Nurture The Killer Instinct
I’ve written before about my love/hate relationship with the corporate world. And another aspect of my time in that world came to light the other day while talking to an acquaintance who works in sales for a living. I’d thought about this previously, but it was a reminder that there are certain ways of making a living that nurture the killer instinct much more than the corporate finance work I do. When someone’s financial success is more directly tied to their daily level of effort, they have a reason to give a lot more effort.
My job is cerebral and mentally challenging. There are lots of puzzles to figure out and problems to solve. That makes it fulfilling in many ways. But it’s also based around reporting numbers and results driven by others. Or hypothesizing about the numbers that might result from certain decisions or actions. It’s necessary work for managing a large enterprise. We live in a world where money is a medium for trading. Somebody has to keep track of it. And thoughtful analysis helps an enterprise become more profitable which is great for all involved.
However, it often feels unrewarding. My pay is more or less the same regardless of how hard I work or how efficient I become at my role. I’m not that highly incentivized to put in extra effort. Sure, if I do a great job and show great enthusiasm I might get a promotion or a pay raise. But I’m ultimately just making someone else richer. Talking to a salesman was a reminder that someone who makes sales for a living has reason to feel motivation every day. Generally speaking there is no limit to the commissions they can earn. If they hustle more, they earn more.
Of course, if they don’t make sales they earn a lot less. But still, they have an intrinsic motivation built into their job. There isn’t any room for apathy or boredom. They are the masters of their own destinies in a more direct way.
This is more in line with the way ancient man would experience success. They literally ate what they killed. They had to hunt or they starved. And their hunting success connected them to that which kept them alive in a meaningful way.
That being the case, I think there is something to say for jobs such as sales from a personal and biological satisfaction standpoint. It’s more than the money even though the money can be great. These forms of making a living nurture the killer instinct a bit more. And that instinct is part of our DNA.
This is all applicable to entrepreneurial pursuits as well. Maybe even more so. Not to mention day traders, venture capitalists, and anyone else who proactively uses their own will to put food on the table. Anyone who isn’t idly punching the clock.
The Act Of Creation As Modern Hunting
Most sales people are selling something that somebody else created. While going out into the world and making the sale can nurture the killer instinct, there is an even greater element of the hunt in coming up with ideas to sell in the first place. Having the ability to see what might add value to the lives of others and then forging it into existence out of thin air. This is the next level of creating opportunity and heightens the sense of molding one’s own destiny even further.
On top of using the incredible power of creation to manifest something of value to others, the creation also has to be monetized. The creator must engage with potential customers to make an exchange for money. This combination of creating something and then selling it results in an amazing level of personal satisfaction.
I once came across a definition of neurosis that described it as feeling out of touch with one’s own sense of power. If that’s true, and I think it makes a lot of sense, then pursuits where one eats what they kill are the ultimate cure for neurosis. It’s important to nurture the killer instinct regularly for well being. It doesn’t have to involve actual hunting or killing. The idea is just to go out into the world and pursue what you want.
I’ll never forget the first sale I made when I published my ebook. That experience was a true natural high. It hooked me on the idea of putting my creativity into the world in an exchange of value for money. The fire it lit under me was something my day job could never come close to. It proved that I could stop relying on others for my living if I work hard enough at my ideas until one or two take off.
Sharpen Your Blade By Eating What You Kill
If you’re feeling uninspired, apathetic, lacking direction, or perhaps even neurotic, try creating something and selling it. Just think of things you would personally like to buy to come up with ideas. Then make one of those ideas a reality. Write the book, formulate the supplement, design the online course. At the very least, setting a goal and accomplishing it is good for the soul and gives momentum. Even if the idea isn’t a huge success the first time the experience will still be positive. And at best, it might turn into income and deep personal satisfaction. This is a great way to start being in control of your destiny.
Different people will thrive in different ways. Among billions of people there will be a lot of variety and not everyone is a hunter. But in many ways our ancestries have some common themes. One of which is survival in a harsh world, and a survival instinct. An instinct that thrives on action and doesn’t sit back and rely on luck. I was once told it’s far better to create your own luck than wait for it. This is the essence of eating what you kill.