Is it blood? Or just ink?

"Projections are bullshit."

Jason Fried

I've become a fan of Scott Ginsberg, otherwise known as "NameTagScott."  He blogs on a variety of topics, but one of his recurring themes is honesty.  In a recent post, Scott said this...

My definition of writing is as follows:

“Slice open a vein and bleed your truth all over the page.”

KEY WORDS: Vein, blood and truth.

As opposed to “brain, ink and bullshit.”

Suppose we apply that thinking to entrepreneurial elevator speeches, pitches, and business plans.  I preach about the Four Fundamental Factors test for the probable outcome of a start-up notion.  Market - great!  Magic - spell-binding!  Mentors - plenty!  MOXIE - hmmm.  

Thanks, Scott!  I will now be asking myself: Am I hearing or reading "vein, blood, and truth?"  Or is it "brain, ink, and bullshit?"

I'm pretty darned sure that with enough MOXIE a prospective entrepreneur can find a way to fix a modestly flawed start-up plan.  But a bullshit artist will never, never find the MOXIE to make even a well conceived, well written plan really work.  Too many things change along the way.  Too many obstacles arise in the real world of entrepreneurship.  It's just too hard.

Serious success demands some bleeding, I think.  Or is it blood, sweat, and tears?  (The quotation, by the way, is really "...blood, tears, toil, and sweat."  Thank you, Teddy Roosevelt.)

Brain, ink, and bullshit won't cut it.  Remember that - whether you are writing a business plan, or reading one.

Thank you, Scott.