Foundations
Work ethic, Clarity, People.
Today, I was supposed to publish a post about patterns that put founders on a path to success or failure. While thinking about certain encounters that I had with entrepreneurs recently, I remembered some first foundational principles that I hadn’t shared yet.
They’re somewhat in the continuity of my previous post. It’s pretty simple, even obvious, but allow me to address them :)
Patience is not the ability to wait but the ability to keep a good attitude while waiting. Find your peace and then everything will fall into place, not the other way around. Until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moments, and know that everything happens for a reason.
This is the combination of a couple of first principles derived from quotes by Marianne Williamson and Albert Schweitzer.
Of course, it’s not all, but it defines the attitude through which we deploy our intentions and enjoy the struggle. I believe that we all need to work hard, efficiently, with commitment and clarity, and we must surround ourselves with the right people in search of a happy, healthy, successful path. Let me break that down in reverse order.
Success to me is how much people around you feel happy. It’s true in life and in business as well. If both your employees and your customers are happy about the way you treat them, then you can say you’re successful. Of course, if you can’t turn a profit, which directly threatens your existence, this whole image is obsolete.
Healthy is your ability to last. It’s how much success consumes your energy. Treat it as both a cause and consequence. You can’t be forever successful if you’re drained by it. It’s equally important to feel in great shape, as much as possible, in order to last.
Happiness is the connection with your inner self. It really comes down to the meaning of what we’re doing, if it is what we aspire to do with our life. This must be linked with the most critical aspect of all: the people who surround us in life and at work.
People. All of the above can’t be reached if we aren’t surrounded by people who share some of our aspirations, with whom we feel connected, in a safe place to share the ups and downs of our journey. Alone is not an option. Sometimes, entrepreneurs feel like they are lonely or lack resources. It’s really something to prioritize always: to gather the right people around us.
Clarity is the path you’re taking. If you’re going on a trip or for a competition, you know the goal, and the first thing you do is to study the terrain. And while on your way, you keep evaluating whether the path is right or not. At any given moment, you should be clear about your zones of confidence and uncertainty while navigating.
Commitment. Always bring your best self to the room, motivated with positive mindset and energy. Commitment towards yourself, the people you are working with, and your goals. It’s not enough to just want it. You must push yourself to it.
Efficiently. I see people put in the hours, but they lack effectiveness. They never apply 80/20 rules to what they’re doing. They aren’t organized properly to deal with their tasks, emails, and meetings. They haven’t learned to say no…
Hard. I understand that it may sound extreme. Hard doesn’t mean constantly and forever. It’s work ethic. It means that if there aren’t times, on a regular basis, during which you push yourself beyond certain boundaries, you’re not entitled to claim what other people have been pushing for.
I engage with too many founders lost in small details, delusion, or deadly patterns that repeat themselves. Often, if I look at the root cause of their issues, it always comes down to one of those principles. Most of the time, they lack clarity, surroundings, or a better way to work.
Clear the way of those foundational principles before everything else.