7 Myths of Being An Entrepreneur

Being an entrepreneur can be one of the most rewarding yet frustrating things you could ever choose to do. In the beginning you’ll feel all light and fluffy because you’ve romanticized the short version in your head. Now you’ve come out on the other end of that glamorous dream and you’re ready to quit your job! There are things you need to know before you jump, so lets talk about the 7 myths of being an entrepreneur.

Read Forbes’ 5 Entrepreneur Truths Nobody Tells You About 

It’s easy. If you think this is easy, you haven’t thought it all the way through. Underestimating the amount of time, sacrifice, commitment and balance you need to start a business is the fastest way to derail your fantasy. Take some time to sit and write out what your goal is, then plan out how to get from where you are at that moment, to where that fanciful dream said you’d be. The trick is to be extremely detailed with your plan, from A to Z.

It’s always fun. Starting a business is hard work, period. Balancing that new business with everything else already going on, even harder. Some days you’ll feel like “I can really do this” and others you won’t know if you’re going or coming. Ask yourself “what’s my end goal.” What’s the point of all this? Do you really hate going to work for someone else? Do you want to provide a better future for your family? Whatever the reason,  put it down on paper and somewhere you can always find it. Use it as a reminder not to quit, because being an entrepreneur is not always peachy keen.

You always have to be working. You are not P. Diddy, you need sleep! Don’t forget to take care of yourselves in this process. Who told you that #NoSleep was the best way to hustle?  Finding the right amount of balance of everything is the key to a successful anything! While I’m sure we’re all in business for money, I’m even more sure you’re starting a business to take up a new lifestyle. Physical and mental health should absolutely be apart of said lifestyle.  It’s totally okay to step away from your project for a time to take care of what’s most important, you!

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You’re entitled to results.  It doesn’t matter how hard you work at something, you still may never get the same results someone else got. Truthfully, you shouldn’t strive to. You could duplicate everything down to the last detail, and your outcome would be different. You are not designated to the same successes that surround you. My hope is that you find a venture ending in a vision all your own. A vision with your own personalized results and with your own personalized process of getting there.

Everyone you know will immediately support you. There’s this quote on Instagram that reads “Nobody cares until you win, so win.” It’s so true! Family and friends may not immediately be as supportive of your dream as you’d expect. Don’t let this discourage or even distract you. Do this, because you’re the only person that can see your vision clearly. Nothing else matters. Keep going!

You can finally quit your day job. In the words of Kendrick…sit down, be humble. Don’t get hype just yet. Being an entrepreneur is scary all on it’s own. You don’t have to take it overboard, literally. Let’s get honest, how soon do you think you’ll be making enough money from your new business to pay all your bills. How soon will the business be paying for itself? Maintaining the income from your job is an opportunity to be your own business investor but also to plan for personal expenses too. This early in the game, quitting shouldn’t even be on your list of thing to do.

Listen to this podcast “Before You Quit Your Day Job”

You’ll always be confident in your plan. Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate, calls out  “imposter syndrome,” in her book Work Party—such a good read by the way. Everyone experiences self doubt at some point or another. When you’re in business for yourself, it’s on an entirely different level. The truth is, you will not always be confident in yourself. You’ll experience a bunch of emotions on a regular basis, especially my personal frequent WTF. Here’s a tip. Be committed to practicing gratitude and humility. Always be honest with yourself about where you are but do not be afraid toggle yourself the necessary credit. No-one’s got it all figured out. Push through sis, push through!

Becoming an entrepreneur, is the first step towards creating a new life. It’s filled with ups and downs and moments in between when you honestly have no idea what’s happening. Be honest with yourself, take your time, plan it out from the end to the beginning–no seriously, plan your steps backwards from where you ultimately want to be, back to where you are currently. Grab this bull by the horns and hold on, you’ll find your groove soon enough.