Being an entrepreneur is not a path that everyone follows. It takes a lot of grit and perseverance. As someone who started and exited businesses in my twenties, I can relate to the challenges and the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Point blank, it is not an easy road, and if you do not have the emotional stamina and support to get through the toughest of times, and there will be tough times, then you might be better off being an intrapreneur.
I will say that there is no shame in not being an entrepreneur, and not all entrepreneurs are successful or end up taking their companies to an IPO. But for those who commit to this journey, the rewards are ever as delicious as the struggles are painful. So some key takeaways for those of you who are just as crazy as some of us to continue on this road of finding freedom on our terms:
- Have a True North: Do not be swayed by what the current trends are in the market. If you let this sway you, you will get distracted from what you are building and you will not achieve the success you hoped for or dreamed of.
- Read. A LOT: Reading is a great way to learn things you may not be taught in college or high school. Read about the failures and successes of other entrepreneurs. Read their biographies. You will learn so much from their mistakes and how to avoid the same yourself. Also, do a lot of research in the field of your interest. Become an expert in that field, and purpose every single day to learn something new. Use LinkedIn to see who the top influencers in your field are and follow them. Research information on authoritative websites and platforms that are in tune with your business goals. In my case, I read a lot of Investopedia. No joke.
- Practice. Take Risks: It is known that if you take risks or even one action toward a goal, you will be one step closer to achieving your target. A true entrepreneur is one who takes risks even when everyone else says not to. Because with great risk comes great reward. As a disclaimer, do not do anything that will put you in harm’s way, so in this way, use common sense and judgment.
- Work with a Budget: To be successful as an entrepreneur, you need to have a budget. This is not a hard and fast budget but one that will guide you on how close you are to achieving your targets. Think of it as your financial vision board, in a sense.
- Remember the Why: When you feel like quitting, remember why you started. Also, use your struggle and the frustration you feel during these times to fuel you to success. I know it sounds counterintuitive but it works. And the reason it does is that, when you can use your emotions to visualize where you want to be, you will be inspired to take the right action, and motivated to keep at it until you get a breakthrough.
- Trust Your Choices: You will get a lot of nay-sayers, some of whom just want you to outright fail because they are jealous of what you are doing. Others will think they know better than you because of age, or experience, and others will be afraid of your success and not want you to change the way things are. Believe it or not, you know more than you think you know. The fact that you are even taking a chance on yourself should be motivation enough for you to keep at it. I really have to emphasize that you have to keep at it. Read my post on perseverance. And then read this.
- Give Back: Once you have achieved the peak of your success, turn around and help someone else achieve theirs. There is plenty of money floating around out there in the world. And money is meant to flow, which is why in finance we have this saying in valuation that “cash flow” is important. So the whole point of accumulating money is to watch it flow in and out as needed for your lifestyle and goals. Stashing money is a good way to save, but ultimately this money has to go somewhere, it has to be spent. So plan for this, and teach yourself how to give back according to your values.
If you liked these tips, I invite you to listen to my podcast: LadyMariaHorne. I share much more on there!
Implementing Your Goals – Lady Maria Horne
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Maria
Maria Horne 
I agree you need to read alot. However if you read only to store the knowledge, there might be a problem. I would also add that as you read, make sure you pick the valuble lessons and execute them. Be as precticle as you can be.
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Thank you for reading Eliday! And yes, you are right. I did mention that one of the other tips is to practice too and take risks. Thank you for contributing!
Maria
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