As an entrepreneur, you start a business with estimated financials, ideas of scaling up massively, and a vision. Then you open the doors, and bam, like a smack in the face nothing is as you planned. Customers aren’t flocking to you, and the first of many reality checks takes place. This will affect your financial estimates and your strategy for scaling, but it shouldn’t affect your vision.
I heard from the very beginning that you have to take actions according to how you see the company in the future and not based on the limitations you see in your business now. I was skeptical about this at first, but now know it is clearly the right way to build a business. It is amazing how in the day to day hustle you’re making small decision and taking small actions that seem unimportant, but when you string them all together toward a common vision, the vision starts to become real.
It will take years and great resilience on your part, but once you start to see and feel signs that your vision is truly taking shape, it feels amazing. Everything you have put into the business, without much validation, is now showing results. And the results start coming exponentially quicker, and the vision gains momentum. It is definitely the fly wheel effect. You feel like you’re getting nowhere for a very long time, but you don’t lose faith and keeping on putting in massive effort, momentum eventually takes over.
This brings a saying to mind from Bill Gates, “Most people overestimate what they can do in one year and underestimate what they can do in ten years.” This rings true everywhere, but especially in business.
Anyone can see their vision take shape, if they are willing to sacrifice and they are willing to withstand many reality checks in the process. Be flexible with your financial expectations and strategy, but be firm with your vision.