Do you do what you do because others think you should?

I am fond of Fred Smith, the CEO of FedEx. As most know, when Smith attended Yale, he wrote a paper about an overnight delivery service for which his professor gave him an average grade. The reason I like Fred Smith is that in spite of what someone of stature thought would not fly – no pun intended – he did it anyway.

Great ideas almost always suffer great criticism. You will always find someone, somewhere, who will tell you that your notion is not viable or worth the risk. This criticism isn’t restricted to launching unheard of products or services. You will also find it when moving from a well-seeded career to something you’ve never done before; like quitting your law practice to become a windsurfer instructor in Tahiti. Everyone will think you are crazy.

This makes me think of Ray Kroc, former CEO of McDonald’s. As a milkshake machine salesman in his early fifties, Kroc discovered McDonald’s, an efficiently run outfit on “E” Street in San Bernardino, California. He gave up his job and bought the restaurant from the McDonald brothers for a comparative pittance. I have no doubt many thought Kroc to be nuts. And, when McDonald’s struggled in the early days, I am certain those naysayers were smug in their critique of Kroc’s life choice.

However, there is some real wisdom to be taken away from people who take great risks – even if that risk, by conventional definition, was a failure. Look closely. These people are not satisfied with simply getting from Point A to Point B with the most security or toys. Life is for the livin’, man. Choosing a career because others think it is great is one seriously lousy way to live – especially if your heart is on the tip of a wave in Tahiti.

The important thing to remember is, at the end of the day, you’re the one who lives with your choices. Don’t you want to do what you do because you think you should?