The Harsh Truth About Getting Into Business: Set Real Expectations

There are lots of people wanting to get into business or become entrepreneurs. I want to give you something most people will never give you-realistic expectations.

Here’s the truth:

If your goal is to make fast cash, business probably isn’t for you. The notion that you put in little money and get up and running within an hour to start printing cash is just a dream. Can it happen? Yes, I’ve seen it. However, usually such stories have a heavy dose of luck involved, and luck is not a strategy.

Business is a mid- to long-term investment.

If you are not properly funded, don’t know what you are doing, or are unwilling to learn and evolve quickly, it will eat you alive. It is not a matter of being dumb or talentless that causes people to fail; instead, it is because they never packed for a marathon, but only prepared for a sprint.

• Imagine that: You start with capital.
• You need knowledge.
• You need staying power.

A reasonable expectation to impart is that, if at all you do the right things—which here means working hard, being focused, staying consistent, and constantly learning—then you might start to reap some meaningful returns in three to five years. For most people, it is five to ten.

Why that long? Because business fluctuates. It is practically one of the riskiest investments one could ever make. Should you make it to the top, it can release rewards that somehow change your life, grant you freedom, ample financial upside, and the pride of erecting something real.

But make no mistake: it’s not easy. Not.

Building a business will require resilience, grit, discipline, and an enormous amount of hard work. There will be failures, setbacks, and moments when you will doubt your choice. But if you continue showing up, stay consistent, stay focused, and keep staying the course, you will one of the very few who actually gets to taste the fruits of their labour.

And trust me, it’s worth it.

Stay in the fight.
– Nick