Start early, start now
Start early. Wherever you are, now is the time. Those who made it might not tell you but luck is a big factor. The earlier you start, the more can you fail. It’s an odd’s game. Don’t be fooled by the myth of ‘Genius’ nor the ‘Hard work’. Both are overly result-oriented. Planning for the worst and giving your all is the name of the game. And having time on your side lets you play it for a tad longer. Start early, start now.
Intensity, at will
Spend some time with yourself. Cultivating a craft where you can be completely absorbed, will open up a new dimension. When you remove distractions, life intensifies. This percolates into all areas of life. You will become capable of intensity, at will.
Nobody to please
Learn to disagree. Compulsively worrying to satisfy and please others is a pathological condition. Being spiteful and nasty is not an option either. But, not negotiating for your well-being is pathetic. Over time, the effects percolate. True capacities are shunned and never realized. Agreeable people are paid less. Their position in social hierarchy remains mediocre. There is no moral obligation to please anybody.
Create a routine
Create a routine. Exercise your freedom to choose what you want to do. Repeating the same steps every day is the only way to gain mastery. It is by building this reservoir of work you’ll earn your freedom. Uncommitted become the slaves of norms. They will always be struggling to escape, always at odds with reality. Start with your body. Have an exercise routine that can be maintained. Next, Work. Choose what you want more of and create a routine around it. Do not be tempted to fit too much here. Slowly you will develop expertise and confidence that will let you do more of it.
The most important thing
Cultivate the ability to break-down complex problems into simpler ones. This is the meta-skill that translates into greatness in every field. Accomplishing ridiculously difficult tasks demands the ability to visualize the composing sub-tasks and formulate daily routines around them. On any day, there should always be one thing that takes your complete attention, irrespective of the breadth of the project. As an entrepreneur, your sole responsibility is to answer what is the most important thing, now ?
On work
Selling time for money is addictive. It reduces the odds of accumulating wealth. It makes one blind to possibilities, incapable of imaging the power of leverage. Aspiring entrepreneurs should never work for money. They should actively avoid fixed pay contracts. Only under the circumstance of receiving rare skill or knowledge can they transact their time. Actively seek mild discomfort. Once succumbed to the safety of a job, anything creative sounds dangerous and implausible. The closer you can be to the creative process, the better. For employment, Startups are the best bet. Manipulating your environment is the most direct way of influencing outcomes. Under no circumstance, your time should be spent away from the creative process. There are always better options.
Luck
There is a controllable element to what people refer to as Luck – being in the right place at the right time. Depending upon what you want to do, there are great places(people) around the world. Anything that can structurally avoid complacency, is a great choice. We should look for as much discomfort as possible and the most sensible way is to place yourself in a hard place with hard people.
Consistency
Don’t directly rush into doing something. Take some time and put some labor to find out why you want to create something. Only when you are clear on Why proceed further. The next important question is what you can do right now to get a bit closer? Daily commitments should be so simple that they sound laughably easy.This ensures momentum, as we achieve them daily. We are not naturally good at forecasting the cumulative effects of simple habits. The key to accomplishing ridiculously difficult tasks is consistency, not the quantum of work done on a day.
Progress
Clarity of what you want in the long term is absolutely crucial. Define it. Take some time and write it down. Yes, it might evolve. But you should have a clear understanding of the essence. Ask specific questions like How do you want your day to be? How does your ideal work environment look like? How does your relationships, health, finances look? Create a practice to develop deeper understanding of your longings? Only with clarity of vision can there be a possibility of progress.
Hard Work
Working more hours is not hard work. Putting your heart to create something is not hard work. Constantly stretching your capabilities is not hard work. Taking responsibility is not hard work. Working for the paycheck, bearing and accepting the inanity of your work, waiting for the weekend, passing through life without intensity is Hard Work.
Every Day
Focus on what you are doing every day. Start with the smallest change that can be put into your routine. Now stick to it every day. This is the secret of accomplishing impossibly difficult tasks. Focus on the routines and habits. Nothing more is needed.
Fear is good
When you are starting something new, the fear of failure is often useful. This forces you to focus on risk. Being able to use this fear to ask the right questions, to strategize and come up with novel ideas is the defining skill of a an entrepreneur. In the right proportions, it illuminates threats, directs the energies. Fear is good.
Copying Ideas
Don’t get lost in the “next big idea” fallacy. There are two practical ways to come up with successful business ideas. Look for the problems you are facing or Copy from the solutions other entrepreneurs successfully implemented. The first category involves listing down all the activities in your day while thinking how each one of them can be made better. Now, once you choose a few, write down how much you are willing to pay and the kind of service or the product you want. If an idea filters through this process successfully, it can be considered further. Don’t fool yourself here,if you aren’t willing to pay chances are nobody will. The second category is much simpler. Choose an industry. (better you already got some idea about it.).Now find out what’s happening within it in other countries. Read their magazines, news sites, etc. Now the question boils down to, What successful business products and models can you take inspiration from? Yes, that’s called copying ideas. Hopefully, you are doing all this to create some value.
Little by little
We lack the ability to foresee the effects of small changes accumulated over time. Habits are remarkable ways to leverage the power of compounding. Introspect how your daily time is spent. Add or substitute a habit at a time. There is no hurry. This is a long term game. Keep the changes to absolute minimum.In the initial stages, momentum is the key. Whatever your ideal time or effort, reduce it by half – this should be your initial commitment. When creating habits, setting ridiculously easy goals so that it’s impossible to fail is the key. Consider any extra effort put as the bonus and feel great about it. Little by little your life will be transformed.
Attention
Attention is limited. Any practice or technique that allows you to direct your energies will have a compounding effect on your life. Measure your day by how much of it is intentional. There are always people and things constantly attempting to grab your attention – the News, Internet, fancy toys. It’s a skill that can be trained.