You may be surprised to hear that there is a formula for achieving greatness.

Unfortunately, the formula is not as easy to apply as a recipe or even a complex equation. It can take years to learn how to master this formula in your life.

In his book Carpe Aqualis! Seize the Wave, Kahuna CEO Frank F. Lunn goes into depth about how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset to achieve success and greatness.

The following excerpt from Carpe Aqualis! breaks down how to look at situations and resources in a different way to gear you towards what you are good at, and what you love to do.

The Formula for Achieving Greatness

The formula for success and for greatness is to mix your passion with your purpose and develop your strengths. The formula for achieving average is to work on your weaknesses while your strengths get little attention.

The best basketball player to ever play the game is Michael Jordan. Why? Because his passion for the game led to his habit of challenging himself to improve his already phenomenal skill set. He is a poster boy for the formula for greatness. When he was praised for his brilliant offensive skills, he took it as a challenge to be the best defensive player. Dominating players inside with breathtaking slam-dunks, he was brilliant. Not satisfied, he pushed himself to become a great shooter. Every season he played, Jordan built on his strengths, fueled by his burning desire.

Could Jordan still have been excellent without pushing himself the way he did? Probably. His natural talents were that astonishing. But the passion and zeal he brought to his game lifted him to heights never before seen. Contrast this with the two years he quit basketball to try his hand at major league baseball. Sure, he worked hard and passionately, but he could not play to his natural strengths. As a baseball player, he was a washout. Upon returning to the NBA, he again dominated.

The point is simply to learn to surf your strengths and passions. Learn how to outsource, delegate or to “just say no” where you are weak so you can build and develop your strengths. If you don’t have a passion for what you are doing, you need to find something else… unless you are satisfied with average. Mix your talents and strengths with enough passion to drive you and it will take an army to hold you back.

Point Your Board in the Right Direction

If your board is pointed out to sea, you will not be able to surf to the shore. Point your board in the direction you want to go. Positive expectancy is not about overlooking evidence of a negative outcome. It is not viewing the world with rose-colored glasses or being blissfully ignorant. Instead, it is about training yourself to be optimistic about the results you have prepared for. You will still have failures and setbacks as part of learning. Positive expectancy is about believing in yourself and your dreams, even when no one else does. It’s about seeing what you want to happen rather than what you do not want to happen.

When you are focused on your desired outcome, you create the conditions to bring it to reality. Ironically, fear, worry and doubt become self-fulfilling prophecies.

When the Wave Hits, Take Action and Paddle Like Crazy

When you find the great wave you have been waiting for, it is not enough to let the momentum carry you. Paddle like crazy—take swift, decisive action. Launch new ideas, propose new initiatives, start new projects. Create your own momentum and let the force of the change wave add to it.

Just because you are part of a team or company on the move, does not mean anything. If you think anyone is going to carry you to the finish line or bring you with them to the big party just because…you are in for a big disappointment.

When you find yourself in the beginning swell of the wave, paddle like you are trying to beat the wave to shore. When you start your ride as the board moves with the power of the wave, that’s the “take off.” If you don’t have enough speed or momentum, you will either miss the wave as the swell races under you or be dumped as the wave crashes over you. The faster you are moving as the wave develops, the better your chance to ride it all the way in.

In the same way that people drown swimming against rip tides, people swim against their passion or their purpose in life and drown their dreams. When change or opportunity hits you like a riptide, change your course. Forget fighting the change. Swim to the opportunity.

Do not let opportunities pass you up!

Interested in learning more about how Kahuna Accounting can help you grow your business? Schedule a strategy call with Kahuna Accounting and we can discuss best practices for bookkeeping, profit, and growth!