What Nobody Tells You About Being an Entrepreneur
What Nobody Tells You About Being an Entrepreneur
One aspect of entrepreneurship that nobody ever fully conveyed to me before embarking on this journey is the sheer magnitude of the work involved.
Let me share with you my routine: I rise promptly between 4 and 4:30 every morning and dive straight into my tasks. As the rest of the household awakens, I pause to connect with them briefly. Then it’s back to work until late in the afternoon. Another pause follows this one for quality time with my family, which I cherish as the most crucial aspect of life. After that, I tackled a bit more work before retiring for the night.
What’s striking is how much quicker my mind operates now compared to before. Back when I worked for others, my mornings revolved around mundane thoughts like breakfast plans and packing lunch. Throughout the day, my mind wandered to personal matters and dreams for the future. Evenings were filled with passive activities like watching TV and pondering my children’s futures.
But now, my thoughts are consumed by business strategies, maintaining spiritual connection, and ensuring the well-being of both my own family and those in our employ. I’m constantly assessing daily tasks and long-term goals, accompanied by a hint of anxiety about possibly forgetting something crucial or disappointing clients. And all this mental activity begins before I even reach for my morning coffee.
Recently, during a meeting with new clients, my colleague Sam, who has worked alongside me for over a year, expressed his wonder at my approach. After the meeting, we had a brief chat, and as I was leaving, he asked me, “How do you manage it all?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“How do you manage to keep your mind from exploding? I could practically see the gears turning in your head the entire duration of the meeting. And as soon as it concluded, you whipped out your phone and started jotting down notes like a man possessed for a good 3 to 5 minutes. Your brain must be operating at a million miles an hour compared to mine!”
Firstly, my brain isn’t exactly quick. If anything, it moves slower than molasses in the dead of winter in Alaska! That’s slow, for sure. laughs
He effortlessly retained the ideas we generated during that single meeting and immediately strategized on how we could alter our approach to better cater to our clients. He was also amazed by the swift action we took the very next day to implement these changes.
Being an entrepreneur or business owner isn’t solely about raking in loads of cash. It’s unequivocally about improving how we serve our community tomorrow compared to today. Unfortunately, many fail to grasp this concept. All they aspire to do is build a business, sell it for a fortune, and live a life of luxury. But that, in my eyes, doesn’t define a true entrepreneur. To me, an entrepreneur is someone who shoulders personal responsibility for a problem and goes above and beyond to devise a simpler solution for others to utilize.
Nobody warned me about the immense satisfaction I would derive from giving back to our clients. Lately, we’ve been gifting custom hand-drawn pictures printed on canvas to our clients, and the joy it brings me is indescribable.
Another unforeseen source of joy has been nurturing the growth of others and providing them with incredible learning opportunities. Leadership is undeniably challenging, and ensuring there’s enough capital in reserves for payroll can be stressful at times. However, the fulfillment I personally experience from working alongside an exceptional team outweighs every ounce of stress.
Right now, someone might be thinking, “You just enjoy bossing others around!” But the truth is, I despise dictating what others should do. What I truly relish is inviting them to contribute to a new project and witnessing their problem-solving skills in action. Initially, we’re all filled with trepidation when faced with something unfamiliar. However, the sheer delight I experience in observing someone overcome a daunting challenge is unparalleled. Their newfound confidence is truly remarkable.
Here’s the overarching lesson from this narrative: When you feel compelled to act, seize the moment! Don’t hesitate. The rewards far outweigh any discomfort. And remember, “pain” is merely an acronym:
P: Pleasure
A: After
I: Initial
N: Nightmare
Enhance your faith-led leadership journey with God First Life Next. Explore empowering insights at “Encouragement in Daily Life: Small Acts, Big Effects” Let faith guide your leadership. Click for purposeful living at GodFirstLifeNext.org.
One aspect of entrepreneurship that nobody ever fully conveyed to me before embarking on this journey is the sheer magnitude of work involved.
Let me share with you my routine: I rise promptly between 4 and 4:30 every morning and dive straight into my tasks. As the rest of the household awakens, I pause to connect with them briefly. Then it’s back to work until late in the afternoon. Another pause follows this one for quality time with my family, which I cherish as the most crucial aspect of life. After that, I tackled a bit more work before retiring for the night.
What’s striking is how much quicker my mind operates now compared to before. Back when I worked for others, my mornings revolved around mundane thoughts like breakfast plans and packing lunch. Throughout the day, my mind wandered to personal matters and dreams for the future. Evenings were filled with passive activities like watching TV and pondering my children’s futures.
But now, my thoughts are consumed by business strategies, maintaining spiritual connection, and ensuring the well-being of both my own family and those in our employ. I’m constantly assessing daily tasks and long-term goals, accompanied by a hint of anxiety about possibly forgetting something crucial or disappointing clients. And all this mental activity begins before I even reach for my morning coffee.
Recently, during a meeting with new clients, my colleague Sam, who has worked alongside me for over a year, expressed his wonder at my approach. After the meeting, we had a brief chat, and as I was leaving, he asked me, “How do you manage it all?”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“How do you manage to keep your mind from exploding? I could practically see the gears turning in your head the entire duration of the meeting. And as soon as it concluded, you whipped out your phone and started jotting down notes like a man possessed for a good 3 to 5 minutes. Your brain must be operating at a million miles an hour compared to mine!”
Firstly, my brain isn’t exactly quick. If anything, it moves slower than molasses in the dead of winter in Alaska! That’s slow, for sure. laughs
He effortlessly retained the ideas we generated during that single meeting and immediately strategized on how we could alter our approach to better cater to our clients. He was also amazed by the swift action we took the very next day to implement these changes.
Being an entrepreneur or business owner isn’t solely about raking in loads of cash. It’s unequivocally about improving how we serve our community tomorrow compared to today. Unfortunately, many fail to grasp this concept. All they aspire to do is build a business, sell it for a fortune, and live a life of luxury. But that, in my eyes, doesn’t define a true entrepreneur. To me, an entrepreneur is someone who shoulders personal responsibility for a problem and goes above and beyond to devise a simpler solution for others to utilize.
Nobody warned me about the immense satisfaction I would derive from giving back to our clients. Lately, we’ve been gifting custom hand-drawn pictures printed on canvas to our clients, and the joy it brings me is indescribable.
Another unforeseen source of joy has been nurturing the growth of others and providing them with incredible learning opportunities. Leadership is undeniably challenging, and ensuring there’s enough capital in reserves for payroll can be stressful at times. However, the fulfillment I personally experience from working alongside an exceptional team outweighs every ounce of stress.
Right now, someone might be thinking, “You just enjoy bossing others around!” But the truth is, I despise dictating what others should do. What I truly relish is inviting them to contribute to a new project and witnessing their problem-solving skills in action. Initially, we’re all filled with trepidation when faced with something unfamiliar. However, the sheer delight I experience in observing someone overcome a daunting challenge is unparalleled. Their newfound confidence is truly remarkable.
Here’s the overarching lesson from this narrative: When you feel compelled to take action, seize the moment! Don’t hesitate. The rewards far outweigh any discomfort. And remember, “pain” is merely an acronym:
P: Pleasure
A: After
I: Initial
N: Nightmare
Enhance your faith-led leadership journey with God First Life Next. Explore empowering insights at “Encouragement in Daily Life: Small Acts, Big Effects” Let faith guide your leadership. Click for purposeful living at GodFirstLifeNext.org.
