Ish Gets Real: 10 Harsh Truths for Entrepreneurs
“There is no failure. Only feedback.” -- Robert Allen
Lately I've challenged myself to raise the bar in terms of who I decide to work with, employ, and take on as clients. When starting, I was super flexible because I chased all money and opportunities. I was hungry to succeed, so I cared less about standard and more about working hard to create a footprint. I don't regret it because it taught me a great deal about emotional intelligence, developed my hustler spirit, and brought about a serious work ethic.
In this season of my life, things have changed drastically. The more I invest in myself and expand, the harder it is to maintain and accept mediocrity. I've recently put my foot down and made drastic changes which include firing some employees, terminating some client agreements, and restructuring the way that I handle things.
Below is an article I found on Entrepreneur.com that speaks to that plus other hard truths that we face in our journey. Decisions aren't easy at times, but understand that these hard truths are inevitable and require you to do what's in the best interest of your brand.
10 Harsh Lessons That Will Make You More Successful
1. The first step is always the hardest. When you want to achieve something important, that first step is inevitably going to be daunting, even frightening. When you dare to make that first move, anxiety and fear dissipate in the name of action. People that dive headfirst into taking that brutal first step aren’t any stronger than the rest of us; they’ve simply learned that it yields great results. They know that the pain of getting started is inevitable and that procrastination only prolongs their suffering.
2. Good things take time. Success, above all, requires time and effort. Author Malcolm Gladwell suggested that mastery of anything requires 10,000 hours of tireless focus. Many successful people would agree. Consider Henry Ford, whose first two automobile businesses failed before he started Ford at the age of 45, or author Harry Bernstein, who dedicated his entire life to writing before he finally landed a best-seller at the age of 96. When you finally do succeed, you realize that the journey was the best part of it.
3. Being busy does not equal being productive. Look at everyone around you. They all seem so busy, running from meeting to meeting and firing off e-mails. Yet how many of them are really producing, really succeeding at a high level? Success doesn’t come from movement and activity; it comes from focus -- from ensuring that your time is used efficiently and productively. You get the same number of hours in the day as everyone else, so use yours wisely. After all, you’re the product of your output not your effort. Make certain your efforts are dedicated to tasks that get results.
Read the rest here...