This week, we get to the core of the matter. I’m enjoying one of those awakenings that come periodically in the life of an entrepreneur with a day job. Every step of the way, the entrepreneur with a day job questions, “Is now the time to step out and launch my venture full-time?” The answer should always be tied to your ability to function in the day job. Ask yourself, “Is my work in the day job suffering because of my responsibilities to my hustle?” That’s the way I have always thought about it.
But, here is the awakening. As I progress in my day job and increase in responsibility, Is my hustle suffering because of my day job? That is, am I foregoing revenue replacements that could be gained if I leave the day job? No matter what the results of the calculation, I had not been asking that second question enough. Thankfully, I follow some great tweeters that advise me well and motivate me to keep asking.
1. Don’t Stop Yourself
A great deal of popular culture concerns itself with haters, detractors, and nay-sayers. Yet, even people that actively place obstacles in your path can only temporarily limit or slow down your progress. They fade as you continue to build. Even as they rise like a concrete structure, you are like water that seeks the weak point or flows around. You are calm on the surface masking the frenzy of activity and current of power beneath. Your progress only stops when you cease to be YOU.
Others can stop you temporarily, but only you can do it permanently. #ProcessedWoman
— Dr. Shaurice Mullins (@ProcessedWoman) May 30, 2015
2. Respect the Standard of Success
There are a few viral motivational videos that show images of sweat, discipline, and passion with a voice over of encouragement. One of the videos exclaims “You can’t succeed because you’re too busy trying to sleep!” I value proper rest, and you should too. But, what the speaker is pointing out is true. You cannot reach the levels of success you want by employing the standards of the masses. You must realign your standards and your production to move just beyond the best actors in your industry. You must lift your level of sweat, discipline, and passion to match the standard of success. I’m not concerned about whether it’s an additional 20 minutes or 2 hours after your “regular” work is done. I only care that you consistently go beyond the average.
Success will not lower its standard to us. We must raise our standard to success. – John DiJulius #quote
— Dr. V (@DrV61524705) May 30, 2015
3. Chase Your Dreams
Do not focus on the competition or the opportunities. Focus, first on your dreams. Your competition will be useful only when you set your goals and plan of action. You can’t even identify competition without out your dreams in the form of a plan. Opportunities have similar criteria. The opportunities rely on your competencies built to support your plan conceived in operationalization of your dreams. You connect with opportunities because they are natural activities within your business plan. If not, you steer yourself and your business away from positive growth.
We’d achieve more if we chased our dreams instead of our competition. – Simon Sinek #quote
— Elaine Perry (@elaine_perry) May 30, 2015
4. Give Your Everything
This is the big one. The first question concerns your vision. I have already succeeded because my vision always held my family as first priority. I purposed to provide my children and any others I influenced with a better chance and foundation than I had. All of my production feeds in that direction. I have given my all. Yet, I’m looking to determine if there are still more contributions and more of a legacy I can create. It’s time now to unleash the type of growth that builds on a mentor to create a model.
There is only one way to succeed at anything and that is to give everything. #ThinkBIGSundayWithMarsha #inspiring pic.twitter.com/oFZlYe7lTT
— Gisa Ellis (@myGilvah) May 31, 2015
5. Prepare for Struggle
Yes, it was a movie that stated it best for me most recently. In 2003, The Core was a movie with the premise that the earth’s core stopped spinning. This causes catastrophic results for the world’s population. I could explain an analogy of your center being still and un-stirred causing catastrophic results for your business and success, but I won’t. Instead, what struck me was an exchange between Hilary Swank and Bruce Greenwood, who played the navigator and the commander respectively.
Bruce completed this tweet in essence. He told Hilary’s character that she would not become a leader until she was forced to make a tough call and made it wrong. You have to prepare to be doubted and tested. You also have to be prepared to make mistakes, to be wrong, and to bounce back from it all. This week, as you contemplate whether you are giving enough of yourself and producing at your highest level, consider the joy that you could be wrong. That responsibility and productive handling of uncertainty prepares you to be an awesome leader.
If you want to be successful, prepare to be doubted and tested. #ThinkBIGSundaywithMarsha pic.twitter.com/vxeEGYOzSo
— Jermaine Young (@tigga7d6) May 31, 2015
