It can be very scary stepping out of your comfort zone; welcome to the life of an entrepreneur

BY DAVID ANDERSON

It can be very scary stepping out of your comfort zone to try new things. As children, we are taught to listen to our elders and follow the rules. This may seem normal but parents, teachers, and friends can influence your decision-making as an adult. Many people seek validation and are scared of the opinions of others. Many of us are scared to challenge ourselves with the possibility of failure. This is how limitations are created.

I remember when I was younger; I was told that I wasn’t as smart as the other kids my age. There used to be constant jokes about my grades in school from my peers. The crazy thing is that I always knew I would be successful. I always knew that school did not dictate my success, but it is a resource on my path. This taught me to not listen to people that do not have the same vision as me. I had to remind myself to not expect anything from others, even support. Keeping my head down while working on my goals helped me realize that many people in my circle did not have my best intention in mind. In order to be successful, I had to separate from those who did not have a vision for themselves, and those who did not have any goals for their life.

School builds character and trains students to join the workforce. This allows you to positively contribute to society. School does not teach us that challenges, failures, and adversity are beneficial to our personal and professional development. This can be because of lack of effort, lack of knowledge, and/or experience from teachers.

As children, we have to get burnt in order to know something is hot. That sense of exploration seems to be extinct the older we get. The older we get, we start to care more about other people’s feelings and begin this unhealthy habit of wanting to please others. Wanting to please others is a very unhealthy habit because you start to lose yourself in the process.

Instead, we should be journaling our interests, hobbies, strengths, weaknesses, goals, aspirations, and support systems. This activity allows us to self-reflect on what makes us happy, sad and what is easy or challenging to us. Create a list of what you are grateful for and add to it every morning. This trains you to start the day with a reminder of the materials and people you are grateful for, which keeps you going when you are not motivated.

Motivation and lack of support is something an entrepreneur struggles with on an ongoing basis. You were never meant to do more and go further than the people closest to you. Your friends will start to envy you when you decide to have a plan and goals. Reading and surrounding yourself with positive people in life is important. The books you read give you the knowledge you need to stay motivated, creative, and provide you with different insight.

Reading forces you to think outside the box. Surrounding yourself with positive people in life will help you to achieve your goals. If your support system believes in you, they will share resources that can benefit you, provide constructive criticism and tell you when you are wrong. Many people are scared to tell others they are wrong because they fear that conversation may negatively impact their relationship. You need people in your life who act like a mirror.

As an entrepreneur you must never allow others to dictate your happiness or be in control of your success. Don’t give others the opportunity to put their limitations on you. Know your worth and know what you want to do in life. Every morning, you should write down your tasks for the day.

Allocate time to tackle each task on your agenda. Use a calendar for important events or meetings. Write a list of those people who can support you towards your vision. Never be afraid to ask for help when you are confused, frustrated and lost when doing a task or assignment. Only those who have the courage to correct their flaws will possess the skills needed to become a successful entrepreneur.