Want to be an Entrepreneur? “Stop Watching F… ing Lost!” stated Gary Vaynerchuk, the author of the book Crush It! If you are a would-be entrepreneur working a normal day job, I encourage you to watch his YouTube video below…
Although I’m still pissed at Mr. Vaynerchuk for flaking on a promise to provide a seminar for everyone that purchased a book bundle he was promoting with author David Bach, I remain an avid fan of his work and buy in fully to his ideology that hard work and perseverance will pay off in the long run. He calls it “patience and passion”.
I know from experience that—absent a lot of luck—perseverance, tenacity, and reciprocity are needed ingredients in a winning recipe for giving your fledgling business the best odds of success. Vaynerchuk continues on late in the video (about getting your business started) by saying, “there is never a bad time, when you believe, when you work hard, and you know what you are doing… Work! That’s how you get it.”
There are always a few hours in the day to complete tasks. Passion and patience will get you to the finish line. If you would rather watch Lost (or any other television show for that matter) than work on your business, there is no shame in that. However, unwittingly (or maybe intentional) you may be identifying how unimportant your idea is, and as such, it might be time to rethink whether or not you are truly committed.
Getting a business off the ground is a challenge and like most challenges, starting and building a business halfheartedly will make the process extraneous at best, and more often than not a complete waste of time and resources. Entrepreneurs are notorious for going borderline maniac about a new idea. If we are left untamed, we press forward without a roadmap and tend to only focus on the activities that are exciting rather following through on all the activities that need to get done. As you begin to start a new business it is important that your goals are in line with your personality and desires. As such, it is necessary to inventory your motivations and talents and come to a decision whether it is worthwhile for you to push forward.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself first before getting started: Are you comfortable with taking risks and making tough decisions? This question is important because these are two “must have” attributes of an entrepreneur. Also, what is your definition of success? Your nostalgia might be short lived if you are only driven by profitability, since most businesses take awhile to get off the ground. Will you be supported by your family? If your husband or wife does not like someone who takes risks you are off to a bad start.
If you decide to press forward, building out an idea you truly believe in—an idea so engaging you think about it minutes after you wake up until it is time to go to sleep—entrepreneurship is an extraordinary, rewarding journey regardless of the outcome. If you are ready, and in it for the right reasons, you won’t be too worried about missing Lost or any other sacrificed leisure activity for that matter.
With that said, if you want to be an entrepreneur, don’t forget to kiss your spouse and pet your furry companion; if you are doing it right they are your biggest fans and you will need them on your side to make this work!
