Playing the Entrepreneurial Long Game

We live in an instant gratification world. Whether you're in the market for dinner, entertainment, or a lifetime supply of Tupperware, you can get all of it instantly online. Each time we opt for the fast and easy option, we train ourselves to expect that level of convenience in all aspects of our lives. Not all of these conveniences are bad. We can go to the store and get the medicine we need or get milk for our kids without owning a cow. Modern conveniences make it possible for mothers to work out of the house and artists and makers to sell their work online. But convenience is a double-edged sword that steals from us the ability to wait.

In my entrepreneurial journey, no skill has been more valuable than my ability to wait patiently for each subsequent stage in the life of my business. Waiting patiently, though it may sound, is not a passive stance. While waiting patiently for my next move, I am constantly building, brick by brick, the skills, ideas, team members, and clarity that I will need when the next opportunity presents itself. Waiting isn't about waiting for permission to move forward. It's about waiting for the moment that is intended for you. And to take advantage of it, you have to be prepared when it comes.

When you first get started in business, you have all of the passion in the world but very little skill or experience. Half of all new business owners quit or fail after five years, which is about the time that the excitement wears off. If your mind is programmed to expect instant gratification, you'll be sorely disappointed to learn that many businesses don't become profitable for the first couple of years. If the goal is instant success, entrepreneurship isn't your line of work. 

Business is a long game. It takes years of work to build a strong business and even more years to grow into a strong leader. Entrepreneurship is a lifestyle and a long-term commitment. It's the work you do when you know that no job will ever satisfy you. Let this be your invitation to a new perspective. We each have the power and responsibility to claw ourselves out of the world's mold. This journey you're on may lead to financial success, and for your sake, I hope it does. But I can assure you that it will lead to personal growth and a deep sense of satisfaction. Today's work isn't just building our future; it's building our present. It's turning us into the kind of people who can lead with integrity, grit, and patience.