Entrepreneurship & Expectations

I come across a lot of entrepreneurs-it's truly gratifying I must admit. They're bright eyed- and bushy tailed. They've got big dreams and big expectations.

I personally believe there is no other way to be as an entrepreneur. Yet, as my own personal entrepreneurial journey progresses I do believe it's important that we reign in our expectations.

Expectations kill dreams and fuel discouragement. If we instead abandon outcomes (expectations), I do believe we will become more satisfied and fulfilled entrepreneurs.

Let's go back to my point about how expectations kill dreams. I'm not trying to be pessimistic about this. Anyone who knows me knows I'm far from that. I'm a dreamer and I know deep in my heart that anything is possible. Being a dreamer is different from one expecting to make $150,000.00 five days after opening for business. Not that, that is not a possibility but is it likely? No.

We hear of these overnight success stories and set out to duplicate those successes in our own lives. When it doesn't happen we're discouraged as we're watch ourselves (in our own terms) crash and burn. Those expectations that once were our motivation, suddenly become our discouragement.

How many times have you- as an entrepreneur set out to do A, B, and C and expected X, Y, and Z. You probably ended up with Z but you're totally bummed because X & Y didn't happen. First, who told you X & Y should or would happen? Second, why aren't you grateful that Z happened? Lastly, maybe you are ecstatic that at least Z happened but you're still fixated on why X and Y didn't happen... on and on.

Isn't it much easier to just do your best and forget the rest?? I've encounter so many entrepreneurs (and just people in general) who have unrealistic expectations and absolutely zero work ethic- that last piece is probably for another blog. They want to invest little to nothing and quadruple their investment. The truth is, the ratio of business that make it to 1 year is like 2/5. Of that- the ones that make it to 5 years is like .00015. Those aren't actual statistics but it's something like that. It causes me to wonder, is it because the people behind those businesses had unrealistic expectations??

Possibly. More than likely.

The truth of the matter is- as an entrepreneur you should fight with everything in you to just simply DO YOUR BEST and forget the rest.

Expect nothing and be grateful for everything. Work hard, work tirelessly, take care of yourself and let the chips fall where they may. At the end of the day the ONLY outcome you can control is the work you put in. Don't let your expectations kill your dream or your business- it all takes time.