The Power of Disassociation: How To Find Success After 4 Years of Going Solo

The life of an entrepreneur can be a lonely one. You have to power through challenges, hard times and obstacles on your own, usually without support from family or friends.

Many of us have been in this place at some point. We reach a crossroads where we’re not sure which direction to take. We’re not sure what advice or guidance we should follow. At this juncture, after four years of going it alone, I’d like to impart some tips that I learned from my personal journey. The following are two pieces of advice that came to me after forging my own path for the past four years.

Stop Reading 100+ Business Books & Just Start

One of the biggest pieces of advice is to stop reading hundreds of books on business, entrepreneurship and success and just start. This can be a daunting prospect, especially when you feel overwhelmed with all of the options. But at some point, you just have to step out of the rabbit hole and begin to take action on the idea or project in front of you.

Reading is great, but no matter how many books you read on business, there will never come a time when you feel fully ready to start. But if you don’t start, then you’re not going to get anywhere. So pull the trigger! Take that step and start something instead of reading about it.

If People Root For You to Fail, Cut Them Out of Your Life

Another piece of advice I want to convey is related to the idea of success and failure. If people in your life cheer when you fail, or worse, take pleasure when you fail, make a conscious effort to cut them out of your life. Having a supportive network around you as an entrepreneur is incredibly important. If people actively root against you, then surround yourself with more positive individuals who are invested in your success.

Those close to you need to be building you up and not tearing you down. Identify these types of people, recognize their behavior, and remove them from your life for the betterment of your venture.

Forging your own path has its ups and downs. You have to take stock of tough moments and learn from them. As you transition from learning to doing, use the above tips to stay focused on the goal and remain undeterred by those who fundamentally don’t believe in your ability.