aspire to visit my family in Peru and spend longer stretches participating and sharing our lives with theirs…
I aspire to dedicate more time as I get older to my passion and merge my passion with what I do everyday (and I am already doing that now)…
And, sure, money helps do those things… but its not money I aspire to…
The concept of harmony is one that I believe you can learn as a child and apply to your life as you go. Your understanding and your mastery will get stronger and stronger…
I watch some kids going to college and they are motivated by what? Sure, the partying is fun... but that gets old pretty quick (quicker for some than others ;-)
How many kids going to college today are INSPIRED to go to college? Why spend up to $50,000 or $60,000 PER YEAR after taxes and not be inspired… just because “you are supposed to?”. That’s crazy!
I am not a fan of going to college to “find yourself”. That seems like a wasted effort.
You are always RIGHT THERE - where you are seated ;-) I can save you the money.
You have to ASK YOURSELF questions… to get to know yourself!
OK – I am officially OFF TRACK!
So, how do you productize HARMONY? I have no idea. For now, you are reading the productization.
If anything, there would have to be a HARMONY gym ;-) It’s the kind of service that you would need to visit with regularity to get stronger.
I think Vistage or groups like it (virtual board of director groups that meet once per month) has a great following because it is committed to HARMONY… They are organizations founded on the principles of understanding the truth and moving people forward to help them grow. Beautiful. It is HARMONY applied in the general sense.
Therapists are the same … ANYONE you go to on some regular basis, and check-in, explore your absolute truth with the desire to better yourself… is harmony applied.
I have a few thoughts.
I do want so desperately to be entrepreneurial and I want so desperately to spread harmony… that my cousin’s business partner was very right.
There is a great appetite out there, and there is also a great desire on my part to explore it.
For now, I am applying it everyday in the companies that I am leading, in the people that I am meeting, and on myself and my family.
The thing about harmony and happiness and success that we must remember is that it is a SUPER POWER in the moments that you GET IT and APPLY IT and it is as fickle as the wind…
I do believe you can get stronger and stronger… I don’t believe that anyone can shake my commitment to harmony easily… but it does require strength.
I have seen friends and family members through divorce, alcoholism, the death of a loved one, financial trouble… I have seen disharmony take over, at least for long periods.
This is why harmony is tough.
You may be very wealthy and live with great disharmony.
You may live in a beautiful home and have wonderful kids and live with great disharmony.
You may be living exactly the life you envisioned and living with great disharmony.
You may have achieved all of your goals and be living a life with great disharmony.
How do you know?
Here is how I would know if the “product” of harmony I was selling you was working….
It’s the best I can offer you… here is how you know how you are doing…
When you wake up in the morning:
Are you excited about your day? Truly & deeply excited? You should be… (or are you anxious about your day, or simply “ready to get through it”).
When you look in the mirror:
Do you smile sincerely and fully at the person you see smiling back? You should…. (or are you weighed down by all the things that you don’t see?)
When you go to bed at night:
Are you full and pleased with what you have accomplished? You should be… (or are you consumed by all that you did not accomplish?)
If you answered YES to the three questions above…. You are living harmony on a fairly strong level.
If you answered NO … do you want to say YES? If so, stay with me…
The next level is to figure out if you are applying it and spreading it throughout your family and your business.
More to come…
Yours in harmony,
Nestor