There have been lots of definition for
this word ‘entrepreneur’. What does this tell us? That there is no specific or
wrong definition for the word as far as it’s in line with someone who works for
himself right? That’s what I thought too.
Who is an entrepreneur?
An entrepreneur someone who exploits the
opportunities provided by his environment. He is not necessarily someone who
has a lot of money in his possession. He is a leader, an innovator, he does not
derive any pleasure in working under someone. Rather, he thrives to work on his
own. He is ever booming with ideas on how to start his own business, even when
there is no capital to start it.
REASONS WHY PEOPLE FAIL TO ACHIEVE THEIR
DREAMS
To me, an entrepreneur (whether
successful or working towards success), was once a dreamer and not every
dreamer is able to achieve his dream. Why is that? A lot of dreamers don’t
achieve their dreams due to:
1. Fear
of the unknown: This is the most disturbing fear of being an entrepreneur and
even the successful entrepreneurs still nurture this fear. Any business can go
up in flames anytime any day. That you are big or successful doesn’t protect
you from this fear, the future is unpredictable. The WHAT Ifs; what if the
business fails? What if I am rejected out there? What if I am not good enough?
What if I lose all my money? What if I get into debt? What if I lose all my
savings? What if ……? Just fear of everything! Why not think of things like…WHAT
IF I MAKE IT BIG THE FIRST TIME?
In business as
well as in life, the only constant thing is change and this change can either
be positive or negative. The disturbing truth is that no one is guaranteed of
the kind of change that lies in stock for them in the nearest future. So again,
this fear is a very valid one. It’s so ok to be afraid of the future. Why?
Because it’s unknown! (www.naijapreneur.com)
2. Overdependence
on people for assistance: Do not view other people’s success as your failure or
vice versa. Your success does not depend on the success or failure of anyone. Life's biggest frustrations and
disappointments come from expecting too little of yourself and too much of
others. Expectations shape all of your relationships, including in
the workplace. By setting your expectations for yourself and living up to
them you reduce your dependency on others for your sense
of worth and satisfaction. (entrepreneur.com)
3.
Accepting
the status quo: Do things differently. Doing things differently doesn't mean
doing them better. Don't be a yes man. Nobody should be a yes man
or woman; stating what you believe to be true without fear of consequences is
the real deal to me. It's not about challenging anything. Take risks that
are reasonable and of course, think outside the box.
4.
Procrastination:
If you never start, you’ll never have a chance to fail. But you’ll never have a
chance to succeed, either.
So stop
pretending you haven’t failed by not trying. Stop procrastinating and go for
it. Your dilly-dallying around, your excuses, your poking, playing, puttering
and loafing about aren’t fooling anyone. Procrastination is fear cloaked in
nonchalance.
5.
Excuses:
I don’t want to lose my current job… I don’t have enough capital… I am scared
of failure… all these are mere excuses! Humans are great at coming up with
excuses—you don’t have the time, you don’t have the skills (yet), you’re short
on cash. These are all great reasons to balk on the path to entrepreneurship,
but they should be seen as obstacles to tackle, not a reason to give up all
together. If you dream of ownig your own business, it’s going to take a lot of
work, sweat, tears and cash to make it happen, but if you give more weight to
your excuses than your dreams, they might hold you back for good.
6.
The
‘I know God will do it’ syndrome: I know God will do it. This has become a
national anthem among unserious people. Yes God will surely support you, WHEN
YOU HAVE STARTED! God will not start it for you. Even the Holy Bible stated the
fact that FAITH WITHOUT WORK IS DEAD! So,
go out there and become that entrepreneur you want to be! Take the bold
step and do it ONE STEP AT A TIME.
7.
Lack
of faith in God: How we think is controlling everything we do. Where we put our
trust is a key component of that. We don't need to over spiritualize every
single scenario of life. We act on what we believe more than on what we know.
And the beliefs of top performers and leaders can teach us a lot.
8.
Low
self-esteem: Low self-esteem affects whatever someone wants to do in life. As an entrepreneur, make sure you make your business is your passion. Your low self-esteem could be tied to not following your
heart. Associate with people who seem
genuinely happy. Happy
people are usually at peace with themselves. And even though I see many people
disagreeing to this, ask for help. Don't try to work on your issues
alone.
9.
Lack
of vision: Vision is the key that propels us into the land of what we could be
but has not yet been. It is the key to an effective life as it helps you to
discipline your life in ways that matters because without discipline, vision
can be impossible to achieve. If you want to be successful in life, you must
set priorities for yourself in relation to your vision.
Whatever you have in mind to do as an
entrepreneur, do it now! Take the bold step NOW!
QUOTE OF THE DAY
Be raw, be you and be ready to risk it
all when it comes to pursuing your dreams.
Valeria Hinojosa.
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