September 30, 2010 25 Comments

Stripped Down

What do you look like naked? Your business?

What does your business look like stripped down? What does your day look like when you take away all the “other stuff?” What do you really do? What is at the core and guts of what you’ve got to accomplish today? Tomorrow? This month?

If you stripped it all down, if you took all the “extra” away, what are you? What matters? What do you do? And how do you accomplish it?

Musicians experiment with this often. If you’re acoustic versus electric, what changes? If you go a cappella, how solid is your work?

What about you? What happens when you strip down what you’re doing? What is the “naked” you? What is your naked desire?

And way more fun: what can you leave off now that you see yourself naked?

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  • http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/ Chuck Frey

    Mark Hockings, the lead singer of Mesh, a UK-based synthpop/EBM group, says he composes all of the group’s electronic music on an acoustic guitar. He’s found, after years of songwriting experience, that if a song has a solid structure and melody in acoustic form – in other words, stripped down to its basic elements – it will usually hold up well as it evolves into an electronic piece of music.

    So it is with business. The core of our business – what it looks like stripped down to its basic elements – needs to be solid. What core principles and values is your business based upon?

  • http://mindmappingsoftwareblog.com/ Chuck Frey

    Mark Hockings, the lead singer of Mesh, a UK-based synthpop/EBM group, says he composes all of the group’s electronic music on an acoustic guitar. He’s found, after years of songwriting experience, that if a song has a solid structure and melody in acoustic form – in other words, stripped down to its basic elements – it will usually hold up well as it evolves into an electronic piece of music.

    So it is with business. The core of our business – what it looks like stripped down to its basic elements – needs to be solid. What core principles and values is your business based upon?

  • Anonymous

    I’m probably the last person that I want to see naked :)

    Seriously, we are all storytellers when it comes right down to it, so your question becomes, what story are we telling? As a filmmaker, I tell various stories, some true, some, not so much.

    • http://spreemancommunications.com Amy Spreeman

      Batman, you are hilarious.

      • Anonymous

        I should get you together with the guy on the other blog that said that I suck…. Thanks for the encouragement :)

      • Anonymous

        I should get you together with the guy on the other blog that said that I suck…. Thanks for the encouragement :)

      • Anonymous

        I should get you together with the guy on the other blog that said that I suck…. Thanks for the encouragement :)

  • http://www.rosettathurman.com/ Rosetta Thurman

    These are great questions and ones that I’ve been wrestling with in my business lately. When I strip down to my core (and to what I do best, I think), I write and speak for the purpose of inspiring others. All the other stuff I do – Facebook, Twitter, meeting with people – is mostly in promotion of me as the face of my business. I do get clients from being on those social networks, but I’m finding that the time suck can take away from the actual core of what I do. As a result, I’m finding myself being more strategic in how I spend my time online and spending more time on what really matters: my core.

  • http://www.rosettathurman.com/ Rosetta Thurman

    These are great questions and ones that I’ve been wrestling with in my business lately. When I strip down to my core (and to what I do best, I think), I write and speak for the purpose of inspiring others. All the other stuff I do – Facebook, Twitter, meeting with people – is mostly in promotion of me as the face of my business. I do get clients from being on those social networks, but I’m finding that the time suck can take away from the actual core of what I do. As a result, I’m finding myself being more strategic in how I spend my time online and spending more time on what really matters: my core.

  • http://www.facebook.com/maryeulrich Mary E. Ulrich

    Or, perhaps if you are just starting the music analogy would be in reverse: right now my blog is a cappella and I just joined with a friend for a duet, next I guess is to form a band….

  • http://www.bigjobsboard.com Steve Jobs

    Those are really great questions. You make me realize things in thinking answers to those questions. Everything should take it slow but wise. Is that what you really mean?

  • http://www.bigjobsboard.com Steve Jobs

    Those are really great questions. You make me realize things in thinking answers to those questions. Everything should take it slow but wise. Is that what you really mean?

  • http://www.jeffblair.squarespace.com JeffBlair

    Chris, timely post. I have been asking myself this very question for the past several months. What do I want to do now that I am grown up? Would love to find the answer to this one!

  • http://spreemancommunications.com Amy Spreeman

    First, that photo is scrumptious–pulled me right in!

    Sometimes I think we crave simplicity from all of our junk (mental and physical). But other times I wonder if our other stuff is acting as a protective barrier we erect to keep us from being stripped bare. Otherwise why would we need anything but the core and guts?

    What would it look like if I focused only on the core of my purpose and mission today? Thanks a lot; now you’ve got my questioning my hidden motives for stockpiling.

  • http://emoneymakingonline.com Mr.Ven

    Too many questions…and to answer, generally i don’t think too much instead i stay focused towards the end goal. You make me to think now (for a while) :-)

  • Tom Scanlon

    For us it would be:

    1) Get clients

    2) Serve clients

    3) Retain clients

    Lather – Rinse – Repeat

    Cheers,

    Tom

  • Tom Scanlon

    For us it would be:

    1) Get clients

    2) Serve clients

    3) Retain clients

    Lather – Rinse – Repeat

    Cheers,

    Tom

  • http://www.kherize5.com Suzanne Vara

    Chris

    Stripping ourselves down to the barest of bare is sometimes a very unnerving and scary place to go. It forces us to look deep within and see what we are really made of and how we can get that inner part within us out. It is a part that is so close to us that the fear of letting it go to show the world can be overwhelming. Those that do it never look back as this is where you are able to really focus upon who you are and what you have to offer in your career, friends, connections, clients, etc.

    Exposing your true inner self is what people want to see. That drive and direction that makes people want to connect, do business with you as you have given them so much.

    My naked desire is for people to see me for really who I am. No hidden agenda, no smoke, no crap. Just a regular person who cares a whole lot about people and helping them attain their goals, being there to celebrate accomplishments, joy and the good things in life but also being there when things are rocky and the path ahead looks dim.

  • http://www.kherize5.com Suzanne Vara

    Chris

    Stripping ourselves down to the barest of bare is sometimes a very unnerving and scary place to go. It forces us to look deep within and see what we are really made of and how we can get that inner part within us out. It is a part that is so close to us that the fear of letting it go to show the world can be overwhelming. Those that do it never look back as this is where you are able to really focus upon who you are and what you have to offer in your career, friends, connections, clients, etc.

    Exposing your true inner self is what people want to see. That drive and direction that makes people want to connect, do business with you as you have given them so much.

    My naked desire is for people to see me for really who I am. No hidden agenda, no smoke, no crap. Just a regular person who cares a whole lot about people and helping them attain their goals, being there to celebrate accomplishments, joy and the good things in life but also being there when things are rocky and the path ahead looks dim.

  • Pingback: Unleashing The Rudy Within Us

  • http://www.superdumbsupervillain.com/ superdumb

    Ack. In order to maintain consistency and work towards a goal, you first have to envision and establish the goal. Naked.

    Still working on the master plan. Everyone will definitely know when I get there.

  • Christian Feeger

    Thanks, Chris. It’s a good concept. Stripping all the extras off and finding meaning in what we do is essential to finding a happier life, let alone boosting productivity. I believe Suzanne is spot on by saying it can be a scary place to go. Getting to the essentials implies facing things that don’t always make sense, & can reveal our weaknesses. Yet as you pointed out, Suzanne, people DO want to see you as a real person. It’s utterly refreshing whenever we find people as they realy are, isn’t it?

    As for ‘Superdumb’ (which you’re not), I believe – if you are serious (‘fair dinkum’ is the term here in Australia), then looking, and musing on the best course is super wise. Just be prepared to question.

  • http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

    If I strip everything, all that is left is actually not worthy to be seen.

  • http://www.blackfridayplanet.com/ William Hushburn

    If I strip everything, all that is left is actually not worthy to be seen.

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