There is rarely anyone who became a success only because of “luck”. There is always hard work, dedication, and passion involved. Most of the time people don’t see it because they only focus on the “now” instead of all the time it took to get there. It takes successful people a long time and a shitload of effort to get to where they are.
There are some exceptions like trust fund kids, lottery winners, people who won money by gambling or real luck, or just rich privileged kids in general. However, most successful individuals had to put in a lot of work to get to their current state.
For someone who is trying to follow that path, I wanted to share some of the struggles I am going through. Many others who are on the same path will face or are facing these struggles too. An average work day is about 10 hours. A day with meetings and networking groups is about 12-14 hours. In addition, weekends are used to network and have client meetings. It is NOT easy.
- Time – You never feel like there is enough time. If you are an entrepreneur or intrapreneur, you are on 24/7. You don’t really have days off because even if you aren’t in the office you are always hustling for new business and are on call. There is not enough time in the day to see family, hang out with friends, network, relax, sleep, work out, and work on your business. What you will have to learn to do is prioritize your time day-by-day. What also helps is waking up early and having the discipline to go to sleep early.
- Relationships – Some relationships will falter, some will strengthen, and some will disappear. That is life. Most, if not all, of your relationships with people will be put to the test when you are an entrepreneur or intrapreneur.
- Weight Gain – Not sure if everyone is affected by this, but I have gained some weight from this experience. There may be several sources why that include: stress, time constraints, being tired at the end of the day, and not prioritizing my health over my work. I am doing my best to change this and get back on a healthier track.
- Stress – You will feel stressed 24/7. It can have a disastrous effect on your relationships and your health. I am always stressed. You just have to find your own way to deal with it. Sadly, I believe I turned a little too much to drinking and eating to relieve some stress. I am cutting back and trying to find new ways to mitigate my stress, but it is a hard journey.
Best wishes to all who are on the same or similar journey!
What are some things you have encountered and have struggled with? What advice do yu have to give to others to get through it?
The Millennial Investor 