We hear it everywhere. Do what you love, and you never have to work another day in your life. We are told to follow our passions and the money will follow. Opeing your own business can prove to be a very daunting endeavor.
It is officially cool to be an entrepreneur. Titans of Business like Elon Musk have become mainstream celebrities and every year tons of people set out to look for their piece of entrepreneurial glory. Some dream of money, some dream of fame, some dream of power. They all dream of what a business will be able to give them.
We hear the daunting Statistics. Most businesses will fail. Most Ideas will not get funded, and a lot of people cannot handle the volatility of running a business. Most don’t realize the patience required to owning a business, but many still set out on the journey anyway.
To all the hopeful and seasoned entrepreneurs, no matter what idea you decide to pursue, let us never forget the golden rule.
“Don’t Open a Business as a means to an end, but rather a means unto itself. “
Bear with me. In Philosophy, we studied Kant and other philosophers in ethics, and the general consensus was: Treat people the way you wanted to be treated. Don’t use people. Although I am in no position to analyze philosophy in any capacity, I do wonder what makes those succeed, and especially in business, and intention and vision have a big role.
Why Did You Start?
I would like to believe that people have pure intentions. I would like to believe that we open business for pure intentions. We want to change the world, or at least make it a little better than you left it. Unfortunately, I can’t say that many have those virtuous goals.
Is there a problem that you are trying to solve? is there something that you are so passionate about that you can’t spend a day not doing it? Do you want to open a business to be super-wealthy? There is no wrong answer, and whether you publicly state, we have to be honest to ourselves.
Whatever reason you do give will determine whether you are doing it as a means to in itself or to get other things. There is nothing wrong with wanting money, or status, or heck bettering your family’s future! It all starts with your way to determine how successful you will be.
Why Our Golden Rule is so important
When we are doing something as a means to an end, we are doing it to gain something later on. We save money to buy stuff we need and what we want. We never save money just to save it. Just to stare at the number go up every year.
Doing something as a means unto itself, means we are doing it for sake of doing it. When you love what you do, or the mission you are on, just being on the path is reason enough to do it.
When Mark Zuckerberg was interviewed about Facebook. He mentioned that he was just looking to build a cool product without expectations. He didn’t know if it will be profitable, or what the future holds, but he had one singular goal at the time: build cool products.
Even today, when the business took off, and the small project turned into a huge operation, he spends most of his time with the product teams. Doing what? Building cool products.
What will get you through tough times?
When the money stops coming in. When work gets hard, and competition is knocking at your door. What will help you push through those barriers? Business is cool and fun when you can leave early. The money is coming in, and you are riding high. When that stops, and you need to work 17 hours instead of 5, and with all that work is not to make money, but to keep the lights on. Is money or other superficial motivation enough? Loving the game you play is the energy that will push you forward.
When you have made the money, what will get you to the next level of growth. What will push your business to create more, be better, and stay ahead? We dream of mythical numbers that we would like to see in our bank account, but once we get there is it worth working just as hard for more? For most they become content and their business stagnates.
Elon Musk has been rich for a long time. Before Tesla, Before SpaceX, he had millions. He decided to go all-in and open three companies. It caused him stress beyond belief, drained his money reserves, with no guarantee. He did it over and over again. Taking the same risk, depleting his funds, and risking his credibility with his loyal followers. He has fame, Power, and money, and he still goes on.
He is not doing it for his financial gain. He has an interest and passion that fulfills him to the point of risking all that he has built to see it through. Once you get all your worldly dreams fulfilled the driver has to be intrinsic.
Love The Process Not the Goal
The best way to sum it up. Whether you love what you do, or are great at what you do, or have a vision for what the world might need, Love the process and not the end goal.
In my own journey, it seems that there are more difficult days than there are easy. Putting out fires, launching new products, dealing with clients. It adds up, and I can feel drained. Then I get told that I look tired or stressed, and I have a simple response.
“I never thought I would get to work with art professionally. I never thought I could open a company and sell products that I created and love. I get to sit down and draw and create all day and get paid. I am living my dream.”
No Matter What comes out of Avantwall or any of my business. I love reading about art. I love creating art. I love working with others to create art. It gives me a pleasure so much greater than anything that I have done. It is my passion that I have turned into a business. I feel like the luckiest person alive, no matter the outcome.
Now, Of course, I want my businesses to succeed and grow. It is a fight every day. Like I said before, The stressful days seem to outnumber the good days, but that passion that I have gets me through them. It's the love for the game that accepts any challenge. It is that passion that gives me the confidence that we will find a way to overcome any obstacles.
Find the game that you love, trust the process, and aim to make the world a little bit better than you left it.