The Challenges of Entrepreneurship
Go online nowadays and you will find countless hours worth of content explaining the benefits of entrepreneurship and all the reasons why it’s worth going for. Indeed, the benefits really do outweigh the drawbacks, otherwise it wouldn’t be so heavily advocated for. Taking an entrepreneurial route is going to provide the most long-term benefit and reward from an all around financial, personal, and professional standpoint, and that is just a matter of fact. However, it is not for everybody, and it is very rare that you will hear people acknowledge the challenges and drawbacks of taking this approach. In this article, I want to take a look at some of the personal challenges I’ve experienced, how I’ve navigated them, and some of my personal takeaways in regards to them.
#1 Feeling Alienated From Other People
The most challenging aspect of taking an entrepreneurial path is having a hard time connecting with others. The reality is that many people are perfectly happy to file into the status quo without ever giving much thought to pursuing more. It doesn’t make them bad people and it doesn’t make you any better than you are. In larger cities this may be less pronounced, but in smaller areas that are more family-oriented, you’re just not going to find much space to fit in.
Of course, this can also be seen as a positive thing. Sometimes it is for the best to not be over associated with the “in-crowd” or be doing what everyone else is doing. It just provides more time and space to focus on the things that truly matter, and to invest in yourself. It makes it less likely that you will get caught up integrating yourself into unhealthy social spaces and taking on unhealthy habits. But, that doesn’t make things any less challenging.
#2 Feeling Misunderstood By Other People
Back in the days before the Internet was around, I’m sure it was much more difficult to make it out on your own entrepreneurially. I wasn’t around so I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that the world is much more globalized nowadays with the level of technology that we have available. However, some people still may not recognize this, and there may be times where your efforts may not feel totally understood by others. The reality is that in some cases, people may not really know what to make of you. They may check you into a box related to what seems familiar to them, or what they personally perceive you to be, and may not fully recognize you as the trailblazer that you are and grant you with individuality.
This is the case with most professions and undertakings, and is not something to pay much attention to. When other people try to put you into a box, they are limiting themselves, not you. However, if you’re not attentive and present, this can in some cases become a tough challenge. At the end of the day, every smart entrepreneur knows that the more cleanly and neatly you fit into society, the less of a chance you really have. It’s the misfits and outliers that have the greatest potential.
#3 Always Feeling Like You Could Be Doing More
You could be waking up at 6am, putting in hours after working your day job, and making consistent moves on a daily basis, but the reality is that there is always someone else out there that is going just a little bit harder. There is always going to be a guy out there with more followers, more popularity, more notoriety, and so on. But, that’s also a positive thing. “Challenge” doesn’t necessarily mean “problem”. Sometimes it is good to challenge yourself to do more, give more, and do better. You just have to be careful not to compare yourself to others, or not get your ego overly attached to your work. When you do, the compulsive drive to “do” will become more and more excessive. It’s important to find the right balance and the right groove that works best for you. There may be a guy out there posting 69 pieces of content every day and 7 podcasts a week, but if that’s not the right move for you, then find what is. Set simple goals and stick to them. Focus on growth one baby step at a time. Find balance and find serenity in what you do.
Entrepreneurship Isn’t The Only Way
After reading so many books on personal finance, entrepreneurship, and financial independence over the past few years, I am conditioned to seeing working a typical 40 year career as an inferior way to go through life. Many personal finance books will use the typical “Average Joe” as a blueprint for what not to do. Taking on consumer debt, wasting excessive amounts of time commuting to work and watching television, getting overly attached to sports teams and box scores, and spending more money on a home than is necessary. Many of these folks fail to take advantage of entrepreneurial and investment opportunities that could have a hugely beneficial impact on the way their lives play out moving forward.
However, with all that said, it’s important to note that entrepreneurship is not the only path to fulfillment, and there are plenty of cool jobs out there. Sports commentators, architects, ship-captains, college professors. Nowadays the truth is that many people are starting to become more diversified by starting side hustles, investing in real estate, and investing in stocks on top of working their day job, which makes for a very solid all around position. Also, with many jobs offering work from home alternatives, the need to become financially independent and entrepreneurially focused isn’t quite as dire for some.
With all that said, I have still determined that the typical 9-5, 40 year career just isn’t for me. I will be continuing to focus on my entrepreneurial pursuits, and I am determined to becoming the financially independent person that I want to be. I do recognize that along the way, working a regular job is a part of that path, and I am perfectly okay with that. I embrace it as part of the journey and I find enjoyment in that process.
I always enjoy hearing about the different jobs people worked along the way to getting to where they wanted to be. And I also enjoy hearing about people that managed to find jobs that incorporate into their life’s path as a whole. A few years ago I had a friend that was in his 30s still living with his mother, when she’d had enough and threw him out into the streets. He was staying at a motel for a short time, and while he was there he ended up getting fired from his job for not showing up to work on time. When I’d spoken to him later on, he told me that he’d found a job working on a boat as a commercial fisherman, and that the job provided room and board as a part of his job. I was blown away at how cool it was that he’d found a way to work things out. Over the years I have heard similar stories of people who accepted jobs working on cruise ships, ski-resorts, or even took a job house-sitting to work things out along their path.
Everyone’s path looks different. Sometimes the most important thing is that you’re doing whatever you’re doing with conscious focus rather than just sitting back and letting life happen, or pursuing certain positions solely based on job titles, salaries, and status recognition. In my next article, I plan to write about “The Benefits of Entrepreneurship”. Obviously, there are a lot of them, and I’m looking forward to laying them out. For now, I hope you have enjoyed this article. If you’re not currently on an entrepreneurial path, or not doing what you want to be doing, I hope this article has encouraged you to think differently. Thank you for reading and I will see you on the next article.
