Persisting Through Failure

Being an entrepreneur is a rollercoaster of high wins and low losses, but does it really matter? How are you surviving the turbulent challenges of being an entrepreneur in today’s society? In the session, we hear from Michael, Colin, and Michele, who discuss how they cope with the strains of the job role.

Why do we care what people think? Is the failure purely society’s expectations? We are surrounded by expectations opinions, and judgments. But after experiencing the pandemic, we realize maybe we need to stop adhering to the pressures of society, caring what others think of us, and reach out to those who are honest and approachable, those who understand the entrepreneur struggle, and those who can give a helping hand when we need it most.

How do you wrestle with the feeling of failure and the pressures of achieving?

Michael’s way is to look to the future to continue moving forward and feel positive during any bumps in the road he faces.

It’s okay to fall off, it’s okay to struggle and to not succeed at something, but how damaging is the constant ‘up and down’ doing to our mental health and emotions?

It can be especially damaging if your family’s watching the rollercoaster. Michael constantly tries to “shield” his family from the rollercoaster, the constant back and forth of achieving and failing.

Feeling like a failure or feeling a sense of failure is something we all face, but as entrepreneurs, the sense of failure can really become quite overwhelming.

Michele said, “I don’t want to fail; I don’t want to disappoint everybody!” She doesn’t want to let those who believe in her down. Michele strongly encourages any entrepreneur to seek “unselfish advice” from those in the industry whom you can trust to help you along the way.

So, is it worth it? Is being an entrepreneur worth the stress, the anxiety, and the pressure?

Maintaining a strong vision of the future and where you want to go can help you keep a level head above water and not drown in the pressures of what people think of you as an entrepreneur, your ideas and work, and the struggles and challenges you face.

Are you constantly worried? Michele said she is constantly struggling to do the best she can to get to a certain level of achievement and success with her businesses. She recommends talking to people you really trust, those with a business head and sense who really understand your struggles. Find those people to chat with who can give you honest advice and support through every step of your business journey.

She said, “Your time is valuable,” so use your time wisely and choose the people you surround yourself with carefully.

Don’t forget why you became an entrepreneur

We know the pay is good, but the stresses of being an entrepreneur, the overwhelming hours, and the constant sense of failure can be really off-putting.

As Michele mentions, the highs can be addictive. When you want to be successful, not only for yourself but for everyone else too, you are invested in the people that you work with, and it becomes more than just about the money.

“I’m very much, not just about myself, but I love the people I work with, and I want us all to be wildly successful, and happy and having fun and making money obviously!” she laughed.

Michele said she would feel “unfulfilled as a person” if she wasn’t trying to do her own thing, which she believes comes naturally as an independent person. Being an entrepreneur is a need to fulfill her lifestyle and her strong personality traits.

Other entrepreneurs love the scorecard and the numbers showing their successes. The constant chase to score bigger and better and achieve more keeps them in the race, seeking out the highs.

Read more here: https://startup.club/persisting-through-failure/