What Does it Mean to be an Entrepreneur?

March 13, 2011 at 3:52 am

“Those who say it cannot be done shouldn’t interrupt the people doing it.”

Ideas occur every second. Innovation only happens when an Entrepreneur does something about the idea.
Entrepreneurs are thought leaders, doers, thinkers. People who take risks. One of my favorite concepts is by Paul Graham, where he likens Entrepreneurs to a lion in the wild – you never know each day if you’re gonna eat, but you’re gonna fight. We were meant to be free.
“Vocation is where the world’s deep hunger and your deep passion meet”
Being happy is about being free, being your own boss, taking risks, creating, and carving out your own unique path. Being an Entrepreneur to me means to wake up every day and know that I have a fight in front of me, that there are a lot of fears and unknowns, but just like the lion, that’s my destiny and not my choice.
There are a lot of ups and downs as an Entrepreneur. One day everything is going great and you’re on the way to realizing your vision; the next day – that partnership falls through, a new competitor launches and is featured on TechCrunch, the industry prices go up, your sales guys quits, and on and on. That’s just part of the deal. Someone once compared obstacles to bugs on your windshield – the faster you go, the more bugs you get. Just having a tough windshield, tough skin, and the faster you can resolve and move forward, the better you can control your car, your business.
Entrepreneurs aren’t always the top in their class.  But what they possess is an undying will and relentless optimism that drives them forward.  There a lot of people who say ‘that’s a good idea’ or ‘that would be cool but’ or ‘that could never be done’ – but you can be sure there’s an Entrepreneur who woke up and saw the idea and say ‘hey, I can do that’. Then, they strap on a seatbelt and hold on for the ride – it’s a bumpy but rewarding one.
“Imagination is the Preview of Life’s Coming Attractions”
- Einstein
If we can dream it, we can make it happen.  Nothing is more rewarding than seeing your vision come to reality.  Getting there means facing daily challenges and overcoming them with perseverance.