The Only Thing Preventing Your Success is Yourself!
No more talking - start now!
The biggest problem with aspiring entrepreneurs is that they are still just… aspiring.
Instead of taking the leap, a risk, and starting a business, they sit around complaining about how they need to wait until they have more money, resources or time.
These are excuses made to cover up the fact that they are unsure of themselves.
These aspiring entrepreneurs are afraid of failing, and because of that, they are their own biggest hurdle.
It’s time to stop the excuses. The best (and only) time to start is now.
My first business
In 2014, I was the assistant manager at a nightclub working ridiculous hours.
Every weekend I saw club promoters making more money in 1 night than I would make in a whole month. And, they did this while partying.
The funny thing is that as management, I was supposed to promote too.
I got sick of watching them make way more money and decided it was time to start a business and do the same.
I started working on this immediately the moment I realized that it was possible.
Within 2 months I had my business started, my logo designed, social media pages up, and was ready to work.
The whole thing took me less than $500 to start.
I was quite clueless in the process of creating a business. I had to ask some friends how to register a business and talk to others in the industry to figure out what steps to take.
But, within no time I was moving.
6 months into it, I was making more than I was as a manager working 60+ hours a week.
Within 18 months I was making 2x more as a manager.
And, about 3 years later, I made 3x more in one month than I would have made in a year as a manager (between all my businesses combined).
This would have never happened if I had sat around waiting for more money to start, or the perfect timing.
I had to start immediately. Immediately was the only time.
And that is how it is with business.
You have to start working on it now.
Why you should start now
There is never a perfect time - there might not even be another time!
You could literally die within 5 minutes of reading this.
Yes, I know that’s a little dark, but you simply don’t know how much time you have left.
That’s how life is though. If you want to experience something, if you want to do something meaningful, you’ve got to start now.
Aside from the obvious reasoning of your impending death… you are also less likely to start if you wait too long.
But there’s more!
Entering with a beautiful ignorance
There is something simple and effective about starting your first business with some ignorance.
When you spend too much time looking into an idea, you will always end up finding reasons that you shouldn’t start. And then guess what… you won’t!
Sometimes to start something beautiful, you have to start without knowing all the dirty details. They will turn you off.
However, if you are already invested in your new business when hurdles come your way, you will be forced to take them on.
Had you known ahead of time, you wouldn’t have started at all.
Sometimes, ignorance is bliss.
And then comes the idea of momentum
Once you get moving, you start to pick up momentum. The more momentum you pick up, the easier hurdles become to hop over, and the more success you will see.
Eventually, when you pick up enough momentum, it won’t even matter what direction you are going in, you can switch and be more equipped to take on whatever is in front of you.
Momentum is incredibly important because it compounds over time. The idea is to start right away so you can start that process.
Education comes with experience
Most new entrepreneurs are worried that they don’t know enough about business or what to do in the first place.
Here is a little secret… Most entrepreneurs still have no idea what they’re doing. They’re just figuring it out as they go.
We are all just firemen. We wake up every day, put out the flames, and keep moving.
The more fires we put out, the better we get at it.
What I’m saying is, we are learning as we go.
You can read as many books as you like, take as many courses as you want, or go get your MBA. None of it will come close to what experience will teach you.
Experience is your teacher. So it is time to get to school! (wink face)
Most businesses take a lot of time
There are very few businesses are successful right from the start.
Even for business owners who are starting their 5th business, it still takes them time to build it up.
You need to get systems in place, create branding, hire the right people, get social proof, build up the first customers, get referrals, refine your systems, get great leads, and the list goes on.
Whether you are experienced or not, you have got to put in the time to get going. You might as well start now, and learn as you go.
If you’re lucky, your business will be profitable in the first year, but often it takes 3-5 years until you’ve made your original investment back - sometimes more!
You’ve got to put in your reps, so start working on it today.
You’re aging and you will regret it
Yeah, you’re getting old and we all know it. As I mentioned earlier, you’re also going to die at one point, maybe tomorrow.
As you age, you are less likely to want to take risks. You’re going to get comfortable with your lifestyle, and never make the leap.
The longer you wait, the higher chance there is of not starting.
If you speak to some elderly folks and ask them what they regret… They will rarely talk about that time 40 years ago when they tried to launch a business and failed.
But, they will often say they regret not taking more risks.
Do you want to be on your deathbed regretting the fact that you procrastinated and never took a risk that could have changed your life?
Closing Remarks
“Momento Mori” is something that the Stoics often refer to. What it means is that we all die. They say this to remind you that you should start living.
To live an exceptional life, you have to take risks.
Starting a business is one of the most rewarding risks you can take. It gives you a chance to create something great, earn more money, and be your own boss.
The longer you delay, the lower your chances of success, and the less likely it is that you start at all.
The best time to start is now.
Thanks for reading.
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