I’ve never met a successful entrepreneur who hasn’t had tough times. It’s great folklore. We love to read their stories about the early days while flipping through Inc or Forbes magazine. How they had to scrape by, fake it till they make it, eat beans for a week, work insane hours, and never took a holiday.
The tough times were a refining process on the character of those leaders and without that process, they may not be where they are today.
How about yourself? What are you like in tough times?
The ironic truth is that even though I know tough times are important, I still want to avoid going through them. Every time I encounter difficult people issues, worry about cash flow, work long hours to deliver value to hard clients, or struggle through decisions – I want to escape.
On some occasions, I want to pack it in and pursue a simpler life. But we all know quitting is not the answer. The struggle is a refinement process that turns potential into something valuable. Think of it like a blacksmith. The word “smith” in blacksmith comes from the old English word for smiting which means to strike with a firm blow. It’s the process of heating and hitting, heating and hitting until the metal is shaped into its intended purpose. I’m sure the metal is not “enjoying” the process.
A true and successful entrepreneur does not avoid the pain and settles for pleasure. They push forward to realize a deeper purpose. Tough times are about revealing an entrepreneur’s intentions and determining how high and how useful they will be.
The question we need to ask ourselves is what do tough times reveal about us? Are we willing to push through or pull the shoot?
Have a great day,
Braden