What Is So Hard About Entrepreneurship?

[Andy Black]

- Mental health
- Loneliness
- Lack of stability
- Financial troubles before success (if success ever comes)
- Choosing from an unlimited number of options while feeling like only a few of them will result for success (but not knowing which)
- Learning advertising and marketing, then getting it right, if you can get it right (before you run out of funds)
- Customer service, the entirety of it
- Minimizing expenses (death by a thousand cuts applies here - everyone in your entire business chain is going to take a small cut)
- Trying to decide when to keep pushing and when to call it quits
- How much to re-invest and how much to draw for yourself
- Handling those days where everything goes wrong, you waste or lose a ton of money, and feel like the house is going to collapse on top of you and you can't breathe
- Deciding how to allocate a limited amount of funds across an unlimited amount of services, all promising to help you achieve success and all offering alluring benefits
- When a competitor wipes out your most successful product line with an exclusivity agreement with your supplier and you wonder how the hell you'll problem solve this one (ask me how I know this one...)
- When your essential partners (like amazon) f*ck you over or cut you off when you did nothing wrong
- When you forget to collect taxes all year because of a checkbox you forgot to tick on amazon and your accountant is all "sooo... yeah.... you owe...."

I mean... it goes on. I could go on. And this is just in my very limited experience and off the top of my head.

Nothing about it is easy. It's worth it. But it's not easy.

Yeah, it's a never ending list of hurdles (ahem, stepping stones)!

 

[Deleted78083]

I totally agree. It's getting up every morning and working on a plan without a boss to please or a time clock to punch. It's facing the possibility of failure time and time again. It's enduring cutting ridicule or well-meaning advice from others who have nothing on the line. (They have never tried to build a business themselves, but they know what they would do.) It's the sense of being alone and never knowing if the decisions, one after another, are right or wrong. It's also the thrill of forging your own path without being under someone's thumb. Only you can fire yourself by quitting and closing your business. And you can build a business that shows off your skills and strong points. The part I like is that I can say no. I can fire clients. I can change directions. I can start and stop.

In one word: freedom.

The hardship of entrepreneurship is the price of freedom.

 

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[WJK]

I think I know what is so hard about entrepreneurship.

You have to figure out everything by yourself.

At school, your teachers tell you what to do, and how to do it. You don't have to be smart to succeed at school. You just need to obey and understand what your teacher expects from you.

No one tells you what to do in entrepreneurship. No one tells you what the result is supposed to be. And no one gives you a list of instructions, tightly arranged in ordered bullet points.

You're on your own. You don't get any feedback but the customers'. And there aren't many people to ask questions to.

So I guess for me, the harder would be to identify priorities (I also struggle with this in my life). I see everything as equally important because every action is serving a future purpose. I consider these purposes as important as all the others.

I have 5 projects going on now, and this is way too many.

This last year was blur of activities -- like your current 5 projects... Finishing one would have been a banner year. I completed the sprint on several issues -- including one I've worked on quietly for 35 years. It's the lack of feedback that gets me. There's no stellar, straight A report card. Balloons didn't fall from the ceiling. No one threw rose petals, or even confetti, into my path. I got up the day after that huge project was finished and I went to my office like every other day of my life. The grind of daily issues went on like nothing had happened. I hope that I will feel and see the results over time.

 

[hellolin]

Actually, I like myself. I've had an amazing life. I've helped a lot of people day by day. Yes, I've had some very painful days, failures, and situations... BUT, I've created my life and I am totally responsible for every part of it. I accept that there must be pepper with salt -- life is in balance. Bad things happen at times. So do wonderful things.

Amazing to me that to arrive at this stage before trying any business is already a mighty accomplishment for many, trying to do this myself and it is hard. I think most people just likes to amusing themselves to death so they never had to face themselves. I am amazed daily at the gap between people who feels like they are totally responsible for their life's outcomes and people who don't, it's like those people are interact daily in our society yet they live planets apart....

 

[WJK]

Amazing to me that to arrive at this stage before trying any business is already a mighty accomplishment for many, trying to do this myself and it is hard. I think most people just likes to amusing themselves to death so they never had to face themselves. I am amazed daily at the gap between people who feels like they are totally responsible for their life's outcomes and people who don't, it's like those people are interact daily in our society yet they live planets apart....

You're right. The people who don't feel responsible think that success comes from luck or magic rather than planning and hard work. They don't understand the process at all.

 

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[Andy Black]

I'm starting to think it is possible to plot down a formula for guaranteed success in business.
But even with the formula in hand - you have to see the light first. The rock-bottom FU point MJ describes in his books. It's about having the correct mindset and focus.

1. Focus on creating value/helping others

Think about all the successful people in this world. They have one thing in common and that is that they all create some kind of value for the world.

2. Focus on the process- not the endpoint

Habits > Goals. Goals are moving targets - habits are in the now.

3. Do. Act. Deliberately step out of your comfort zone every single day

Do something scary that propels your business forward every day. So many people are action faking.
Deliberately plan to do something scary first thing in the morning.

4. Exercise and Meditate Daily. Eat Healthy. Sleep 8hrs.

This is the foundation of everything. Without a healthy mind and body, there is nothing.

5. Be Grateful

Be thankful you are here. You are alive. Enjoy !

I honestly think adhering to these five principles will get you quite far.

This is so so different from what’s taught at school.

 

[WJK]

I understand and cherish responsibility as much as I dread it.

It is nice and liberating, but it is also very scary. I kinda feel like flying without a net, and I hate that. I don't mind flying blind, I actually find it challenging, but I want to have a parachute.

To be fair, I think the school system did not put enough emphasis on responsibility either (yes, I know, it feels like I am blaming someone else for not teaching me taking responsibility for myself lol I see the irony).

I graduated in June 2020 and have been taking full responsibility for myself only since September 2020.

I have only one observation about it:

IT IS HARD.

I checked with my classmates and everyone is feeling the same. School did NOT prepare us for life.

At least when you know it, you can do something about it.

Yes, it's hard. Yes, things happen that aren't fair. No, going to school did not prepare you for living in the real world. Only experiences and hard knocks will do that for you. So, what do you do now????

IF you want to go out and get a job, you can buy some time to get your feet on the ground. If you don't, then you must hit the ground running and build your own income.

The job will give you the false sense that you have a net. You notice that I said "false" sense. They can fire you any day that they get a wild hair. They can also put you in their corporate dungeons far away from the real action. BUT, if you really put your shoulder into it, you can learn a lot that you will need to know later. That entails stepping up to do all the "shit" work that no one else wants to do. It also requires a self-learning program in ALL of your spare time. Book, audios, podcasts, and interviews with everyone around you are the ticket to gaining knowledge that you can really use. Oh, and you must be willing to jump ship to go somewhere else to learn other new skills, no matter the pay cut or lack of benefits.

The other side of the coin is building your own business. That's an act of really flying without a net. Are you willing to giving up everything without knowing where your next meal will come from? Sounds sexy, uh. I know people who have reached for the stars and made it. But, the odds are stacked against you since you are lacking the real-world experience to make it work.

So, wanna hear my suggestion? Take the job and start a "baby" sized business on the side. Take on some side-gigs. Put your toe in the water without jumping in with your whole body. Keep notes. Ask questions. Make friends with people who are doing different gigs. Help them for free to get some hands-on experience. Figure out what works for you and what bombs. What skills do you need to acquire? Your life's work right now should be to find the keys to success. It means making that quest your "fun" moments. It means taking just every dime you make and see how you can use it to make a viable business on the side -- if that's what you want.

Then, you must make your own parachute. I call it my strutting money couple with "The Plan". I have my own self-funded insurance policy against disaster. I can't fix every possible mishap, but I can cover most that come along. Many times it doesn't take money -- it takes having a plan and the right contacts. I use the "what if" method a lot in my business planning. If this happens, then I'll do that. That right. I've actually thought about what to do if and when disasters strike. Since I have a pre-thought out plan, I don't make it up as I go along. I'm not caught flat-footed. I implement my plan and life goes on. I have made alliances with others around me. I help them and they help me. I assume that things are going to go wrong and I prepare for those moments. Are you prepared? I don't take unreasonable risks where I probably won't win. I judge the situation by estimating the odds of success. And I'm very conservative in my estimations.

 

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[afrankmore]

Hey,

I am really wondering, what is so hard about entrepreneurship?

What did you really struggle with?

Was it getting started? Getting financed? Making the product? Selling it? Administrative tasks? Finding people to hire? Marketing? Was it figuring it out?

Was it the whole process? Was it finding an idea? Was it the volume of work? Or its actual complexity? Was it believing you would make it? Was it not giving up?

Please don't say it was everything. There must have been tasks that were harder than others.

I read Bezos and Branson biographies and these guys were working a lot, sure, but it's not like they were crying everyday on their way to the office, which is the feeling I get when people like Peter Thiel say "building a company is like eating broken glass while staring into the abyss".

Is it really everyone's experience?

PS: please don't try to discourage me, call me ignorant, gullible or anything else, or tell me "you'll see" in a condescending manner. I am asking a genuine question. I obviously don't know much, and so it would be great to hear from others that did this before me. Thank you : )

I can't answer your question, the way you may expect. However, currently I am struggling with writing my content. I have put every other idea for my business on hold until I can push through my content. My content is the bread and butter. Without, there is no program for me to develop.

 

[bracknelson]

Hard Things About Entrepreneurship

Bias toward inaction

It is easy to talk about how you are going to start working harder or begin a new project. The process of actually doing is difficult. People will validate your ideas and dreams all day, but the only way they are really going to happen is if you go out and make a change.

It can be scary and challenging to change your life or try something new, but it is the only way to get into a growth mindset and achieve your goals.

Worrying what everyone thinks

Not everybody is going to like you, or approve of your decisions. Especially not 100 percent of the time. We want to feel loved, and there is a benefit in doing what we can to make those around us happy. It should not be at the level of our own detriment, though.

Life is too short not to be yourself and do what you want to do now. Worrying about what others think does not accomplish anything, and there are so many people out there that will support you and your dreams.

 

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[Deleted78083]

Do people really support you? I find that most people privately drag me in the corner and tell me that I shouldn't put myself out there -- I might fail. Most people I know don't want to say, "Yes. Do it" -- because if I fail, they don't want to be blamed for supporting me, or even close to a failure. Most are terrified that it rub off on them

I agree but i would add to it.

I think the success of the few shines a light on the failures of others. I think (hope) it is a human thing.

When someone I deem mediocre starts hustling and getting results, I feel threatened because it shows me everything I don't do. I am aware of it, so i don't bring people down but encourage them instead. But deep down...i don't like it. It is a very bad mindset, fortunately, i am aware of it. (I managed to get rid of it by forcing myself to understand we are all unique and take different path, but that doesnt prevent me from learning from others either.)

By the same token, i think most people would drag you down because they don't want you to succeed because if you do, it would mean it is possible. If it possible and they are not succeeding...they are failing. No one wants to regard oneself as a failure. This is why people find excuses when others succeed: "he is lucky" "she is smart" "he knows the right people" "she dated the right person".

Unfortunately, most people do fail.

I think a lot of people act with a mindset of "your success if my failure". I think your true friends are those that stick with you when you struggle the most, just before you succeed, and that keep on encouraging you.

I have grown up in a very "naysayers" environment, where those that attempted to do things were put down.

Those that made efforts were ridiculed. Those that asked questions were punished.
I had to make herculean efforts to get rid of the shame of not knowing, of the shame of trying, of the shame of failing.

It is very sad.

 

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[WJK]

I agree but i would add to it.

I think the success of the few shines a light on the failures of others. I think (hope) it is a human thing.

When someone I deem mediocre starts hustling and getting results, I feel threatened because it shows me everything I don't do. I am aware of it, so i don't bring people down but encourage them instead. But deep down...i don't like it. It is a very bad mindset, fortunately, i am aware of it. (I managed to get rid of it by forcing myself to understand we are all unique and take different path, but that doesnt prevent me from learning from others either.)

By the same token, i think most people would drag you down because they don't want you to succeed because if you do, it would mean it is possible. If it possible and they are not succeeding...they are failing. No one wants to regard oneself as a failure. This is why people find excuses when others succeed: "he is lucky" "she is smart" "he knows the right people" "she dated the right person".

Unfortunately, most people do fail.

I think a lot of people act with a mindset of "your success if my failure". I think your true friends are those that stick with you when you struggle the most, just before you succeed, and that keep on encouraging you.

I have grown up in a very "naysayers" environment, where those that attempted to do things were put down.

Those that made efforts were ridiculed. Those that asked questions were punished.
I had to make herculean efforts to get rid of the shame of not knowing, of the shame of trying, of the shame of failing.

It is very sad.

I have been drug in the corner and advised to quit (or change), at one time or another, by just about everyone over the years. They've all claimed to be worried about me... I was taking too much risk... I was working too hard... My health was suffering... I was missing out -- I needed to get a life... They missed the stuff that we used to do together... I had become a workaholic... I was failing and I didn't know it... They know a short cut. etc...

What was interesting to me is that they had the time to sit around and watch me, but they are NOT trying it themselves. But, they knew exactly how I should be conducting my business (es). They would surely do it differently if they were in my shoes.

I have learned not to reject these well meaning people out of hand. I interview them and try to find out the "why" and "how". Usually, upon questioning, they talk themselves into a box and that is the end of the conversation. Then there are times that they have a good point to add to the mix. It's worth asking the questions.

 

[Kid]

I found an answer to this topic.

It's hard because people insist on doing things that doesn't work.

People are like:
Someone: I want to do x by doing y. How can i do that?
Everyone: You can't. Do a, b and c and you'll get there.
Someone: No, no, thanks i'd rather do y.

As i said, people insist on doing stupid things.

 

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[Deleted78083]

When in the slowlane, you are a crab in a bucket, with a bunch of other crabs. Every time you try to get out to reach the Fastlane, the other crabs are pulling you back into the bucket.

You need to be very clear to the other crabs that you want out. You keep on telling them it will work out, but they do not listen and want you to stay in the bucket. You need to harbor immense confidence about getting out, it is tough to do when everyone else is telling you you're wrong, that reaching out of the bucket is impossible.

It's like speaking a language they do not understand.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDU_Txk06tM&ab_channel=MonstercatInstinct

 

[WJK]

For a reason it made me laugh - there are people who will search their whole life for a shortcut. From one shortcut promise to another.

If they would apply same perseverance into business they would be millionaires by now.

Yeah, they know how to do it -- although they've never tried it -- and they aren't gonna try it -- but, they know better than the guy out there on the front line...

 

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[Veloman]

I'm sure it's different for other people. But I will say that deciding on and committing to a pursuit is the hardest. It also could be the easiest, but not for me.

 

[InspireHD]

I’ve been sooooooo wonky this year and up and down about a ton of stuff but always circling back to this one business idea.. that combines my natural skill set, my desire to help others, and a bunch of things I don’t do well at all. So then I go on a spiral of venting and thinking everything is impossible, then hopeful, then focused, then accomplishing a bunch, then well and truly f*cked, I mean overwhelmed, all over again.

I think overthinking is a sign of fear which goes right back to the guy who said that it’s the risk aspect that makes entrepreneurship hard. But you sound like someone who thought too much about your own natural inclinations and not enough about others. Who do you care about.. what kind of person do you want to be?

I find I'm fairly risk-averse. I also find that I don't have very strong opinions about anything. I think this leads me to spinning my wheels because no matter what I do, I always consider that there is another option. I jump from thing to thing and give up when I either run into an obstacle or I get to the point where I have to take the next big step that commits me to the process.

Who do I care about? Do you mean in a family sort of way? Well, I'm married with two little kids. I care about providing for them and showing them an amazing way of life so they never have to worry about the future. I want to be the kind of person who is full of energy, can wake up ready to take on the day. Someone who can get up and get to work with a definiteness of purpose - whatever that may be.

I've fallen into a comfort zone where I'm just flowing through the day with whatever comes my way. I severely lack energy and I'm not super motivated to do anything. I stopped drinking/eating any caffeine nearly 3 weeks ago so that probably has something to do with it. I also got sick last week and have been dealing with that.

So yeah, I'm just in a rut. I make entrepreneurship harder than it has to be because I always look for the path of least resistance. How can I stop spinning my wheels without really having to do hard things? How can I succeed without having to put myself out there? That is part of my problem.

 

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[Primeperiwinkle]

I find I'm fairly risk-averse. I also find that I don't have very strong opinions about anything. I think this leads me to spinning my wheels because no matter what I do, I always consider that there is another option. I jump from thing to thing and give up when I either run into an obstacle or I get to the point where I have to take the next big step that commits me to the process.

Who do I care about? Do you mean in a family sort of way? Well, I'm married with two little kids. I care about providing for them and showing them an amazing way of life so they never have to worry about the future. I want to be the kind of person who is full of energy, can wake up ready to take on the day. Someone who can get up and get to work with a definiteness of purpose - whatever that may be.

I've fallen into a comfort zone where I'm just flowing through the day with whatever comes my way. I severely lack energy and I'm not super motivated to do anything. I stopped drinking/eating any caffeine nearly 3 weeks ago so that probably has something to do with it. I also got sick last week and have been dealing with that.

So yeah, I'm just in a rut. I make entrepreneurship harder than it has to be because I always look for the path of least resistance. How can I stop spinning my wheels without really having to do hard things? How can I succeed without having to put myself out there? That is part of my problem.

I’m tempted to troubleshoot this with you.. My next questions are all about attachment. You sound like someone I know.. pretty much chill all the time, analytical, strategic. But surely there’s something that fires up your blood, pisses you off.. anything? You gotta figure out what you really care enough about, enough that you’d change it if the occasion arose.. even if it took a ton of work. When’s the last time you got supremely frustrated about something and then actually attempted to change it? Your mission in life is at the corner of -what pisses you off- and -I can fix this if you’ll just listen to me-

When’s the last time you gritted your teeth and then launched into trying to convince someone of their mistake, not to prove them wrong, but because you had a tiny grain of hope that if they actually listened to you.. they would ACTUALLY be helped in a big way?

Our destiny always lies where we love, selflessly. Unselfish compassion for others, especially at the risk of our own pride is where your future lies... (and I’ve totes been having a beer and watching Star Wars so, ya know.. #yoda)

 

[Deleted78083]

- Mental health
- Loneliness
- Lack of stability
- Financial troubles before success (if success ever comes)
- Choosing from an unlimited number of options while feeling like only a few of them will result for success (but not knowing which)
- Learning advertising and marketing, then getting it right, if you can get it right (before you run out of funds)
- Customer service, the entirety of it
- Minimizing expenses (death by a thousand cuts applies here - everyone in your entire business chain is going to take a small cut)
- Trying to decide when to keep pushing and when to call it quits
- How much to re-invest and how much to draw for yourself
- Handling those days where everything goes wrong, you waste or lose a ton of money, and feel like the house is going to collapse on top of you and you can't breathe
- Deciding how to allocate a limited amount of funds across an unlimited amount of services, all promising to help you achieve success and all offering alluring benefits
- When a competitor wipes out your most successful product line with an exclusivity agreement with your supplier and you wonder how the hell you'll problem solve this one (ask me how I know this one...)
- When your essential partners (like amazon) f*ck you over or cut you off when you did nothing wrong
- When you forget to collect taxes all year because of a checkbox you forgot to tick on amazon and your accountant is all "sooo... yeah.... you owe...."

I mean... it goes on. I could go on. And this is just in my very limited experience and off the top of my head.

Nothing about it is easy. It's worth it. But it's not easy.

Thank you, I will keep a note of that, I think a lot of what you have written can be prevented.

 

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[Chx]

When a competitor wipes out your most successful product line with an exclusivity agreement with your supplier and you wonder how the hell you'll problem solve this one

Holy sh*t man! How did you get out of that one, if at all?

 

[Ivan2BAlive]

What's hard about entrepreneurship,

-Marketing
Being an introvert, It's difficult for me to physically sell to people. Selling online, no prob. but I still have to develop a market presence in order for this to work.

-Brainstorming
When I get stuck on a problem, I can't figure a way around it or it just hasn't come to me yet. Also coming up with an original idea or invention that no one has thought of yet. The business i'm in now is taking me a little bit longer to solve, but I know one day i'll have a breakthrough.

-Providing a Need (CENTS)
As I said in brainstorming, it's a little difficult to come up with an original idea. Just when I think of an invention, come to find out; damn, it's already been done.

And on top of all this dealing with anxiety and health issues makes it difficult to run a business.

Pretty sure I have more, these are just a few of them.

 

[Deleted78083]

The last thing I will say is the hard part of entrepreneurship is dealing with employees, suppliers, bankers and all the people you work with. Business in itself is EASY, but working with people is the HARDEST part.

A business owner in tourism once told me that if i wanted to build a business, i should"try to do something where you don't have to deal with people. This is by far the most complicated".

He was managing a team of 20 people or so.

 

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[hellolin]

Being yourself when seemingly everything in the world is going against you and going wrong. That would first require to know yourselves first, which most people can't do. I am not even in that first step yet, just trying to know myself has already delivered so much pain. Imagine actually have to use that knowledge to seek more pain by going for uncertainty instead of certainty.

 

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[WJK]

Being yourself when seemingly everything in the world is going against you and going wrong. That would first require to know yourselves first, which most people can't do. I am not even in that first step yet, just trying to know myself has already delivered so much pain. Imagine actually have to use that knowledge to seek more pain by going for uncertainty instead of certainty.

Actually, I like myself. I've had an amazing life. I've helped a lot of people day by day. Yes, I've had some very painful days, failures, and situations... BUT, I've created my life and I am totally responsible for every part of it. I accept that there must be pepper with salt -- life is in balance. Bad things happen at times. So do wonderful things.

 

[Deleted78083]

School prepares us for factories or cubicles.

Indeed!!! I have only realized it once I got out of it.

In retrospect, I am so happy I didn't study any third master.....

I may as well be from another planet.

Hahahahaha indeed!

 

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[Ing]

finding needs
sales

 

[Ing]

The hardest thing for me is validating need.

Genuine need.

Everything else is just mechanics.

Limiting beliefs, fear of not making it, not knowing if you should find a new idea etc. are all thrown out the window when you have a product/service that people genuinely want to spend money to acquire.

I know MJ said the world isn't perfect, but I never knew it would be this difficult to find an imperfection that people are willing to pay to get rid off.

that!

 

[Deleted78083]

Yes, it's hard. Yes, things happen that aren't fair. No, going to school did not prepare you for living in the real world. Only experiences and hard knocks will do that for you. So, what do you do now????

IF you want to go out and get a job, you can buy some time to get your feet on the ground. If you don't, then you must hit the ground running and build your own income.

The job will give you the false sense that you have a net. You notice that I said "false" sense. They can fire you any day that they get a wild hair. They can also put you in their corporate dungeons far away from the real action. BUT, if you really put your shoulder into it, you can learn a lot that you will need to know later. That entails stepping up to do all the "shit" work that no one else wants to do. It also requires a self-learning program in ALL of your spare time. Book, audios, podcasts, and interviews with everyone around you are the ticket to gaining knowledge that you can really use. Oh, and you must be willing to jump ship to go somewhere else to learn other new skills, no matter the pay cut or lack of benefits.

The other side of the coin is building your own business. That's an act of really flying without a net. Are you willing to giving up everything without knowing where your next meal will come from? Sounds sexy, uh. I know people who have reached for the stars and made it. But, the odds are stacked against you since you are lacking the real-world experience to make it work.

So, wanna hear my suggestion? Take the job and start a "baby" sized business on the side. Take on some side-gigs. Put your toe in the water without jumping in with your whole body. Keep notes. Ask questions. Make friends with people who are doing different gigs. Help them for free to get some hands-on experience. Figure out what works for you and what bombs. What skills do you need to acquire? Your life's work right now should be to find the keys to success. It means making that quest your "fun" moments. It means taking just every dime you make and see how you can use it to make a viable business on the side -- if that's what you want.

Then, you must make your own parachute. I call it my strutting money couple with "The Plan". I have my own self-funded insurance policy against disaster. I can't fix every possible mishap, but I can cover most that come along. Many times it doesn't take money -- it takes having a plan and the right contacts. I use the "what if" method a lot in my business planning. If this happens, then I'll do that. That right. I've actually thought about what to do if and when disasters strike. Since I have a pre-thought out plan, I don't make it up as I go along. I'm not caught flat-footed. I implement my plan and life goes on. I have made alliances with others around me. I help them and they help me. I assume that things are going to go wrong and I prepare for those moments. Are you prepared? I don't take unreasonable risks where I probably won't win. I judge the situation by estimating the odds of success. And I'm very conservative in my estimations.

Oh wow, this is great!

Well, I took the job and now I am building something on the side - several things, even.

At the moment, I am not making any money with my side gigs - I am losing actually - but I am learning so much that I don't mind.

My plan is to be able to make at least 1000 euros with my side gigs by August 2021.

I think it is definitely possible.

Once I make this sum, I can be entirely independent and invest into an actual business.

Step 1: get a job
Step 2: get a specialized skill
Step 3: build a specialized unit

Slowly, but surely...

 

[WJK]

Oh wow, this is great!

Well, I took the job and now I am building something on the side - several things, even.

At the moment, I am not making any money with my side gigs - I am losing actually - but I am learning so much that I don't mind.

My plan is to be able to make at least 1000 euros with my side gigs by August 2021.

I think it is definitely possible.

Once I make this sum, I can be entirely independent and invest into an actual business.

Step 1: get a job
Step 2: get a specialized skill
Step 3: build a specialized unit

You're doing great.
I still have side gigs and I've been at this for a long, long time. I call my side gigs my "dribble money". I figured out the other day that we make more in our side gig income than the average worker makes at their real job per year. None of those gigs can take up much time -- or they must be closely related to our main retirement business, residential rentals.

 

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[WJK]

ops. see next post.

 

[Envious]

I find I'm fairly risk-averse. I also find that I don't have very strong opinions about anything. I think this leads me to spinning my wheels because no matter what I do, I always consider that there is another option. I jump from thing to thing and give up when I either run into an obstacle or I get to the point where I have to take the next big step that commits me to the process.

Who do I care about? Do you mean in a family sort of way? Well, I'm married with two little kids. I care about providing for them and showing them an amazing way of life so they never have to worry about the future. I want to be the kind of person who is full of energy, can wake up ready to take on the day. Someone who can get up and get to work with a definiteness of purpose - whatever that may be.

I've fallen into a comfort zone where I'm just flowing through the day with whatever comes my way. I severely lack energy and I'm not super motivated to do anything. I stopped drinking/eating any caffeine nearly 3 weeks ago so that probably has something to do with it. I also got sick last week and have been dealing with that.

So yeah, I'm just in a rut. I make entrepreneurship harder than it has to be because I always look for the path of least resistance. How can I stop spinning my wheels without really having to do hard things? How can I succeed without having to put myself out there? That is part of my problem.

Man, I could have actually wrote this it's so similar to my situation. Some days I loose hope, because I feel like i'm never going to find 'that thing' that gives me the energy or the drive to power through the obstacles.

I come up with a lot of ideas, but I'm too afraid that they won't work so instead I do nothing. or at-least do the things I find comfortable and barley try.

I've never really had a job that I've liked all that much, my fear is spending all of my savings that I've built up on an idea and then ending up right back on the sidewalk in some bullshit job or creating a business that I hate for myself and being trapped in it.

The fear of not being able to provide for my family because I can't sort my shit out is crippling sometimes.