3 Lies About Entrepreneurship (by @mosamku)

We live in a strange world. A world where:

1. You can spend years and hundreds of thousands on a college degree that you may not use much.

2. You can probably work a job where you’re paid much less than you’re worth and be at the mercy of your employer and be in a tricky situation where everything depends on your salary.

3. You can swipe your credit card to buy the latest iPhone or party on the weekends or indulge in lavish purchases and drive around in the car you purchased on loan.

4. You can buy a house and pay the EMI for the next 20 years.

And no one will bat an eye. In fact, they will encourage you to do it.

But the moment you say you want to pursue a business idea, you will be reminded how RISKY it is.

You’ll be told tons of horror stories of people who lost their savings and future because “they wanted to pursue their business idea.”

You’ll be branded as an irresponsible and a selfish person who puts his family’s safety at risk to satisfy his worthless dream.

And you’ll hear several myths that are designed to frighten you and test your commitment and strength.

Because it’s a strange world we live in.

Unfortunately, we cannot change the world. The best we can do is disregard those comments and keep moving.

Myths about Entrepreneurship:

⚫1: Entrepreneurship Is Not For You​​

​You cannot become an entrepreneur.

It’s not for you. You don’t know anything about running a business; the risks that come with it are too big for you to handle, etc. etc.

That’s what you hear first.

Well, that might have been true a few decades ago when you needed a business degree, and a wealthy and business family background to start and succeed in business.

It isn’t anymore.

The internet has opened up plenty of opportunities and made it a level playing field. People from all around the country, different socio-economic backgrounds have started and succeeded as an entrepreneur.

Moreover, entrepreneurship and being in a job aren’t entirely different.

Think about it.

You’re not guaranteed a job.

You have to apply for many, attend several interviews, face rejections and criticisms before landing on a job. And even then you don’t have assurances that you’ll stay at it forever.

If your performance dips, you’ll get fired.

If the economy goes south, you’ll be let go.

If someone younger is willing to do your job for less money, you’ll be replaced.

It isn’t much different from starting a business and running one.

You might jab at different ideas before landing the one that’s right for you. You’ll face rejections and criticisms about your choice. You’ll build and promote your product, hoping that a few might buy.

The only difference I can see is, when you are in a job, someone else will make the decisions while, as an entrepreneur, it’ll be on you, and you’ll be making the decisions, thus becoming responsible for them.

Of course, I’m not saying that the risks of being an employee and running a business are the same. They’re not.

But the risk gap between being employed and running your business isn’t as big as everyone says.

If you are skilled enough to be priced as an employee or smart enough to grow in the ranks, then you definitely have all the skills you need to start a business of your own.

Remember, entrepreneurs are not born, entrepreneurs are made.

⚫2: You Need to be a Genius to Become an Entrepreneur

You need to be a super genius like Bill Gates or Steve Jobs or Elon Musk to become a successful entrepreneur.

Well, it isn’t real, and it’s a myth I’m really tired of.

In the last ten years, I’ve met and interacted with tens of thousands of entrepreneurs, and there is one thing common among them.

They aren’t super-geniuses or super humans. They are just strong, committed people who are determined to succeed.

They are people like you running e-commerce stores, health and wellness consultancies, product and service-based business, franchises, and a lot of other different businesses that don’t require them to be Elon Musk or Steve Jobs.

And they are doing pretty good.

You don’t need to be as smart as them, or a huge idea to become an entrepreneur because entrepreneurship isn’t about running a glamorous business, but solving a real problem for your audience.

It’s about how you use the skills you already have and start a business where you can put them into better use.

⚫3: You Won’t Have a Life Apart From Work

This is probably the biggest lie you’ll hear.

The truth is, you don’t need to sacrifice your life for your work.

Look…

If you choose to work on something you truly love, you will never have to work a single day.

People who succeed as entrepreneurs haven’t abandoned their family, and those people who use family as an excuse for entrepreneurship aren’t better at taking care of their family.

Yes, of course, you have to sacrifice some of your personal time.

But you don’t have to abandon your family or sacrifice the weekends or give up your social life altogether because you’ve started a new business or side hustle.

You should learn how to use your time effectively. You should get good at managing time.

For example, Instead of spending an hour reading, listen to the book while you walk or commute. You’ll have an extra hour to work on your idea.

If you can only spend only 2 hours a day, then free up your mornings and right to work on it.

If you can wake up 30 or 45 minutes early in the morning or go to bed 30 or 45 minutes late in the night, you’ll find the time you need to work on your project.

On the weekends, if you start working by 6 or 7 in the morning, you can complete a whole day work by afternoon. You’ll have the rest of the afternoon and evening to spend with your family or socialize with your friends.

Remember, it’s not the number of hours you spend, but the amount of quality time you spend on things you love is what matters.

Whether it is family time or work hours, focus on spending quality time where your attention and focus is entirely on whatever you do.

People usually hide behind their circumstances or family or blame it on the kids just because they aren’t ready to face the truth that they aren’t willing to spend the extra time.

So, don’t fall for this nonsense.

You can have your family, social life, and still run your business or side hustle. You don’t have to sacrifice anything.

All you need to do is to prioritize and be more productive.