I was recently enjoying a glass of wine with a friend of mine, and she said something to me that stayed with me for days. She said:

“Our lifestyle is what makes our fortune.”

Wait. You mean it’s not the other way around? I had never thought about it that way. The more I chewed on this notion, the more I realized its depth. My friend’s insight taught me that there is more than one paradigm in which people operate in business.

Paradigm One: Business for Making a Living

This applies to businesses that function more like jobs. This could be a law practice, an independent consultant, or any other service-oriented business that involves trading hours for dollars. Or, it could be retail-oriented, where the success of the business is dependent on the business owner being physically onsite and dedicating significant time to the day-to-day operations. No matter how sizable the revenue, in this paradigm the business owner must give up lifestyle freedom, in one way or another, if the business is to survive.

Paradigm Two: Business for Enjoying Lifestyle

This is where leading-edge business is now. We are now realizing that life isn’t all about work. People want to know how to work less and accomplish more. Entrepreneurs today (including myself) are increasingly drawn to concepts like Tim Ferriss’ Four Hour Work Week, which teaches how to create a “muse“ business that generates passive income in order to support a lifestyle of our own design. We are seeking knowledge, such as Michael Gerber’s Emyth, which teaches us how to “systemize” our business so that we can stop being a cog in the wheel and actually enjoy the fruits of an enterprise that works for us instead of the other way around.

Paradigm Three: Business for Life Expression

This is the business of the future. In this paradigm, business is about expressing your life purpose. It’s no longer about owning a job, and it’s not even about generating income so that you can fulfill your lifestyle of choice. It’s about living your life by design and sharing that experience with others along the way to make the highest possible impact on the planet.

Today we’re in the information age, and the new business is the information business. The information that will make your fortune is your own life experience, knowledge gained, lessons learned, and unique perspective. Even our so-called “failures” are priceless, because those stories remind ourselves and others of our humanity. Think about it. Who would you rather learn from… some stuffy know-it-all guy in a suit who is playing the role of “corporate trainer,” or someone who is simply speaking from the heart about what they know well and are passionate about?

This blending of life and business doesn’t mean a loss of life work balance. Rather, it implies living one’s life fully. It’s a merging of our divine life purpose with our work. The more you express your unique life purpose through your business, the more you add value to others’ lives. The more you add value to others, the more you get paid. Be who you are, do what you do, talk about what you talk about. To the extent that you can use this to inspire others is the extent to which you will make your fortune.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Comment below with your insights. Share the topics that are close to your heart that could make (or are already making) your fortune.

For me, since I’m passionate about entrepreneurship, exploring the world, and creative ways to create time freedom, these are topics I talk about. I’ll talk about this whether you take me out for a beer or put me on your stage! How about you?

January 2013 Issue