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-preneur?

(3 minute read.)

Me. Myself. I.

Years ago I wrote a 'cart-horse and thoroughbred' note, about how some folk have greater creativity than others and among whom are some who're more emotional and prone to instability…

It's certainly been the case with me, at least for much of the time since early 2000s (I think, but can't accurately remember)—following a personality change after some relatively significant personal/family difficulties.

Recently though, I've returned to my more mercenary ways; ethics remain a strong and central theme, but I'm less over-imaginative and unrealistic than I have been. Not so fanciful, I'm more practicable (able to be done) and practical (appropriate, suitable).

I don't want to get too into the potential semantics here, and so, for simplicity:

  • Practical = sensible. Practicable = possible.
  • Do you mean to say that a thing is sensible? Choose practical.
  • Do you want to say it is possible? Choose practicable.

Anyway, here's that old note—written as part of an innerpreneur-oriented project…

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There's a strong chance that, as an 'innerpreneur', you've greater creativity than many. And with it, comes the likelihood of early demise—you'll burn-up, flame-out and crash at least once in your troubled life.

Natural talent is fine, good stuff, all very useful… evokes those 'how the **** did they do that?' reactions from others. That's the upside. Downside is, of course, much deeper, darker and altogether less glorious.

Whether defiantly pushing the self-destruct buttons with literally life-threatening challenges, coiled foetal-position in the dark feeling the blood rolling through your veins, or simply reclined semi-comatose unable to do much other than mutter semi-coherent sentences, you'll frequently slide down the rabbit hole.

If you're able to take yourself away from others in such times, you will of course do the decent thing and spare them—and yourself. Yourself? Yeah, most times they won't understand and, assuming you didn't get the 'snap out of it' rebuke, they'll spout albeit entirely well-intentioned nonsense like 'you need to take better care of yourself, eat better, rest/get out more, etcetera'.

Recognizing this is about as useful as telling wind to not blow, the sun to not shine, or water to be a little drier, you smile as benignly as you can, appreciative of their genuine concern whilst wishing they'd get-the-fuck away and do their own stuff.

If Fate's being particularly playful, you'll encounter other 'creatives who empathize' (read: pretentious morons who haven't a clue, but pretend they do) and try to guide you through rather than simply standing aside.

But, before you take the inevitable pause, again, you'll of course have 'set the controls for the heart of the sun' long-since carried on past the point of no return. Recalling the distant days of running-on-empty, you draw deeper, one more time…

Or, maybe that's just me.

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Of the various suggestions for the meaning of the term 'innerpreneur', in the note above I use it as 'a person for whom, when creating a business, the primary motivation is personal fulfilment (perhaps to create and deliver something genuinely socially worthwhile) rather than money'. It's certainly one I can apply to myself.

Additionally, I wonder whether, along with the various prefixes attached to '-preneur' ('entre', 'solo', 'mom', 'intra', et al) there ought perhaps to be one specifically for those of us 'damaged, broken, more emotional, etcetera'. Maybe.

On a more serious note, I consider the attachment of prefixes to '-preneur' has in some cases become ridiculous—there being more than thirty such examples. But further exploration of this is not a topic for here and now.

Anyway… I don't know for how long 'my return to more mercenary ways' will continue. I'm certainly enjoying the relative absence of anxiety and angst, and am finding a groove into which I can slip which enables me to work well.

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