Too often I have seen the initial joy that comes from running your business turn into a slog in the mud. It’s not fun because you are no longer in PLAY mode. When you start feeling this way, your business and life are in DEMO mode.
If you haven’t seen the movie, Toy Story 3, I highly recommend it. It is entertaining. It will cause you to think about some of the deeper truths in life. And, it will pull at your heart strings. I saw it with my kids who are in their twenties and we all enjoyed it.
In this rendition Woody is the lead toy. And, Buzz Lightyear, the super astronaut or space man is his number one man. Of course Woody, Buzz and the other toys get into all sorts of interesting situations. But, something happens to Buzz that turns his life in the wrong direction.
Buzz, Woody and the other toys get into some bad company. They end up at a day care center with some evil toys. Buzz has always had a wonderful can do attitude. The leader of the evil toys, Lotso Bear, discovers that Buzz can be programmed. In opening up Buzz’s back he discovers that he can switch Buzz from PLAY to DEMO.
When Buzz is switched from play to demo he goes from being a fun loving toy to a robotic toy who does some programmed routines but with no personality. And, when he is in demo mode, it is easy for the evil toys to control him.
In demo mode, he cannot think for himself. He goes through the motions. He does what others tell him. In fact, he goes from being likeable to mean.
Take a look at your business and life. Are you in demo mode? Are you doing what you are because you have to or because that’s what others expect? If you are it is a prescription, as it was for Buzz, for unhappiness, alienation from his other toy friends and ultimately isolation and depression.
Small business success and happiness in life do not come when you are in demo mode. If you are in demo mode make up your mind to do something about it now. After all, life isn’t a practice session. Is it going to make any more sense tomorrow than it does today to start living your life in PLAY mode where you honor yourself by doing what’s good for you and for others?
Fortunately for Buzz, the good toys discover what has happened and turn his switch back to PLAY. When that happens, problems start being resolved and the movie has a happy ending.
The message I took away from Toy Story 3 is that in order to PLAY in business and life you must honor yourself. When you are in DEMO mode you are just going through the motions. The second message was that you should understand the powerful influence of your associations. If you truly want a better business and life you will have to have the courage to either delete or severely limit some of your associations.
The power and influence of our associations is an awesome power. And, if we are around the wrong people, as was Buzz Lightyear, the danger is that their opinion of who we are becomes our reality. That’s demo mode.
Get around the right people. Find the right people to challenge you. When you do you will be in PLAY mode and your business and life will be ready to take off.
Kortney,
Thank you for your inquiry.
The ones that have the greatest number of visitors are very topical and current in nature. When I can tie a point I want to make into what is of interest in the current culture it seems to help.
Thanks,
Steve