I’m not a startup expert by no means. I’ve tried a few things, inside and outside of companies, on my own and with others, fully committed and partial at best.
Everyone loves the idea of starting something new – it’s akin to throwing out the old and just going with it – no restrictions or constraints around you – just you and your ideas. It really is akin to that moment in Braveheart where Mel Gibson’s character yells out the immortal line “FREEEEEDDDOOOOMMM” as he is being disembowelled at the end. (Side note: I used to have that voice clip as my shutdown sound on my computer many years ago when that was a cool thing to do).
Over the years I’ve listened to a lot of podcasts as well as doing a great deal of reading on the topic and the best of both worlds were always, always the stories of the founder – the trials and tribulations that they went through to get there and what they had to do and sacrifice to make it happen.
Whether you have money or don’t, have skill or don’t, have friends or don’t, have ideas or don’t – the piece of investment that you always have to look at as to whether you will make this a success is You.
Yes there are market swings and bad (very bad) ideas, pivots and disruptions but at the end of the day, the only person that is going to be staring you back in the mirror is going to be you.
Before all the stories of people making it big by being in at the start, taking the massive cut in salaries and vacation there were a bunch of people who all they wanted to do – was try something new, see what could happen, see where it could go and hold on to the sides because the roller coaster was just about to get started.
That’s what you need to think about in starting something, that’s what your initial investment has to be;
- I’m committed to trying this new thing.
- I’m committed to making a change along the way based on where we are going.
- I’m committed to not only ride this out, but steer when no one else can.
- I’m committed to being 100% uncomfortable in all that I’m doing for as long as it will take.
That’s it, that’s the #1 investment to building your Startup – Commitment. If you can look in the mirror and say all those things (and possibly more), than give’r, don’t hold back, because the moment you hold back is the moment you’ve lost your commitment and you’ve lost what you were trying to achieve.
Obvious Footnote: This does not mean you need to commit to performing illegal activities – call on the power of common sense to make that call for you.
