If you are an aspiring entrepreneur, or you are already in business for yourself, you will know that while this journey is exciting, it has it’s series of ups and downs.   When you decide to take the leap into entrepreneurship, it is easy to feel like you are all by yourself.  Many of you may lack support from others, lack funds, or wane in your self-confidence as you attempt to make your dream a reality.

I wanted to share this entry that I wrote just about a year and a half ago. I think it depicts some of the ups and downs of being ‘in charge’ of running a business…

July 23, 2007

In a way, starting your own business is like being dropped off on an island. You wake up – half conscious and water logged to utter confusion, heat, and lack of resources. I am quite sure that in every true marooned story that there must be a point of disparity; a point where the person realizes for the first time that they are alone and have to figure out how to make it. I feel I am now at that point.

In the beginning, there is the moment of confusion. Next, your instinct for survival kicks in. After the basics have been covered, there is a subtle feeling of abandonment that arises. Yet, all the while, I have had a sense that there will be a day where it all comes together. The shelter works, the fishing is getting better, and the overall feeling of defeat has started to fade. But one thing will not shake. It is that constant feeling of wondering and yearning for a time for everything to be easy. Easy as it once was and I long to feel that way again. I want the worry to be gone and the dull nagging pain of abandonment to go away.

This “shipwrecked” feeling of entrepreneurship must be normal.

However, as I look to research books and company stories, they all glamorize the founders, owners, and CEO’s as a bunch of cool cats that have their acts together and knew it would work all along. Soon, venture capital folks were just lining up to hand over the millions to invest. It all sounds too easy. It seems to almost belittle the entire experience. When I am famous, I want my biography to depict the disparity. To utter the words of confusion and lament the discouraging times. To dictate to those that want to know – No, it was not actually easy.

I had to convince myself on a daily basis that I was not insane and get up and do it all over again, whether there was money or not.

I wish at times that I could just fast forward to my future just to make sure everything would work and be OK. Better than OK, that all of my hard work got me to the point of abundance through changing lives of people I care about.

Now…

… Now, just a short time later, I am living the island life. But not the dropped off and deserted kind; more like the tourist / vacationer / travel writer type. I am in a much different place, not just physically, but mentally. Maybe because I have relaxed—stopped trying to push things, and can take my time. I have helped those wonderful clients that have crossed my path and now on the days that I get down or my spirits start to wane, I remind myself of the personal transformations that have occurred and I am somehow calmed.  Looking back on this past writing helped to remind me how I felt in the early days of being an entrepreneur… and I wanted to share it with you.  No matter how far away your dream feels, it could be just around the corner.

Reminds me of a line from a movie I saw recently… “When do I give up?”

The Answer: “Never. You NEVER Give Up.”