The grass isn’t always greener

DON’T COMPARE: NO SUCCESS OVERNIGHT

Entrepreneurs often blame their industry for their lack of success and switch, mistakenly assuming a different industry reaps better rewards.

During the course of an entrepreneur’s journey, there are more downs before the ups start and usually dismay and doubt starts creeping in. Even worse, an envious attitude towards other seemingly successful entrepreneurs begins to rear its ugly head, to the extent that one may begin to covet the other’s success. But be careful because all that glitters is not gold.

The grass always looks greener on the other side and as an entrepreneur you cannot look at your business and compare it with those of others. Why? Because journeys are different.

We all have different paths with different circumstances which contribute to the success or failure of whatever task we embark on. If you gauge your success against that of other entrepreneurs you are doing yourself harm, because the circumstances which could have allowed them to succeed at a faster rate are different.

I understand that competition and companies gunning for market share is important in business, but we have to remember that it is a process. No company achieves 50% market share overnight because necessary groundwork must be done, which consequently allows a company to compete at the highest level. But entrepreneurs seldom want to go through the groundwork; they want overnight success – and when that doesn’t happen they look at others and wonder whether it is better to change businesses and do what others are doing.

A systemic practice of entrepreneurs changing businesses, copying the next entrepreneur in an attempt to replicate success, has crept into entrepreneurship globally. Entrepreneurs often mistakenly blame their industry for their lack of success, therefore switch to the other side assuming a different industry reaps better rewards. But again, all that glitters is not gold and you do not know the intricate details of that industry that make it tick.

More so, you do not know what that entrepreneur went through to get to where he or she is … the sacrifices, emotional pain, ups and downs and whatever preparation they had to endure to equip themselves for that particular success. Success in any sphere of life requires one to be equipped for that particular task in more ways than one: emotionally, professionally, with a level of determination and desire to name a few. Therefore it is ludicrous to desire someone else’s success because the question you have to ask yourself is: am I willing to go through what they went through?

Have faith in your idea and chosen industry. It might take time but stick to it – and remember: just because you are not successful today doesn’t mean you won’t be tomorrow.

Munya Duvera is CEO at Duvera Elgroup