In the past 6 years, I’ve been exposed to a lot of entrepreneurs - starting entrepreneurs, established entrepreneurs, employees who became entrepreneurs and more. Seeing all these in my social media made me follow more people, like more pages that talk about entrepreneurship.
I saw their posts about progress, hustling, travel - oh the travel and the lifestyle! What a joy to see that. I’d always tell Alla, “Look, x is at y.” I’d always feel happy for them and wonder if and when I could do those things too.
It took awhile. I’m not even there yet. But as we jumped head on to this journey, more and more opportunities open up, more experiences happen, more places to go to and see.
Then even as I’ve read about what goes on behind those, it’s only now that I truly see what it’s like. Long nights working, intense bouts of self-doubt, weekdays and weekends losing its distinction, exhaustion, getting up when you don’t want to and all the “ugly” and unglamorous side of starting a business.
That’s the thing, most of the time what we only see are the great ones, the glamorous side. Is it bragging? No. It’s sincerely being grateful and recognizing that these weren’t here before and now they are. It’s also probably the only time we get to pause and do that because during the unglamorous parts, there is no time, there is only focus.
This isn’t just about business, it’s about any venture you wish to pursue, whether it’s a change of career or industry, there would always be the unglamorous side.
Doing things you’ve never done before will never be easy. It will challenge you and it will push you to whatever limit you put up for yourself.
No matter how much people talk about it, those who haven’t dove in, still only see the glamorous parts. I don’t know why it’s selective but it seems to be that way.
If you want the glamour, the lifestyle, the freedom, accept that the unglamorous and sometimes painful experiences are a part of it.
