Photo by Daria Shevtsova

We’ve all had that moment when we’re witnessing the life of someone we look up to – whether a role model, celebrity or even a peer and we’re in awe of all they do and all they have achieved. From the outside it looks like they have the makings of an ideal life – they’re doing what they love, it’s making an impact in the world, and it all looks so easy.

However, in these moments, we’ve only seen the highlight reel of their experiences.

For every success or milestone moment we witness externally, there is a whole set of battles that have had to be fought to bring it to fruition internally. In doing so, people have built an immense endurance to life and all its challenges whether personal or professional that can be applied to whatever scenario you find yourself in.

Work From Your Why
Every social entrepreneur when starting outlines the vision for the product and service they are providing. It forms the core of the organization and a refined version of why they started this in the first place. So when penning down your ‘why’ make sure that it is an audacious goal because it is that vision that will keep you going through every rejection, every step backward and every challenge that seems impossible to face.

Your ‘why’ will serve as your center point, no matter how wayward you feel you are going, it will help you start over again and again. Therefore it needs to be so big that if you were to say it out loud to the world, people would think that you are somewhat delusional and crazy.

Practice: Every morning, let your first thought be your ‘why’ – set the day up to lead from the very thing that gives you fire in your belly.

There Is Only Plan A
We have grown up in a culture that encourages ‘Plan B,’ that makes you think twice about pursuing something and forces you to make space for a backup plan.

Think about it, all this time that we give to focusing on and putting together Plan B we could just focus on making ‘Plan A’ work. I often get asked this question ‘What if what you’re doing doesn’t work? What will you do then?’ To which I always respond ‘There is no room for anything else other than what we’re trying to achieve’ and in all honesty, there hasn’t been a moment from the time we first started that I even entertained the idea of ‘something else.’ So don’t even have a ‘Plan B’ in your periphery because you have to pursue ‘Plan A irrationally.’

Practice: ‘Plan A’ blinkers – sketch it out, write it, stick it on a post-it note, surround yourself with it so that you always sign posting yourself towards the goal.

Don’t Do It Yourself
Whenever we see a successful company or person, we often get the portrayal of a ‘hero,’ but behind the scenes, it takes a whole host of people to get that organization or person to the top of the hill, where we see them. All this to say – don’t do it on your own, if you’re thinking of starting a project or business or have already started find a person or people who will carry your vision with you. Surround yourself with people who will champion who you are and what you do as well as hold you accountable to your dreams. It is these people who will walk side by side with you through every single moment, who will bring the energy when you are on the verge of giving up.

Tip for those just starting out as a solo entrepreneur: find a stellar partner-in-crime, it will be one of the best decisions you make.

Practice: Share your goals for the month/quarter/year (you choose) with those you have chosen to surround yourself with, and set a way to make sure that you are being kept on track.

FROM THE EDITOR
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