If you’re looking to forge your path forward, especially if you want to become an entrepreneur, you might be looking for advice on how to go about it. Unfortunately, there’s not always someone in your life to give you that advice. Kris Whitehead has developed several multi-million dollar businesses over the years, and here are three life lessons that he learned along the way.
The meaning of success is different for each person
While the definition of success may seem easy, it’s not always clear-cut. “Your idea of success for yourself is probably quite different from other people’s idea of success for you, especially family and friends,” says Whitehead. “You might think you’re a success when you start your own business, but your family might think you’re not succeeding because you haven’t gone to college or gotten married yet.” He recommends sitting down and determining what success means to you. “Don’t let other people convince you that your life path isn’t successful when you’re happy with your life,” he asserts.
Imposter syndrome can be a good thing
Imposter syndrome can make it feel like you don’t know what you’re doing and that you’ll never be good enough. It can make you feel like you want to give up because you’ll never be good enough. However, in some circumstances, entrepreneurs thrive off this emotion. “If you feel like you’re not good enough, you’ll always be looking to work harder and try the next big thing,” says Whitehead. “Of course, you shouldn’t feel like you’re not achieving anything all the time, but a little imposter syndrome can help you improve your work.”
Realism is boring
There are probably people in your life who will tell you to be realistic about your career goals. However, realism doesn’t encourage you to think outside the box. “You need to be pursuing your wildest dreams as an entrepreneur,” said Kris Whitehead. “Don’t let reality get in the way. You’ll never know what you could have achieved if you do.”
Starting your own business is scary. However, if you’re willing to come out of your shell and listen to life lessons from people like Kris Whitehead, you’ll do just fine on your journey into the unknown.