FEED YOUR FIRE
As a kid, I loved waking up to the sound of distant lawn mowers drifting through my window, a signal that the weekend had arrived. Saturdays were packed with possibility. I would hop out of bed and spend whole days in pursuit of activities of my own choosing, playing “homerun derby” with my buddies, teaching myself to high-jump at a nearby athletic field, or listening to my older brothers’ record collections while studying album art and memorizing lyrics. Every few months, I rotated to a newly immersive activity. One season it was basketball, the next music, then reading, fishing, or golf. In every case, I loved what I was doing. I loved the exploration, the striving, and the opportunity to learn and master new things. Passion and joy drove me, not fear or obligation. I was free.
Forty years later, I still seek and enjoy that Saturday morning feeling, the “fire in the belly” that pulls me out of bed as I look forward to the activities of the day ahead. I seek it out in my relationships, in my work, and in my personal pursuits. I believe all of us yearn for the moments when we feel on course, called and driven by a sense of purpose, focused on what we are moving toward rather than what we are hoping to escape. This is the essence of entrepreneurial passion, a self-evident compulsion driven by instinct, needing no explanation.
Most of us, too, can identify with another feeling, more like a “weight on the shoulders,” a feeling of resignation and compliance, of doing a job because we seem to have no choice. It’s the hit-the-snooze - button syndrome, where we most look forward to the end of the day. When it comes to personal energy and stamina, the difference between these two states is like the difference between the Saturdays and Mondays of my youth.
A key strategy for building your own perseverance and performance as an entrepreneur is to know what activates the fire in your belly. As your startup road becomes more challenging: Why do you continue to care? What are your compelling reasons for persevering? What is it about your business that most energizes you? In what ways are your expertise and passion best utilized? On the other side of the coin: What issues and activities provoke frustration or fear? Where are your feet stuck in mud because of a lack of desire, skill, or confidence? How can you better align the goals of your venture, and your role in leading it, with your natural motivation and capabilities?
As I wrote in Chapter Three, founder readiness is more than a prelaunch issue. Your level of preparation and performance will continue to determine your venture’s health long after the launch button is activated. To ensure the best fit between your role and the needs of your venture, periodically revisit the questions provided in Chapter Three related to your purpose and goals, skills and experience, relationships and resources, and personal capacity. How are these factors playing out alongyour venture path? How can you maximize the fit and alignment between your goals, skills, and the needs for your new business?
