Entrepreneurs often talk about the “entrepreneur’s rollercoaster.” Starting a company certainly induces ups and downs, victories and defeats, failures and successes and a ride full of differing emotions.
Allowing yourself to go through ups and downs is counterproductive, tiring and unhealthy. It is imperative to be strong enough that nothing can knock you down and humble enough that nothing can make you overly excited.
Consider the four pieces of advice listed below. Get off the rollercoaster, and make your entrepreneurial adventure more like a ride in a luxurious automobile.
SEEK ADVICE
“Many receive advice, only the wise profit from it.” ~Harper Lee
Find mentors, advisors and friends who are smarter and more experienced than you. Seek their advice and listen. Their wisdom is invaluable. When going through a trying time, they will be there to listen and tell you how they persevered. When you are in a time of excitement and victory, they will advise you on what to do next.
These mentors’ and advisors’ perspectives will prevent you from reaching these highs and lows often associated with entrepreneurship.
They have been there before.
BE STOIC
“Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Think about doing it twenty-four hours a day.” ~Markus Zusak
Failure, defeat and disappointment go hand-in-hand with entrepreneurship. Do not let this affect you. Be strong, resilient and stoic so that nothing can beat you up. When you face hardship, use it as an opportunity to become better and to learn from your mistakes.
Brush your shoulders off, and get back to work.
DON’T CELEBRATE VICTORIES. BE HUMBLE
“Success comes to those who dedicate everything to their passion in life. To be successful it is also very important to be humble and never let fame or money travel to your head.” ~A. R. Rahman
I always say, “don’t count your money until the check is in your hand and it clears.” Getting overly excited about your victories can lead to great disappointment if things do not work out as you imagined. When success comes, you can give yourself a pat on the back, but be humble. Rather than celebrating your win, use it as validation of your ability to accomplish more.
SUPPRESS YOUR EMOTIONS
“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, enjoy them and to dominate them.” ~Oscar Wilde
Emotions and feelings are part of human nature. Entrepreneurship certainly comes with many of them. While it is important to feel things like passion, pride, confidence and empathy, do whatever you can to leave your emotions out of the office. It is harmful to feel too excited or defeated.
Do things for yourself to settle your emotions.
My mind is settled when I am driving in my car. I am able to convince myself that everything is alright and that I will succeed. To suppress my emotions, I go for a drive in my 1997 Lexus LS400. I prefer a smooth ride, not a rollercoaster.
Jeremy Crane is is the founder of StadiumPark, a mobile payment app for stadium and arena parking. He loves to share his passion, wisdom and experiences of being an entrepreneur.
Image credit: CC by 55Laney69
