It’s 6 am and I haven’t been to sleep yet. Actually, I’ve slept about eight hours in the past three days. This is my life as an entrepreneur.
This past weekend, I was talking to one of my friends, a fellow entrepreneur. He was going through one of those days where second guessing is normal, giving up is an option and success seems too far away. This reminded me that I haven’t really talked about some of what it takes to be an entrepreneur.
Forget having a great idea or lots of startup money, here’s what it really takes to be an entrepreneur:
1. Perseverance: Some days will suck. Some days nobody will believe in your dream, not even you. Being an entrepreneur means getting up and working hard every day (most days), even when success seems crazy.
2. Sacrifice: I know most people just see the freedom that I have, but it does come ts a price. There are a lot of sacrifices that I have to make. I give up sleep often, partying 3 days a week is a thing of the past and dating…pah! However, I will say that it does get better over time. When I was first starting out, I rarely slept. I averaged about 3-4 hours a night. I now try to get about 7-8 hours a night, but there are some nights (like the ones this weekend) when I can’t.
3. Faith: On those days when you feel that it won’t work out, you have to have blind faith that it will. Sounds simple enough, right? Imagine someone telling you to walk…then they blindfold you, tie your legs, cover your eyes, haul you off somewhere and now you’re supposed to just go. Yeah, that’s what it feels like sometimes. You know it will work out, just not sure yet.
Now, don’t be discouraged. I love being an entrepreneur. Like with traveling, I just don’t want to give the pretty view all the time. It wouldn’t be fair to you. Being an entrepreneur isn’t for everyone. The idea of pushing myself as hard as I can for the next 5-10 years so that I can live the rest of my life like most people can’t, appeals to me. But that also means working like most people won’t.
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Cynthia
2 years ago
So true. I think the reason why I’ve been SO scared out of my mind about doing my own business is all of those things but you know…I won’t know until I try and I’ve been called resilient and tenacious more times than I can count. So why not?
Thanks for keeping it real though. I’ve been around a lot of entrepreneurs with varying amounts of success, I see the blood, sweat and tears they put into their businesses, it’s truly amazing.
Cynthia´s last blog ..I’m going home…
shannon
2 years ago
I think you should do it! For me, the pros of entrepreneurship definitely outweigh the cons. If you really love what you’re doing, most of it won’t seem like work and he sacrifices will be very easy decisions.
The hardest part is “what if this doesn’t work.” But, it’s also extremely rewarding when everything works out. And things will work out if you put in the the time and work.
Caldeia
2 years ago
believe in your dream and everything else will come your way =)
great post Shannon! Keep fighting those hard days, but try to get some more sleep, it’s really not healthy with only 3-4 hrs a night…. =)
shannon
2 years ago
I know, I know. I used to be really bad with the sleep jazz, but I’ve gotten MUCH better. And yes, I too believe that the universe conspires to help you achieve your dream if you believe in it.
Trevor Smith
2 years ago
I have a business that I’ve been bootstrapping for 5 years – (table20 dot com). The site is finished – which is a great accomplishment, but now I have to market it and get the word out – another herculean effort.
I’ve spent all of my free time and money on this project for little monetary return or recognition. I sometimes think, why am I doing this? I could be relaxing at night and on the weekends – just chillin’. Why not stop working, struggling, wishing and praying, and give up this entrepreneurial dream, but I can’t stop – won’t stop – it’s just part of me.
Keep doing what you are doing and keep the faith.
shannon
2 years ago
I love the concept! Good luck with the marketing.