The passion for entrepreneurship is the first step towards realizing your true potential. Your idea keeps you awake at night, and your 9 to 5 job frustrates you.
You see a path to greener pastures, the life you have always wanted. You are hell bent on working on your idea day and night and make it a success, whatever it takes!
But never forget, that every step of the way Life will take a test and unless you don’t pass every one of them, success won’t become you!
Life has a unique way of deciding whether you are ready to take up the mantle that you want. You may fee frustrated, irritated and bowed down by the circumstances that take place on the course your entrepreneurship journey.
But, if you believe in your idea, work on it, despite your failings and all mess life throws at you, success will come, first in discreet small bags and then when the time is right, you will know it!
The journey is tough, and if you haven’t started yet, here are some things that you should keep in mind
1. Your Financials Will Initially Be a Mess
Unless you have butt loads of personal wealth, you will be in deep waters with your neck on the line.
The initial weeks (most probably months and even years) will be tough. This is because, your idea will be under development and frankly, unless it is in the market, you will make no money.
Therefore, managing costs and expenditures will be tough, but if you have the skills and some resources (not all!), you can pull through.
You need to have a proper understanding of the difference between debt and equity.
2. You are Likely to Go Broke or Bankrupt… Multiple Times
You are new to the business world. You will form a new company. That will require money to pay the fee associated. Your sales will be negligible. Therefore, it is most likely that your savings will… be non-existent multiple times!
However, don’t dishearten yourself. You are not burning through cash; you are investing it!
3. Most of The People Will Not Be in Sync With What You Think
No body believed in the airplane when Wright Brothers were building it. Hell, no body ever believed that we would go to the moon. But someone did it and became a success.
That goes true for any entrepreneurial idea out there. Your idea is yours to develop. People may not believe in it, but that shouldn’t matter.
If you believe that your idea has actionable applications, stick with it, protect it, groom it and nurture it despite the odds and disagreements. Soon people will look through it and accept it for all the awesomeness in it.
4. You Will Work More Than You Have at Any Other Job Before
Well, you can trust me on that. As a sole person associated with the idea, in the beginning, everything will be on you.
And it is a kind of test of passion. You will have to exhort yourself, work relentlessly to develop it into reality. That will involve sleepless nights and tiresome days.
It won’t be similar to any of your previous jobs where you had to punch in at the morning and leave the day tension free at the end. Nope! This is your design; it stays active when you stay active!
5. You Will be Tempted to Go Back Many Times
If you are weak, you will break. The hard work and long toil will create temptations where the good old 9-5 jobs will seem more tempting, relaxing and easy.
But were you in for the ease or the glory. When you are out, developing your idea, you build your freedom and freedom, my friends… is built by resistance.
So resist the temptation for the easiness in things. Life is testing you. Once beyond, you will have what no 9-5s don’t. Don’t go back just because you are too worked up. We wouldn’t have KFC if Colonel Sanders had given up and gone back to some job instead of waiting till he was 66 to see his ideas turn into billions!
6. Constant Stress, Pressure, and Resentment May Trouble You
First, it will be the stress of developing a business and then it will be the stress of handling the success.
First, it will be the pressure of making the first sale, and then it will be the pressure to meeting international demands.
First, you will resent each entrepreneur that succeeds and then you will resent every competitor that enters!
If you think these things will go away at a job, then you should go and get one. If you treat them as part of life and don’t give them undue importance, you will come out on top!
7. You Will Become More Competitive Than Ever Before
You are in a battle with yourself. This will make you competitive. You will fight harder for things. You might become aggressive and impatient, but you need to check that.
Patience will help with the competition and turn it healthy.
Now, after you have embarked on these challenges an entrepreneurial life will present, there is still a lot more good to it
8. You Will Have Complete Control Over Your Destiny
That’s right. You can go where you want, when you want and live like you always have.
Yes, you have to work hard, but at least, the purpose you make will be your own. You won’t be part of an illusion but have real freedom of choice.
When your idea finally takes off, it will all be worth it.
9. When The Money Finally Comes, It Will Be Your Own, However Little It May Be
When that first sale happens, you will feel a gush of excitement like you never have. All that effort, all that toil, all that hardship will suddenly become worth it, and you will become more confident than ever.
The feeling is so much better as you will generate real and fair value for your efforts and that is what you will keep doing!
The realization is fantastic!
10. Points 1-7 Will Seem a Distant Memory When The Cycle of Success Starts
Trust me. The harder days make for the most beautiful memories. When you are riding high on success, you will get to know that this success was made by your sweat, blood, and heart.
You will have a company that stuck through your bad times and trust me; this is the long term companionship you will cherish for life.
Entrepreneurship is tough!
It opens you up. It moves you out of your comfort zone and … it brings out the best in & around you. Don’t give up. Rise to the challenge.
You have nobody to prove anything to!
