When I was in business sch0ol, we were once asked by our professors about our plans after graduation.
Most of the answers of my classmates were variations of “I want to build my own business”, which is not really surprising because it’s business school. That’s what we were studying for after all.
“Why?” was the professor’s follow-up question.
My answer was “Money.”
(Photo credit: aresauburn™)
That was my impression of entrepreneurship back then. I could only see the revenue, the profits, the stream of money that could potentially be mine. I wanted a slice of the money pie, that which makes the world go round.
Many people, even people with a business background, think this way. And I was a fool to think similarly.
The truth is, it’s not about the money. It’s about the quest.
(Public Domain)
Too cheesy, but hear me out.
You may be working in your nine to five job sitting comfortably in your office cubicle. You may enjoy your weekends watching a movie, reading a book, or enjoying bonding moment with your family.
But an idea beckons.
This idea nags you, sometimes, before you sleep, while you take a shower, or working on your financial projections for the company you work for. It’s not even in a concrete or actionable state. It’s just an idea, at the back of your mind, taking up your attention, inviting you to a quest.
But just like the reluctant heroes in the movies and video games, you have this fear to act. In the stories, the world is in peril. An evil force, a dark wizard, or a dragon is threatening to eliminate the the world as we know it. And it’s up to the hero to get the magic sword, conquer the big bad, and save the world.
But in business, there are no dragons, no magic sword, no world to save.
Or is there?
(Photo credit: balt-arts)
Thing is, a huge dragon threatens our world–the economy. Poverty and unemployment are the top problems facing not only the country, but the world. And it is the entrepreneur who drives the economy, tapping untapped opportunities and creating jobs, things that would combat those real-life threats that endanger the world.
The fear of failure holds you back. And for a good reason. It is such a huge burden, being tasked to “save the world.”
The risks are there. But what is life without a little risk?
Bill Gates’s first company failed. Steve Jobs was kicked out of the company that he founded. Mark Zuckerberg… got lucky with Facebook. Not all people get lucky on their first try. most of the time, most people would experience failure before succeeding. And then another idea nags you again.
With the internet, the rise of technology, the lowering of geographical borders that inhibit our actions, you now have the capabilities to act on your idea that are otherwise impossible a few years back then. The business world has never been ripe for the picking. The economy’s landscape changes to nurture startups and small businesses.
You have your magic sword, your means to slay the dragon.
(Photo Credit: byWizards)
I think it is time for you, for us, to act on our ideas, to grab all the opportunities and see our thoughts to fruition, to be the hero that we could be.
We need you. The world needs you. You, the Entrepreneur.
CHECK OUT: Brace Yourselves. Internet Ubiquity is Coming.
Thinking of starting you quest? Tell us in the comment box below.