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Scary move, eh?

Entrepreneur, August, 2002 by Romanus Wolter

THIS RISKS OF STARTING A BUSINESS CAN BE A FRIGHT. FORTUNATELY, THE RIGHT ATTITUDE CAN TURN YOUR QUICKENED HEART RATE AND NIGHT SWEATS INTO THE KIND OF EXCITEMENT THAT LEADS TO A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

WHEN YOU BECOME AN ENTREPRENEUR, YOU CREATE a whole new world for yourself--a world founded on exploring your passion. Opportunity awaits you, but, truth be told, it is a little frightening. Uncertainty takes over as you step into this new life. Your heart and mind seem to be going down separate paths, but you are confident there are untapped possibilities within you. You know you must make your idea a reality.

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The feelings you have are familiar. Perhaps you recall the day you left for college or the moment you walked through the door to your first job. From Day One, everyone else seems to know exactly what they are doing. It seems like a road map has been published, and you were left off the distribution list.

They know the "lingo." You try to fit in, but you know that you are not yet part of this new world. You realize you have to carve out your own unique position and that it will take time. You know you will do a great job, if people will just give you a chance.

Welcome to the birth of an entrepreneur! As you develop your own business, you will no doubt experience these feelings all over again.

Adding to the swirl of confusion, your passion begins to push you into a place where you become totally open and vulnerable. Your friends and family may not be supportive, because you may not be able to fully communicate your state of mind and heart. This dream has been bottled up inside you for years--it's your true self, not what others perceive you to be. This is the critical point where you decide to go for it or not.

The Entrepeneurial Zone

Welcome to what I call "The Entrepreneurial Zone." This is the place where it all begins--a world full of exploding energy, fascinating ideas, overwhelming frustration and, of course, the unbelievable excitement of creation! It is a forceful, directed experience that also happens to be quite unsettling and isolating.

The Zone is not a place to fear or flee from. Your feelings are normal. That's right, normal. No need for a therapist to relieve your tension, because everyone pursuing a dream business goes through The Entrepreneurial Zone.

Unfortunately, unlike when you begin school or a new job, there is no structured guidance for you during this time. Our schools, institutions and, in fact, our way of life are set up to support careers in the "real world," not some "dream business." Instead of encouragement, you often hear, "Why not get a job and do what you love on weekends?" "How are you going to make money from that?" or "You're borrowing how much to get that business up and running?"

The Entrepreneurial Zone is the area where so many budding business owners quit. It is the "no one believes in what I'm doing but me" zone. But you do not have to become one of the casualties of this haunted space.

Stand firm, tall and proud, and stay the course. Leave old perceptions behind. Take the next step. Today is the day you identify who you are. The answers to all your questions arc in the steps you are taking as you plan a course that will lead you to your new business. You'll find them if you take the time, find the courage and follow the time-tested advice you will gather.

All Alone?

Have you ever gone to a restaurant in the United Kingdom by yourself? The popular greeting for the single visitor is, "All alone?" You look at the host and sigh, "Yes, I'm all alone." Compare that with the greeting you get at restaurants in the United States: "Party of one?"

To thrive in The Entrepreneurial Zone, you need to enjoy the adventure and keep a positive attitude. You have to become a party of one, independent. Isn't that why you want your own business?

Here's a little trick I use to remind myself I'm always a party of one. In my wallet, I carry a small piece of paper that says: "Dream like a child, decide as an adult."

Think about your business and dream about the possibilities. Visualize them. Like a child, believe in imagination and know that anything is possible. Then, as an adult, consider all the possibilities you've dreamed up and decide on the best course of action to take. What is the first thing you can do today to make your dream business a reality? What is the next step after that?

It is important, especially when the external world isn't wholly supportive, to maintain the balance between your dream and your reality. Never let the dreamer get too quiet, and always remember when to let the adult take over. The adult seeks advice and wisdom on how to get from here to there. So work to continually expand your knowledge by referring to the resources around you. Discover how other entrepreneurs in your field achieved success. Keep the possibilities alive and your business moving forward.

Business Services Industry

Scary move, eh?

Entrepreneur, August, 2002 by Romanus Wolter

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