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Here’s Why Startups Shouldn’t Take Early Success for Granted

Early success can cause waning discipline and profits. Here's how to reclaim both.

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2. Always measure up, never down.

Paying attention to those ahead of you can act as a catalyst for self-discipline.

I evaluate myself against the next tier of online writers and editorial directors. Such analysis shows me what I’m doing well, where I can improve and what’s holding me back. This isn’t about envy … it’s about ambition. Aim high. Measure up.

3. Go for broke, and resolve not to.

Entrepreneurship is ill-suited for half-measures. Some folks can straddle the line for a while, allocating their evenings and weekends to the side business. But if it is ever to become a full-fledged business, then a decisive choice is inevitable. I kept a comfortable corporate career for a while but move into full-time entrepreneurship over a year ago. The discipline surge was tremendous. My resolve for success has never been greater.

4. Create your own luck.

I believe in the axiom: “luck occurs when preparation meets opportunity.”

Preparation is rarely the weakest link in this equation. Opportunity is (or the lack thereof). So treat opportunity-identification as a business imperative. I cemented that view when I needed to recover my business trajectory. I created opportunities by a) sending out personal email feelers, b) posting more in relevant forums and groups (e.g. LinkedIn groups), c) exercising the audacity to ask for opportunities whenever and wherever I sensed a good vibe. Luck comes to those that sweat for it.

 

At this point, you might be wondering if early success should be celebrated at all. It absolutely should. But too much “high-fiving” and focus on illusions of grandeur is a grand distraction that breeds false confidence. These temptations often trigger a reckless loss of discipline.

I learned these lessons well during my first year as an entrepreneur. They culminate in the truth that early success is a power never to be underestimated or over-indulged. Beware and when in doubt — stay disciplined.

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Photo Credit: BBNY

Matt Gartland is the founder and editor of Winning Edits, an agency helping indie authors earn the respect they deserve by winning readers’ hearts and minds.

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