People often wonder what it’s like to be an entrepreneur, to live life without a boss. We sometimes hear people tell us how lucky we are when we answer to nobody, how great it must be not to have anyone telling them what to do.
Unless you’re retired, or maybe won the lottery, everyone answers to someone. In our line of work it can be the bank to whom we pay off our loans, or a joint venture partner expecting promised return. We’re here to set the record straight: there’s no such thing as someone without a boss. For entrepreneurs however, their main bosses are themselves. It certainly has its advantages over working for someone else, but most people don’t understand what it takes to be actionable without someone telling you what to do!
The problem? Unlike working for a company or organization, being an entrepreneur isn’t your typical linear work situation, and can often lead to a stressful time. But there are a few things most entrepreneurs can remember in order to stay motivated daily, and maintain that driving force to keep productive.
Actions speak much louder than words.
Talk is cheap. Turn your words into action by stepping out of the planning phase and into the doing phase. Self motivation is the biggest barrier to overcome if you want to be a successful entrepreneur. Only those who put forth the effort and dare to take the risk to appear foolish will see results. They may take time, so some patience is always required.
Rely on yourself to get the job done.
Owning your own business isn’t about letting other people do the work for you. As an entrepreneur and business owner, is it only up to you to be able to perform — nobody else. Expect that the effort you put in to whatever you are doing — whether it be contract negotiation, construction, accounting or research, — is directly related to value that is coming out.
Stay focused.
Self-discipline is perhaps the most vital of an entrepreneur’s skill set. It is the key to staying motivated. Longer, complicated projects and tasks may hold your attention briefly, but that level of engagement can wane overtime for some. And these days it’s very easy to become distracted from necessary but repetitive work, such as correspondence. Self-discipline is all about staying focused!
Positive reinforcement.
Take a look in the mirror each morning to remind yourself of your ambition, your goals and how you will achieve them. You’d be surprised if you doubt this technique or don’t believe that it works! One secret to being successful is making excellence a habit, day in and day out. To able to continuously perform and set aside priorities everyday without compromise is an exercise in dedication, and it will help you stay on track.
Last but not least …
Remember to share the weight if you have to. Thankfully I am not going it alone and I have my brother Lukas are business partners in our long real estate journey together. Having a good partner in business makes it much easier to get through those tough decisions. We’re definitely lucky to have the trust and supportive relationship required to manage one another as much as we are able to manage ourselves.