One Foot on the Gas, and One on the Brake

While visiting my husband at his real estate office in Sedona recently, I saw a woman walking across the parking lot, lugging a box of stuff toward the nearby coffee shop. She was had a tired air about her, yet a fluidity to her walk – almost a carelessness. Something itched at the back of my mind – what was this quality I was witnessing?

Then it hit me- she’s an entrepreneur.

I saw a beautiful stubbornness that I could immediately relate to: the absolute commitment to do ANYTHING in order to avoid being tied down to working for someone else.

Soul sister!

I have a special place in my heart for entrepreneurs, especially those who are taking their first wobbly steps towards working for themselves. I sigh with almost motherly pride when I see an entrepreneur set up an information table at a coffee shop, or in front of the health food store. My heart aches with joy when I see a man at a restaurant present his “30 second commercial” to his waiter. It makes me laugh – the inexperience, the tenacity, the enthusiasm. It’s all just such a strange and wonderful combination. We put our pride, our hearts, and our hopes on the line in pursuit of freedom.

And yes, I realize I am romanticizing. Along with my sighing and the aching, I know the shadow side. Sleepless nights from both success highs and failure lows. The ups and downs of income. The skepticism of family and friends who think we are completely nuts. On the down days, we suspect they might be right.

It’s no wonder we entrepreneurs often feel like we have one foot on the gas and one on the brake.

So how do you manage this sometimes gear-grinding feeling? I recommend having a laser focus on, and consistent engagement in, the things you 100% control over. To be continued next week…