“The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive”. Albert Einstein

What does it mean to be a valuable asset to your community?

It means that you are needed.

In order to be needed (or necessary), one must be giving (or serving).

What do you have to give?

What gifts do you have?

If  you were to serve someone, who would it be? What group or community or niche?

What do you like to think about?

What sort of ideas make you feel excited?

Carl Jung said, “The creative mind plays with the objects it loves”. What do you love?

Are there many things you love?

How can you take your varied interests and talents and weave them into a singular cohesive entity, project or focus?

Can you synthesize your interests, your talents, and your gifts? Does such an idea appeal to you?

If you could create anything—anything in the world, what would it be?

I mean…if you had no limitation in way of cost

…If money was not an issue…

What would you create?

What would that thing be?

What would it do?

Who would it be for?

If your vision is expensive, is there a way to condense it, to make it smaller, to make it more affordable?

Is it possible to build a version of that thing with the resources you have and nothing more?

If you could do so without too much risk or personal cost…if you could make this thing on the cheap, on a shoestring, on a dime, would you do it?

Will you?

If you had to invest something—to put a little something into this project…just to get it off the ground, would you do it?

What if it had the potential to win some huge award or honor you have always dreamed about…would you be willing to put a little something more into it…

…to put you in line with potential of accomplishing a dream or vision…

What would you risk?

What if it had no chance for honor or fame, but had the potential to give you a lot of joy in the process of working with whatever it is?

What if it might not make you rich, but could potentially provide you with an income, off of which, you could live…would you want to do it?

What if it had the potential for a great monetary return…might that effect your willingness to risk?

How does work have meaning?

It must be given meaning.

Do you desire to have meaningful work?

When Entrepreneurship is combined with Artistic technique, you get an artist who can make a living from their skills

Jim Hart currently serves as the Director of Arts Entrepreneurship at SMU. Hart is the founder of The International Theatre Academy Norway.