“Just cuz you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
I find myself using this phrase often with clients who are highly capable and look at optionality separate from their sweet spot. Once we get over the multitude of "possibilities" phase, we end up doing the deeper work of the actual "probability" of what they're suited to do. Essentially found in the overlap of all the elements that make them uniquely suited to solve a problem: experience, skill, and talent.
You’ve heard of Product-Market fit and Message-Market Fit.
Let’s throw another one into the ring: Founder-Product Fit.
aka. Aligning your calling with your work.
(By the way, I don’t use the term “calling” in any divine sense. Rather, being that repetitive inner voice which persists and needs expression and experimentation).
Let me stress that this is also not quite Ikigai: a term I would reserve with much deeper reverence for the many nuances discovered from living a fulfilled existence (which often comes with age and wisdom). Scholars have documented these distinctive needs: a realized need for transcended value and significance, future and past perspective, an active role in growth and contribution, sense of agency within a sense of duty, and self-actualization. Unfortunately, this profound term has become slightly commodified.
So I propose something much more accessible and true at any starting point: the need to align one’s domain experience, with their skill stack, and their natural 'je ne sais quoi' talent.
Founder-Product Fit.
These are all cultivated through the simplicity of getting work done in a way that only you can.
Something which is becoming more and more accessible and demonstrable in this day of One Person Inc's and solopreneurship.
Why is this important?
The obvious answer is that it’s more fulfilling; but more importantly you’ll have a sense of true agency and staying power. And staying power is gold when it comes to the unpredictability of this game.
Getting granular on what gives you your own “secret sauce” is something I work on deeply with people. Often, they come to my sprints with a pull to do one thing (influenced by external expectations or roles they think they’d receive respect for).
But I can’t stress the importance of digging deeper into the YOU of your business: because that’s the fuel that will ultimately drive things forward. Countless times, we’ve reshaped the entire business model or positioning just by doing more of that crucial inner work.
After all, it’s 80% about the inner game.
