What’s it take to be an Entrepreneur?
I get this question frequently from people. One of my favorite responses is, “You have to be comfortable with being a 2 strike hitter….”
Here’s what I mean:
In baseball, it’s common to get to 2 strikes after swinging and missing or fouling off a pitch. Once you have 2 strikes, the only way to strike out is to watch a strike go by with your bat on your shoulder or swing and miss. The goal is making contact and at least give yourself a shot at getting on base.
Entrepreneurs must be comfortable with swinging with 2 strikes. That translates into giving yourself every opportunity to “make contact” even if the pitch doesn’t look to be perfect.
As entrepreneurs, there is a propensity for waiting for that “perfect pitch.” That means the “right time” to start; the “perfect time” to take a risk; or that one moment when the stars all align to assure success.
There is no surety for success as an entrepreneur. The only thing you can do is never to get caught looking. That’s a great way ti watch opportunity sail by. There’s never any shame in striking out. Failure is a certainty is the process. Failure is also difficult for some people to get comfy and cozy with. I’m a believer in the theory that the fastest way to success and significance is through failing. I think you should fail faster.
If you’ve ever asked that question – What’s it take to be an entrepreneur – then you must start by asking yourself if you have the stomach (and resilience) to risk failure and swing with 2 strikes. You only need to make contact some of the time for the payout. But you have to always be ready to swing.
If you’d like to learn more about becoming a consultant, join my colleague Betsy Jordyn and me for a FREE virtual experience on that very topic. It’s this Friday at 9 am Pacific / 12 pm Eastern. It’s basically a fastball right down the middle of the plate….why not take a swing and see what happens?! Click here to register for this FREE event.
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