The Dangers of Money (Pt. 2)

“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” —Steve Jobs

Everybody wants more money to spend on their start up. But it could be that too much money in the beginning will ruin you. Having a lot of money to spend can push you away from the creativity table. And because creative dreamers, entrepreneurs, and leaders of social enterprises are always slim on resources, we need to look for resources in creative ways. Last week I introduced us to the five dangers of money. Click Here to read PART I.

Be aware of this second danger!

Danger #2. Money can keep you from working (as hard as you should).

Have you ever run into a group of people that have a brilliant idea, but when they got startup capital, it was like they were trying to drive a race car on flat tires? They rev the engine up fast but can’t get anywhere.

Several years ago, I was watching the popular television show Shark Tank. Two young entrepreneurs secured about fifty thousand dollars for a certain percentage of their company. Their product looked great, the Shark was convinced it would sell, and I was too. In fact, I was ready to buy. However, when the cameras were off, and they got that money, they threw a party in celebration. A big party. A gigantic party. An epic party. A party of the ages. A $50,000 party! All their friends came. The drinks were flowing. They seemed to be “winning.” Except now they were cursed because they were flooded with cash, which caused them to believe that money came easy – and that caused them to slow down on their work. In short, they got lazy, assumed too much, and pushed away from the creative table.

The money they received was like a sugar shot in the arm. They were thrust into a high, but their energy level came crashing down in just a few hours. Their sense of urgency was now gone, they grew sleepy, and without knowing it, bought into the age-old lie: money would solve their work problem. In the end, their business crashed, the Shark lost money, and I didn’t get the product I wanted.

Not having money makes you desperate. And that is a good thing. It keeps you moving. Without capital and resources, you are forced to think in ways you’ve never thought before. You hustle. You grind. You must make it happen. Your life depends on it!