Being an entrepreneur is hard. Doubt, anxiety, despair along the way, every entrepreneur struggles with those feelings. So why are we entrepreneurs willing to face the vulnerability, the emotional ups and downs, and the risk of public and private failure?
Easy. They have no choice. For entrepreneurs:
1. Their own voice in their head is louder than any other voice they hear
As an entrepreneur, you will always hear others criticize and see other people’s doubt. They may judge and disapprove but as an entrepreneur, you don’t care. They can tell you whatever but you don’t listen to them. You see all those opinions for what they are: not right, not wrong, just data. Why? You may respect the opinions of others but you believe and trust your ideas, your abilities, your will and perseverance, and dedication. You believe in yourself. And that makes you want to live your life your way and not anyone else’s way.
2. Entrepreneurs believe that how they play the game truly is more important than whether they win or lose
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’d rather fail on your own terms than succeeding on someone else’s. You would rather reach for your own future than having your future lie in someone else’s hands. You want to do everything the way you want it. Create your own playing field and win the game you want to play because winning a game in a way you’re forced to play would still feel like losing.
3. Entrepreneurs don’t make choices they create choices
Most people simply choose from A or B. Entrepreneurs glance at A and B and then often create their own C.
4. Entrepreneurs enjoy succeeding through others
Talent is definitely important, but the skill to work together, check egos at the door, and make individual sacrifices when necessary is the only way any team succeeds. That spirit can only exist when it comes from the top. And that’s why entrepreneurs focus on the individual rather than the position, and most important, from gaining happiness and success from the happiness and success of others.
5. Entrepreneurs don’t want to simply gain a skill and then live a routine
Some people work to gain a skill or achieve a position so they can relax, comfortable in their abilities and knowledge. Entrepreneurs want to gain skills to achieve bigger things, to use their skills for bigger things.
6. Entrepreneurs are fans of other entrepreneurs
Working for a company is often a gain or loss game because personal success usually comes at the cost of others. If you get promoted, someone else does not. If you get an opportunity, someone else does not. That is why, in a company situation, it is really hard not to begrudge the success of others. It’s impossible to be genuinely happy for a co-worker when you are actually really disappointed. For entrepreneurs, they love when others succeed. They know the pie is big enough for everyone. (Forget the current pie; they’re out there trying to make new pies.) They see the success of other entrepreneurs as exciting and inspirational and as validation that creativity and hard work do pay off.
7. Entrepreneurs think ‘Why not me’ instead of ‘Why me’
Nevertheless, of the pursuit, success is difficult to achieve. That’s why we all fail sometimes. And when we do, it’s easy to decide events were outside our control. It’s easy to feel depressed and wonder, ‘Why me?’ ‘Why don’t I ever get what other people get? Or ‘Why is no one supporting me?’
While entrepreneurs ask a different question, they ask ‘Why not me?’ instead of ‘Why me?’
That’s why an entrepreneur will open a beauty salon in the same location where other beauty salons have failed: ‘They did not succeed, but why not me?’
Entrepreneurs will start a software company with nothing but an idea: ‘It’s possible that they may have deeper pockets and a major share market, but still why not me?’ They do not assume successful people own special talents or a gift from the startup gods. They see successful people and think, ‘That’s awesome, and if she can do it why not me?’ Good question: ‘Why not you?’