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Have We Lost What It Means To Be An Entrepreneur?

If you love the work and are fueled by the hustle then go all in and do it! But if you’re doing it to look sexy or to...

Photo: Michael Tandarich, CEO of No-Comply Designs; Source: Courtesy Photo
Photo: Michael Tandarich, CEO of No-Comply Designs; Source: Courtesy Photo

What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?

A lot of people think it means late night parties, in a million dollar mansion, with exotic cars and endless nights.

Log into Instagram and search the hashtag #entrepreneur. More likely than not you are going to see those types of pictures.

Personally, I think the word “entrepreneur” is over-glorified today.

And it messes with peoples heads.

 

What’s Your Entrepreneurship Truth?

When I first realized that I wanted to be an “entrepreneur” it was for two reasons.
 

  • I loved the work. I loved being the one in charge of my path and I loved the hustle.

  • I wanted to have things (e.g., cars, houses, more cars, dirt bikes, clothes etc.)

 
When I first started I kind of liked the work, but I was really doing it to get things. This led me to chase whatever option I thought was going to bring me quick money. From building iPhone apps, to creating forums and building SEO websites; these are just some of the aimless project pitfalls that I fell into.

The reason I went down that path was because I was stuck on my love for things and not the love of the work. I saw other guys online who had “made it” by doing those things. So, I thought if I could do them too I would have the things they had.

 

‘This’ Will Only Take You So Far

Being an entrepreneur isn’t about getting things; it’s about the journey, it’s about the work, it’s about the grind, it’s about the hustle.

See, you have to love the work you are doing cause the “things” will only take you so far. The love for the work is what keeps you going when you’re up late at night doing work when the world slumbers.

The love of the work keeps you engaged when you haven’t reached any of your goals yet and you don’t know if you’ll make it. The love for the work pulls you through, not the things.
 

Photo: © LoloStock
Photo: © LoloStock

The funny thing is people used to tell me this when I started my business. I would just sweep their uninvited advice aside. I thought, “I love the things enough that it will pull me through the hard times.”

Nope.

Why? Because when you hit days that you don’t think you’ll get those things you will just eventually give up.

You may also be stubborn like me and have to learn things first-hand. Which is fine, it just takes longer.

Bottom line is this. Being an entrepreneur, the journey is hard and long. Everyone makes it look sexy and hot. It’s not sexy, it’s not hot—it’s hard work and hustle. But if you love the work and are fueled by the hustle then go all in and do it!

But if you’re doing it to look sexy or to just get things, forget it.

 

This article has been edited and condensed.

Michael Tandarich is the CEO of No-Comply Designs, a creatively driven brand agency. Connect with @MikeTandarich on Twitter.

Love my family, but business is my game. Always hustling and I love exotic cars. Oh! And you should follow me on Instagram too @MikeTandy.

 

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