Your 3 Year Jail Sentence
Some people throw business advice around without giving a toss about the consequences. One that really gets my back up goes something like this: “Pick a business and start it right now. Don’t hang around – be like Nike and just do it.”
It’s fine if:
a) You already know what you really want to do.
or
b) All you care about is making money.
or
c) You’re young enough not to care if you waste a few years of your life on something that isn’t right for you.
Otherwise, it’s like giving yourself a 3 year jail sentence. And that’s the minimum term, because it is likely to take much longer to achieve a great deal of success.
So before you jump into bed with the “business is fab” cheerleaders, ask yourself if your new business idea is something that you will enjoy. And if you can’t say a definite yes, with no hesitation – cross the idea off your list.
Trust me, you won’t regret taking your time to choose the right business for you. I know this because I once started a business that I didn’t enjoy and it was a huge mistake.
Before it launched I had a gut feeling I was doing the wrong thing but I ignored my instincts. And I was foolish, because I focused on the potential financial gain, instead of my long term life goals.
After 16 months, I gave myself a choice - 1) Borrow a lot of money and stick with something I didn’t enjoy for another 5 years. 2) Sink the business and take a huge financial loss.
Nobody likes losing money, but I chose option 2 in an instant. I just couldn’t bear the thought of devoting another five years of my life to something I didn’t love.
You don’t need to put yourself in the same situation and I hope you won’t. Take your time to figure out what you want to do and don’t rush in, just because people are telling you that you should. Focus on the long term and create a business that you can be proud of.
Related Reading
Business – Sometimes You Should Give Up
Oops – I Sank A Business
Gerald Ratner – From Crap Peddler to Dotcom Millionaire
6 Things You Can Learn From The Man Who Had No Shoes
Posted on July 27, 2010
Filed Under Mistakes | 21 Comments
-
Alltop
I’m A SOB
