Business Motivation for Getting America Back to Work

The Biz Desk
Who’ll be the first to land on Mars, China or the U.S.? The answer is another ten to twenty years out. But Elon Musk and Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. are two who’d be interested. Spacex, the company founded by Musk has been awarded the contract by NASA to make it happen. Dr. Harris knows about the stars as he was the first African-American Astronaut to walk in space.

No one knows if we’ll be around to see this history-making feat. One thing’s for sure, it’s going to take:

1. Skill:- This means having more than just a ‘song and a dance’ or wishful thinking
2. Will:- The motivation to succeed must be fueled by deep determination
3. Thrill:- The thrill of victory tastes sweeter than the agony of defeats.

The current recession has caused some to stop looking for work. Others think where they are is not where they want to be. Maybe it’s time to use your skill, and will to experience a new thrill. Many success stories have come from people who went from feeling defeated to being celebrated.

The Biz Desk invites you to post your comments below or you can send a personal note on Facebook or Twitter to @DocCunningham; on Linkedin to
@DOCCommunications.

Work Life
Elon Musk is not a name many know. But you’ve seen his work before. He saw an opportunity for Internet marketing that led him to merge his tech company into what became Paypal. That company was later sold to eBay, some of the proceeds from which he used to launch Spacex. His success shows how ‘being first across the line or becoming best-in-class’ keeps you:

• Employed for life
• Wearing the business hat
• Boosting your income
• Experiencing happiness at work

Musk left South Africa as a teenager headed for Canada with little or no money. He believed in his ideas, stayed curious about new opportunities and was committed to a cause. These have taken his achievements to the edge of space, the edge of heaven and maybe even beyond his wildest dreams.

Life’s Work
Dr. Harris has since retired from NASA. He describes his new mission as helping others have the same opportunities he had growing up. His life’s work is focused on motivating youth in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). He wants to make a difference in their education.

Musk may be described as a Social Entrepreneur. He keeps one eye on making a profit and another eye on making a difference. Musk takes on causes that are bigger than just making money.

Street Talk – (Social Commentary driving change!)
What’s the difference between the CEO of a company and the CEO of the United States? One depends on sales. The other depends on taxes. It seems more and more politicians are coming out with their own ‘tax plan’ these days. Well, it’s going to take more than that to get our country on the same page.

One CNN Analyst sees the political climate as being more ‘hate than fight.’  A Business Analyst sees it as more about ‘power than purpose.’ We might not agree on everything. But maybe citizens are looking for public and private officials to be leading with more of a sense of calling than a sense of entitlement.