10 ways to be an owner (and today, we are all owners)

Today, we are all owners. Yes, you and I.

We own our work. Not in the sense of copyright, but in the sense of pride. To own is to create without the care of wanting to please the world. It’s why paintings are strange and unrecognizable to many and yet amazing to others. It’s why your work (your art) is not as appreciated by others as it is by you. At least if you’re creating for you and not to please others.

We own today because we must. We build because of the desire to build, not because the world can’t go on without us. The world does not need us to go on. But our calling says that we need to create because we were created.

Today, we are creators. We are builders. We are thinkers, idea generators, action takers. Here’s how to own your work.

Create something.

Something that hasn’t been done before. Something that you need (which is likely that others do too).

Build something.

Construct. Without instructions or with. Take a stab at building a shelf in your closet or building a website by writing your own code. (And if you don’t know how, ask YouTube.)

Think of a new way to accomplish a task.

Solve an old problem in a new way. The new way doesn’t even have to resemble the old one because it’s likely that technology has made part of the old problem easier anyway. So solve the problem, but better.

Find a shorter way of doing something that already needs to be done.

Everything can be done cheaper, faster, easier than ever before. Everything. You just have to spend enough time with the process to figure out where the extra step is that you can remove.

Innovate.

Come up with something the world has never heard of. Give it a name if you have to.

Challenge the status quo.

Always. Duh.

Stand for what you believe in.

Even if you’re standing alone. Don’t ever back down…but be respectful.

Learn something new.

Everyday or every week or every month. The more frequent the better, but any consistency will do. Just pick one and stick with it.

Connect the disconnected.

Build real human connection. Try connection branding if you have a business. Or if you are your own brand, and you are. I’m sure you could think of something.

Write.

Everyday. Even if you don’t publish. (But publishing online gives you the chance to fail in public. Which helps.)

These are but a few examples. If you are an owner today, and you are, then you have the ability to do any of the above in a variety of ways. Don’t let the old ways of the world tell you otherwise. Because today, you own.