“So often, we pretend we’ve made a decision, when what we’ve really done is signed up to try until it gets too uncomfortable” Jen Sincero You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life.
The quote is from the first book the Side Hustle Social Worker Book Club will read.
Jen Sincero tells the story of Henry Ford’s quest to build an 8-cylinder engine in one block. The engineers told him that it was impossible. He responded by saying “produce it anyway.” The challenge was to develop a self-contained unit that had eight cylinders. V-8 engines were being built at that time, but they were not built in a single self-contained unit.
Prior to 1932, Ford Motor Company built vehicles with 4-cylinder engines. When Chevrolet produced a vehicle with 6-cylinders, Mr. Ford knew that his company needed something that could compete. Vehicles with 6-cylinders had more power and could accelerate faster.
The engineers returned to Mr. Ford repeatedly insisting that no one could build an 8-cylinder block. Mr. Ford sent them back with a mandate to make it happen. He oversaw every aspect of the planning and development. He also moved Thomas Edison’s laboratory and contents from Fort Myers Florida to Dearborn, Michigan. “It is believed that Henry Ford used the building, tools and machines that Thomas Edison used to inspire the engineers and designers.” You can read this quote and more about this story by following the link to the article 1932 Ford V-8 Engine, No. 1.
The V-8 engine revolutionized auto manufacturing in 1932. It was not the first V-8 engine ever built. It was revolutionary because it was lightweight and cheap. It was cast in one piece which made it compact. The combination of being compact, light and cheap enabled Ford to install it in vehicles that were marketed to the general public. The V-8 engine delivered smooth power and was affordable.
Mr. Ford clearly decided to go beyond anything any other manufacturer imagined at the time. It took 3-4 years to bring the project to completion. I’m pretty sure those engineers were uncomfortable as I imagine Henry Ford was demanding, steadfast and unwavering in his pursuit to build the ultimate engine for the era.
This story has implications for side hustle social workers and anyone else who aspires to reach a dream. Here are five ways to summarize what you need to succeed.
A Clear Vision – You must see what others cannot see. The internet did not just appear from nowhere. Someone had a vision for the World Wide Web. The vision evolved into a means to connect with people around the world sharing information and data. We experience it as an easy way to shop and get our merchandise within two or three days with free shipping.
Your vision is your vision. If you see it clearly then it belongs to you. You cannot and should not delegate responsibility for it to anyone else. So often, we wait for encouragement from others before acting and moving forward.
Decide – Be honest with yourself about the direction in which you are claiming you want to go. Decide and then step out on faith if that is what it takes to begin. Mr. Ford made a decision when Chevrolet began marketing its V-6 engine for a V-4 price. He refused to accept that his vision for a single block V-8 engine could not be built.
The engineers, probably the best of his engineering team, told him that his vision was flawed. There was no possible way to build an engine in that manner. Failure is a vital part of success. Giving up when times get hard is the primary reason many people never reach their potential and do not see their vision realized.
Act – No vision becomes a reality without action. Once Mr. Ford made the decision, he took every reasonable and unreasonable action to make it work. How many people would transport an entire laboratory from Florida to Michigan?
First, write your vision down and read it out loud daily. Memorize it as well and think about it often. You want it to become real to the point that you feel it. Second, develop a plan to achieve it. Your plan does not have to be a formal paper written in a 12- point font. It can be as simple as a checklist written on the back of an envelope. You want to make sure you have clarity around the steps you need to take. Finally, set clearly defined goals that relate to your vision. Take one action or complete at least one task every day.
Steadfast Determination – Once you have decided to proceed and have a plan, stick with it. Your thoughts, actions and behaviors should align with your vision and your goals. Mr. Ford’s engineers had to get with his program. They had no choice, but to find a way to build the engine he imagined.
Side hustle social workers have a choice. They can work through the difficult times or they can quit and fall back on their full-time work. The vision for having a side hustle, however, does not go away. After quitting, the desire to reach the vision will remain, if it is real and if you feel it. The only other option is to push forward. All successful entrepreneurs, inventors, researchers pushed through the difficulties because the vision would not cease.
BFFs and Besties – Choose your friends and associates wisely as it relates to your vision. Spend time with like-minded business professionals. Your “girls” and “buddies” are not necessarily the people who will bring money into your business. They love hanging out with you and will encourage you, but they may never buy your product or refer others to your services. That is not why they are your friends.
Develop business and professional relationships that have meaning for your business. These relationships are much like partnerships. You share information, ideas and resources. The turn of the century industrialists shared ideas and philosophies, bought and sold to each other, and created long lasting business relationships. They vacationed together and encouraged marriage between their children.
Regardless of the social and or political leanings of these industrialists, the relationships they developed continue to impact the global economy and traditions of doing business today.
Marcyline Bailey, ACSW, LCSW is the author of Five Smart Questions Social Workers Should Ask if They Want to Boost Their Social Work Income e-book Starter Guide and Planner. These free downloads contain five strategic questions to consider before taking on a side hustle. You may also want to view Side Hustle Success as a Full Time Social Worker one of the webinars in the Side Hustle Social Worker Webinar Series.
“I work with social workers and hard working professionals who want to be happy. I would love to hear from you.” You may join the conversation by commenting on this post or on our Facebook fan page REAL Social Workers Online Magazine or connecting with me on LinkedIn.