Coincidentally, I’ve had separate conversations with several very talented people in the last week who seem to acknowledge that they are capable of “doing more” professionally if they pursued their own start-up — i.e. more excitement and fulfillment than they have now.
Their reasons are varied: two are very comfortable and not working too hard in their current gig, and a start-up would mean working harder, sacrificing play time, and less short-term income. Another of these folks would embrace the work that a start-up entails but has a deep anxiety about “cutting the cord” of a reasonably dependable paycheck from an employer. Yet another has a fragile ego and fears failure, while also seeming rather daunted by the amount of work that they would need to embrace.
If they never grapple with these issues and find a way to resolve them, I think each one will regret it.
And if they finally do, and they make the commitment (and the corresponding lifestyle changes), I think they’ll be happy they did.
Why? Because in my opinion, nothing beats demonstrating to yourself that you will follow your dreams. Success or failure is rather irrelevant; it’s hard to find an entrepreneur behind a financially unsuccessful venture who claims to regret the endeavor altogether. It’s because they’re proven something to themselves, and likely learned more than they would have if they’d stayed on their path of inertia.
If anyone reading this has any insight to share on “making the leap” in venturing out for the first time with a start-up, I’d be pleased to hear them.
