The Dark Side Of Lives Of Entrepreneurs.
Beyond fame, hype and a good brand, things we don’t tell you.
It’s 26th December 2019 looking at my contact list trying to find some old friends to call and hang out with all I can see is my business associates and people whom I can just discuss serious stuff with. Life of an entrepreneur can be so lonely sometimes. When you are tired of talking about strategies and big plans you quickly realize life goes beyond serious stuff. There is life outside business models and handling competitors. But how do you balance the two lives? How do you hold onto old friends and people you hold dear while trying to build something great? How not to lose yourself.
Over time, I have witnessed friends losing touch with their families, broken marriages and some facing psychological breakdowns. It is not easy, that is what they say when you ask them. Sometimes when your dreams are too big for others to understand you realize soon you don’t have “others” who understand. You will have a bunch of people appreciating what you do and aspiring to be you but they don’t understand what it takes to be you. The sacrifices and the efforts you put in, birthdays, funerals and family gatherings you miss, the friends you lost along the way, and being emotionally detached from people who matter most in your life including your, parents, wife (husband) and your kid(s). Sometimes that is the price you pay to be a successful entrepreneur. You can work all smart you want but nothing replaces hard work.
04:30 am in the morning, where you are from? My wife asking, I’m from dropping Joyce at her house, Salasala, we had to meet the client’s deadline for a big deal that will cover our operations cost for the whole year…. that’s the reality, that is the life of an entrepreneur. The worst thing is that sometimes the hustle you put in doesn’t even bring equitable results but you still have to do it with the same discipline and persistence. And for those like us who are coming from the families without an entrepreneurial background, it is even worse. People don’t understand when you tell them your busy, they don’t understand when you tell them you don’t have weekends, they don’t understand when you have to leave the house when it’s completely dark and come when is again dark, and they don’t understand when you tell them you are in no mood to talk to anyone. They just don’t UNDERSTAND.
When everyone thinks you are the superstar and you have already made it they believe you are immortal; you don’t feel pain, you don’t get disappointed, you don’t go broke, you don’t get sick, you don’t have bad days because heroes don’t get sick, don’t get heartbroken, and they are always there when you need them. But the truth is with the right amount of pressure even heroes can give in. And even when they are giving in people expect them to smile outside while dying inside. Building a company can be brutal, a successful one is even worse. That is why some people choose to freeze everything and focus on the business.
Important, it’s about you, take care of people, you can’t satisfy them, you can’t make them happy, they are literally PEOPLE, they are built that way. They will spend a good amount of time to look for your weaknesses and crush you down when they have the chance. Live your life, appreciate the priceless moments you spent with your loved ones, keep your old friends close and remain spiritually stable. Turn your office into your home, your colleagues into your family, and do something you love to do since it will take a huge chunk of your valuable life. Invest in your health and relationships. You don’t want to spend your final days regretting how you have spent your time. Don’t be afraid to fail, you can’t be a slave to failure. Some things you can’t fix them simply because they can’t be fixed don’t try to do it all. Hey, find help if you need, talk to someone, a mentor, a friend, a taxi driver, just anyone. Don’t wait until its too late.
Stop, go to airplane mode, no notifications, no emails, no calls, just you. Take your time to reflect if you were in your deathbed what would be your biggest regrets? Yes, we want to leave legacies but don’t forget that you are a human being and nothing is larger than life. LIVE
