Who better to tell you what it feels like(or takes) to survive as a start-up entrepreneur, if not someone currently in the struggle – or recently out of it? To get an authentic update on the situation in Nigeria, would you ask someone who travels once-a-year to Lagos on official visits – or would you ask your Aunt who LIVES in Lagos, and visits New York on business every other month?
The foregoing is why I chose to write about my experiences early in my entrepreneurial career, and not wait till I got “up to the very top” before doing so.
I wanted people who needed it to get it raw and undiluted, as I like to say (I also wanted to use my writing to put on record the struggles I passed through, and had to learn to overcome). It’s more useful that way!
NB: This is the second and final part of this article. Click here to read part 1 of this 2 part series.
Incidentally we need not wait until we have succeeded in achieving the goal we pursue before we write for others to learn from us.
For instance a person who never made it to the finals of the Olympic 100m, could use THAT thought to motivate him/herself to draw from his/her “failures” and coach a younger athlete with potential to win the gold.
Taking this further, a person who has “failed” in a bid to achieve a valued life goal could, with a positive mental attitude, articulate a set of learning points about what caused him/her to fail.
And s/he could use them to teach others(one-on-one or through a book or article) about what to do to increase their chances of success.
You do NOT need to wait till you become the Managing Director before sharing useful learnings about how to pursue career advancement that you pick up along the way.
This is because while you are BUSY “climbing”, others coming after you will be in the process of taking the decision to START “climbing”. And compared to you, will be LESS experienced or knowledgeable about what to expect.
Many of them are likely to appreciate hearing from you, up front, some hints about what they will face during their journey. They would also be grateful to learn how you dealt with the challenges that cropped up, plus what you think THEY can do to make good progress.
In my case, I began sharing insights gained from my experiences as an entrepreneur, back in 2002, my startup year – through writing articles and books, and in daily interactions.
Today, I’ve gotten lots of failures and successes under my belt that enrich my writing and speaking even more. And I have HIGH QUALITY tips I can give, based on what I’ve discovered works, and does not work.
I implore you to begin documenting as much of your own experiences as possible. This way, you can also become equipped over time, to share useful learning with others, and make their journey less difficult.
No one person has the duty of teaching others about how to succeed in life.
Every one of us can teach what s/he knows to those who need to know it by writing about it. The best part is that once you’ve written it, you will not need to write it again. All those who want it will only then have to go to the bookstore or website where it is available and get their copy.
I Found Supporting Evidence That “You Need To Write”, In Dr. Spencer Johnson’s Book: “Who Moved My Cheese”!
Now, here’s something interesting…
I got even more convinced that writing as early as possible in my journey was the right thing to do, when I read the little book titled “Who moved my cheese?” written by Dr. Spencer Johnson.
What follows below are insights I gained from reading it, which I believe will benefit you as well…if you keep an open mind that is ;-))
The Book’s Parable About Hem & Haw(2 little people) As Well As Sniff & Scurry(2 Mice)
The book narrates an engaging parable about 4 characters – Sniff and Scurry (2 Mice) and also Hem and Haw (2 little people).
The parable illustrates the various ways different people react to unexpected changes/setbacks that occur in their lives on a daily basis.
The author’s parable admonishes us(readers) to learn to laugh at ourselves, and the mistakes we make in life, (so as to be able to learn from them and “move on” with our lives).
Dr. Johnson uses the analogy of “moving cheese” to illustrate how our circumstances/situations in life will inevitably change.
The moral of the parable is that we all need to be prepared for those changes when (not “if”) eventually they occur. If we’re prepared, and we respond quickly and intelligently to them (instead of protesting and complaining), we will often find that we end up being better off in the long run.
Dr. Johnson takes the reader through a series of scenarios in which the 4 characters employ various methods to deal with the unexpected changes.
The 2 little people – Hem and Haw – unlike the mice, had major problems getting over the setback – and moving on with their lives. Not surprising is it? A typical human reaction.
Hem in particular remained adamant that it was “unfair” for the cheese to have been moved. And he prevailed on Haw (who over time became more disposed to trying to find a way out of the fix they were in) to stay with him till things “returned to normal”. Or at least until “someone gave them an explanation” for moving their cheese.
How familiar does that sound. Don’t we humans have that habit…!!!
Remember! It’s a parable, and if you think back to our lives as humans, you should’t have much problems recalling those occasions when you’ve been a complainer.
Sometime in the past(or possibly even now) you may have been just like Hem – who never saw any good in a change that affected you(in your opinion) “negatively”.
An example of such a change is a lateral movement from your job to another seemingly less glamorous one in your company.
Lest I reproduce the entire book here, I will get straight to the point I wish to make. At a point, Haw decided that since the mice had taken off in search of another cheese almost immediately the initial cheese had moved, he would do the same.
So, he left Hem, (after trying without success to get him to go along), sitting and complaining, and began his search.
“Haw” Starts Writing To Share What He Learns BEFORE He achieves Success
As he journeyed, he made a lot of new discoveries, gaining new and fresh insights that excited him a great deal. In fact, he found the learnings he picked up while trying to find new cheese so profound that he decided to write each learning on the wall(in form of a short phrase).
This was so that anyone who was coming along after him, would benefit from the knowledge he had discovered.
Examples of the phrases he wrote are: “If you do not change, you can become extinct”; “When you move beyond your fear, you feel free”; and “Imagining myself enjoying new cheese even before I find it, leads me to it”.
I have chosen to adopt the method used by Haw, by writing to share my experiences so far, for the benefit of others who might wish to also go into entrepreneuring.
Even before he found new cheese, Haw began to share the little knowledge he was picking up along the way/during the journey. He felt (quite rightly too) that there was no point waiting till he got to the “end” of his journey, and found new cheese, before he shared the little he already knew.
This was because he recognized that he was experiencing useful – though sometimes painful – lessons that could benefit others tremendously, if they knew them before facing similar challenges.
Final Words: Writing About Your Experiences, To Help Others, Will Rarely Be Easy…But It Will Be Worth It
I personally believe that it takes strength of character – and tremendous self belief – to repeatedly make out time to do this. Writing like I propose here involves sharing (sometimes) painful lessons learnt (through writing, and/or speaking), in the pursuit of a challenging goal(s), especially while still working to achieve it(them).
Another lesson we can take away from Dr. Johnson’s book, is that we can each move our own cheese(become “masters of our fate”), instead of waiting for others to do it for us.
Over a decade ago, I chose to “move my own cheese” by leaving the comfort of what should have been a comfortable job in a corporate organization, to follow my longstanding vision of running my own businesses.
I also decided that I wanted to spend much of my time, sharing with others about how to do the things I have achieved in various areas of my past, present and future endeavours.
We need to share information/knowledge and discoveries about life, and how to live it better, with each other.
We need to do so regularly, and with plenty of excitement and passion. Our actions in this regard must be borne out of a genuine desire to enrich the lives of others, and help them get ahead like we are doing.
The result would be a society in which mutually beneficial exchange of information takes place among people in a way that enhances social development, making life more fulfilling for every member.
A society where this happens continually, and spontaneously, would be a very successful one. Many developed countries are already on the path toward attaining this futuristic state.
Developing countries which desire to achieve similar progress, will need to challenge MANY MORE of their members to write MORE OFTEN. This would at some point translate to giving (more) public speeches, conducting seminars, practical workshops, coaching programs.
All of which would be done based on authentic experiences they have had, that when shared could empower others to succeed in pursuit of their life goals.
Here’s the mistake none of us should make. Let us NOT wait for the government, or those in “power” to start this. Let each of us begin to do what s/he can from his/her own corner of influence.
And let us who are like minded and agreed on this course, selflessly work together to do more of it over time.
Sooner than later, those in government will take a cue from us and either get involved or organize similar efforts to consolidate ours!
NB: This article is based on excerpts from a write up first published online on 18th August 2006, by Tayo K. Solagbade via www.spontaneousdevelopment.com and www.ezinearticles.com