Many people dream of taking the plunge into entrepreneurship but always find a ready-made excuse as to why they should refrain, observes Jeff Haden, writing for Inc.com.
The author lists some of the most common but spurious reasons that would-be entrepreneurs use to talk themselves out of a life-changing move:
• I’m too scared. As Haden points out, you are faced with a simple choice: allow your fears to hold you back, or use those fears to drive away complacency and fuel success.
• I don’t have the right connections. The author recommends starting small and building a solid foundation for your network.
• I don’t have the money. Haden quotes Dave Lavinsky, Growthink founder, who says that “being an entrepreneur is the art and science of accomplishing more with less – less money, less people, less time, etc”.
• I don’t have the time. It’s probably not a matter of lacking the time – the question is, what are you willing to do with your time? If you really want to do something, you’ll find the time by prioritising appropriately.
• I don’t have the skills. So what’s stopping you acquiring them? Skills and knowledge are earned rather than given, observes Haden.
• I can’t take the risk. The author reminds would-be entrepreneurs that they can recover from setbacks and learn from failure.
• I’m too much of a perfectionist. Haden suggests the problem here might be insecurity or fear of rejection or criticism. He points out that the people who really matter are customers, and their feedback can be used to make better products.
• I can’t think of a great idea. The key might be to stop trying to dream up something completely new and instead react to something that already exists. Look for problems that require solutions, then turn those solutions into a business idea. Try to improve something rather than dream.
• I’ll be embarrassed if it ends in failure. Haden says it's important to live on your own terms instead of worrying what others think.
• I’m better at planning than execution. The problem here is discipline. When the time comes, entrepreneurs need to roll up their sleeves and get on with it. You just need determination.