Nova Lorraine - Unleash Your Supernova: 101 Action Steps to Boost Creativity and Beat Burnout!

Copyright 2021 by Nova Lorraine

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Jacket design by Daniel Brount

Jacket illustration by Shutterstock

Author photo by Vital Agibalow

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-6332-6

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-6333-3

Printed in the United States of America

I dedicate this book to my mom and dad, as well as my dear husband and children for inspiring me to go after my dreams.

I am also truly grateful for the family and friends that supported me along my roller-coaster ride of entrepreneurship.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

A s an entrepreneur, innovator, business transformation consultant, professor of entrepreneurship and innovation, and director of a university-based research center dedicated to understanding and supporting new venture creation, I have encountered countless entrepreneurs who have effectively addressed customer pain points, exploited unique market opportunities, and bridged gaps between what is and what could be, but none have so courageously lifted the curtain on the inner workings of the mind and heart in these endeavors as Nova Lorraine in this book. Most academics and students of business view entrepreneurship as a somewhat mechanical, step-by-step process involving ideation, product development, business planning, prototyping, and startup launch. Much less attention has been focused, however, on the person, the soul of the entrepreneur over time, and the evolution of core values and beliefs that are the underpinnings of innovation. I was struck by the revelatory notion of Novas book which posits that the process of turning inward, becoming authentically introspective, is essential to discovering and unleashing ones hidden entrepreneurial potential. In sum, introspection is key to having and fulfilling dreams, whether in business or any other context.

According to Nova, the journey to becoming an entrepreneur is a deeply personal, transformative experience involving confronting, discovering, and ultimately accepting ones power of agency to choose a destiny. The destiny one chooses may, if desired, become explosively creative, even profitable, from a business standpoint, but only after digging down into the hidden layers of the soul to honestly examine and question oneself. Knowing your whys, says Nova, is a foundational entrepreneurial pillar. Having uncovered the whys of your life, not the superficial whys, but the real whys and motives of your life that are intimately tied to heart and passion, you expose the bedrock upon which to build and create. It is upon this bedrock that volcanos of passion and positive energy flourish. An often neglected topic in the world of entrepreneurship is the unfolding pathway of the self that leads to discovering purpose, finding a path forward into creation, and tapping into the reasons behind the desires and the dreams that can eventually become business realities.

I love the way Nova so eloquently spins straw, represented by a world of uncertainty, surprises, barriers, and unforeseen adversity, into a golden fleece of personal growth and future success. Here again, it is her uncanny and unique ability to teach us how to build on challenges, barriers, even mundane experiences of life, to fuel our own supernovas. Her advice is practical, accessible, positive, and forever optimistic and forward-thinking. The reader will find oceans of wisdom embedded in many straightforward tips like: keep alert and be ready to notice the little things, give and be ready to receive, keep track of your ideas, admit you are creative, and acknowledge your brilliance. Deriving wisdom from elemental ideas and daily experience is Novas talent. How better to communicate the enduring lessons of life and precursors to unleashing ones supernova than to reveal what a paper route can teach you?

Reading this book made me wish I had journaled more, reflected more, pondered the course of my life with more intent, become more mindful of the lessons embedded in adversity, and been as attentive to the undulating fabric of life as Nova. Likewise, I wish I had derived as much wisdom from my own journey, as I sought out successes in business, research, and teaching. What clearly comes across from reading this book is how much one can learn by being mindful with the intent to improve ones life and surroundings. Being mindful of habits, opportunities to give and receive, what you are known for, sources of joy, emerging visions and dreams, and when the time is right to act are all ingredients to personal growth.

One of the most profound takeaways from Novas writing is the idea that launching a business venture is closely paralleled by personal growth, through increased awareness, and self-creation. It dawns on me that the entrepreneur isnt just engaging in the monetization of an idea, such as a new product or business model, but is also dedicated to unleashing ones own potential. The higher-order theme of this book is encapsulated in a quote from Steven Pressfields The War of Art : Our job in this life is not to shape ourselves into some ideal we imagine we ought to be, but to find out who we already are and become it.

There is perhaps nothing more difficult than to be critically aware of oneself and the assumptions and presuppositions of ones thoughts. What could be more valuable to creativity and entrepreneurship than becoming conscious of ones own consciousness and potential? I believe that is, ultimately, what Nova is trying to teach us. Human beings are capable of scrutinizing and evaluating their own thoughts, emotions, values, and assumptions in order to unleash something greater. Once identified and exposed to the light, the hidden strengths of a person are subject to the forces of individual agency. In other words, our desire to grow, change, and make a difference. Rooting out old or embedded assumptions is definitely a starting point to unleashing our individual supernovas.

The idea that we discover and unleash new realities by framing and labeling experiences in positive ways is a major underlying theme of this book. The language we use to label experiences, including the attitudes we bring to the ups and downs of our journey, is one of the keys to bridging the gap between creativity and entrepreneurship. Over time, we begin to believe that from different words come different realities, just as we can take negative experiences and reframe them as opportunities. Such a mindset is an effective way to derive lessons for future benefit. For example, in Novas words, you can take what bugs you and other people, keep a list of them, and eventually, over time, translate them into opportunities for business. In her eyes, everything is an opportunity to learn, grow, improve, and dream.