Entrepreneurs: a rare breed, or more common than you think?

by Daniel Brock

Posted: 16 years ago 40 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

Hello everyone!

I spent the first part of my day today contemplating what it means to be an entrepreneur(I know, it sounds really lame but it's just something I like to do).

As some of you may know, I have worked online for myself since the age of 16, so this whole make money online thing is 'what I do'. While I am new to IM, I have spent a lot of my time developing the mindset of an online entrepreneur.

Over the years, I have noticed that my friends and I are quite different in the aspect of how we make money/how we plan our future.

I have tried to inspire a lot of my friends to start online businesses. I have even sat there and planned out every aspect of the business for them, yet they never follow through. At the time of the planning, they always seem really excited, asking me all sorts of questions, genuinely seem interested in trying to make some money online.

Which is totally awesome - I so desperately want a real life friend who I can talk shop with.

But that's not the problem.

The problem is, as soon as I remove my influence - IE me not being there telling them what to do, the interest in making money online pretty much vanishes within a day or two.

A few days later I call them up to see how their progress is coming, and sure enough they are exactly where I left off, without doing any of the action steps I outlined to them.

I mean I give everything to them on a silver platter - 'do this, next do this, then this, then this', yet none of them ever follow through. And I'm not talking about setting up some complicated web hosting business or anything like that - just some plain old affiliate marketing where you write some content, add some affiliate links, build some back links and wait for the money to come in. Like honestly, it takes no skills at all.

So I think, OK, no big deal - maybe they are just busy that week. More time goes by(weeks, months), still no action.

Naturally, I want to know why, so I ask. Here is what they always tell me

"I've been thinking about it..." (God, that makes me sick!)
"I needed to make some money" <- Duh! What? do you think I do this stuff for fun?
"I started a new job."
"I just don't think it will work." <- What the hell?

Is this a problem with today's society?

I fully believe that there really isn't much difference between my friends and I(brain power, skill sets, etc). Hell, some of them are way more qualified to be doing some of this stuff than I am.

So what explains the difference in behavior?

Is it because we are programmed to work for someone from day one?

I can vividly remember almost every one of my teachers saying these phrases:

"When you grow up and get a job..."
"This will look good on your resume."
"What will an employer see in you?"

What about all those 'take your son/daughter to work days'? What is that???

Not once have I EVER heard a teacher talk about starting your own business. NOT ONCE.

Is this some sort of mass conspiracy to make citizens slaves??

I also understand that people like certain jobs, which is totally cool. But if you hate your job, or want more ways to make money, why not try and start your own business?

Can someone please enlighten me on the mindset of 'work' people who do the whole 9-5 thing?

I have never really done any of those 'job' things, so I have no way to understand the mindset of someone who does that.

Any input is appreciated!

Thank you!
-Dan Brock

#breed #common #entrepreneurs #rare

KenJ

16 years ago

I stopped working for other people 20 years ago. I am now unemployable.

I know too much.

People who have jobs want the security of a salary, paid holidays, pension rights, health care and so on.
To get this they are prepared to work for someone else.

I can't do that.

Thanks
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Daniel Brock

16 years ago

Originally Posted by kenj

I stopped working for other people 20 years ago. I am now unemployable.

I know too much.

People who have jobs want the security of a salary, paid holidays, pension rights, health care and so on.
To get this they are prepared to work for someone else.

I can't do that.

But...how is working for someone else any sort of security? You can be axed at will.

What if the company you have spent the past 10 years of your life trying to work your way up in goes under tomorrow? How is that any more secure than if you ran an operation yourself?

A lot of people are freaking out right now because they are worried about their jobs. That's not much security, if you ask me...

Sure, if you have a degree in whatever it is, you can get another job eventually.

But if you run businesses, you can always start another business, right?

CurtisN,
Perfect little mini philosophy you found lol.

Thanks
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ExRat

16 years ago

Hi Daniel,

just some plain old affiliate marketing where you write some content, add some affiliate links, build some back links and wait for the money to come in. Like honestly, it takes no skills at all.

I bolded the part where there is a disconnect between what you are telling them, and what they know to be the case.

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Daniel Brock

16 years ago

Originally Posted by ExRat

Hi Daniel,

I bolded the part where there is a disconnect between what you are telling them, and what they know to be the case.

I thought about this - as in, I have become jaded over the years as to how easy something really is.

Which is why I spent a lot of my time telling them EVERYTHING. Like setting up blogs, changing name servers, registering domain names, adding links, all of that stuff that takes some sort of before hand knowledge.

The only thing that I left for them to do was write the content and post it on their blog, which I already showed them how to do.

Really, the only thing they had to do was the work part of the business - writing content and building backlinks.

I even showed them where to get the back links from...

Thanks
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lenlatimer

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Daniel Brock

But nobody had to do that for you. That's the difference. If they were really interested they would be chasing solutions on their own and not being handed the solution.

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1960Texan 16 years ago

Originally Posted by kenj

I stopped working for other people 20 years ago. I am now unemployable.

Same here, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

I can only speak from my own experience. Working for myself means putting in longer hours than when I worked for others, more things to do, more things to worry about. It also means greater rewards, higher satisfaction, and more freedom.

The gentleman that wrote the Rich Dad/Poor Dad books nailed it when he said that schools train us to work for others. Many would-be entrepreneurs assume that you have to have deep pockets to start a business (I was once guilty of that myself) and curse not being born into different circumstances.

About ten years ago my wife and I started a service business with tools that we had in the garage and less than $100. Within three years we had sixteen employees and were clearing six figures a year after expenses.

Last year we sold that business for a very nice sum and invested part of the proceeds in a new, retail oriented business. We haven't recouped our initial investment yet, but I have no doubts that we will, and soon. We've already hired a few employees and will be hiring more in the next few months.

Now I'm getting serious about IM. A lot of the skills I developed as an offline entrepreneur will serve me well in this new venture. In my case, at least, once I learned how to make money it's hard to turn that skill off. I see opportunities everywhere. I suspect that this may be the case for others.

Will
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CurtisN

16 years ago

From Rousseau's Discourse on the Origin of Inequality (which I just had to read for a paper):

The citizen is always active and in a sweat, always agitated, and unceasingly tormenting himself in order to seek still more laborious occupations. He works until he dies; he even runs to his death in order to be in a position to live, or renounces life in order to acquire immortality. He pays court to the great whom he hates and to the rich whom he scorns. He stops at nothing to obtain the honor of serving them. He proudly crows about his own baseness and their protection; and proud of his slavery, he speaks with disdain about those who do not have the honor of taking part in it.

Freaking true or what?

Believe me when I say that I have contemplated what you are contemplating now and how to change it. I've come to the conclusion that we should let those stubborn people carrying on in blissful ignorance while telling only those who are open-minded about what we do.

Curtis

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Don Schenk

16 years ago

Dan,

You are thinking correctly. It is the others who have (and will continue to have) missed the boat. Then 50 years from now they will wonder "Is that all there is?"

You have the right idea. I can remember a time when I was 17 (I had been working for myself in my own little businesses since age 13.) and I made myself a promise that I would always remain self-employed.

I'm now in my 60s and have never written a resume for myself, nor have I ever filled out a job application. I wouldn't trade this for the world.

:-Don

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Daniel Brock

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Don Schenk

That's very cool Don! We sound very similar in the sense that we started young + we made a pact that we would never work for someone ever. You're still ahead by 40 years though...

I hope that in my 60s, I will be on some forum able to say the same thing lol.

tryinhere,
I think you are totally right about that. I mean, the interest that my friends show(looking back) was more of 'man I just want to make a lot of money and quit my job', and not so much as 'man I want to start an online business to make a lot of money'.

I guess that is a pretty big factor...

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tryinhere

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Daniel Brock

tryinhere,
I think you are totally right about that. I mean, the interest that my friends show(looking back) was more of 'man I just want to make a lot of money and quit my job', and not so much as 'man I want to start an online business to make a lot of money'.

I guess that is a pretty big factor...

No Daniel, this is where its at, I have spent years training sales staff, and many will even talk the talk, and for many years i would spend hours going to their houses, work sites , offices training them, handing goldmines to their laps, and as soon as i turned my back or stopped helping them everything else stopped as well and it all fell over.

It took me many years to learn i was wasting my time and that while it was OK to give an outline or basic help, but i never helped anyone again, unless they were prepared to help themselves.

Look for the signs and you will spot the right people to help, they will come to you, not you to them, there are 2 types of dreamers those who dream in fairyland and never get past the talk stage and those who visualize a future and walk the walk.

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ExRat

16 years ago

Hi Daniel,

Really, the only thing they had to do was the work part of the business - writing content and building backlinks.

I even showed them where to get the back links from...

Those are still skills, which are a lot easier to complete and a lot less daunting to carry out when you know what you are doing, are experienced, and can easily see the big picture.

The world is full of things that are not easy to accomplish (for a variety of reasons) when you have only been shown what to do. In other words, just because someone has been shown how to do something, does not mean that they will find it easy (or possible) to complete.

If you were to stay 'with' them, while they actually complete the tasks for the first time, the problems they encounter become a lot clearer.

Here's a typical example - I find that the average newcomer gets totally flummoxed on the most basic issues - EG - on day 2 they can't locate any logins/passwords because they don't practise basic organisation.

They need to be taught basic PC tasks like - folder organisation/retrieval/naming techniques, or how to install and use roboform - because they initially treat their PC like a wardrobe - throwing stuff in there randomly and wondering why they can't find ANYTHING later.

So if you consider this, you'll see that things like FTP or html for hyperlink creation are completely overwhelming, and need to be introduced slowly over time. It might not be that they are unambitious, but they are completely overwhelmed. And as you mentioned -

I have become jaded over the years as to how easy something really is

I would suggest that that is the case. I have only ever spent time training anyone who demonstrates a burning desire to change their situation - because I know in advance that they'll quit at the first overwhelm, when in reality they need enough of a desire to get through continual overwhelm. That's actually quite rare in my opinion.

As some of you may know, I have worked online for myself since the age of 16, so this whole make money online thing is 'what I do'.

I've done all sorts - online & off, rat & exrat - I reckon if you were thrown into the rat race tomorrow, you'd be overwhelmed quite quickly and it would probably help you to understand those people more. You'd still wonder why on earth people put themselves through it though.

Thanks

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Hesaidblissfully 16 years ago

Most people are followers, not leaders. Not only that, but most people are CONTENT with being followers.

Why?

Being a leader entails a level of responsibility that people would rather avoid. And because enterepreneurs are leaders (or at least the leader of their organization), people avoid becoming entrepreneurs. Sure, they like the IDEA of it, but once the reality sets in, they back off. They'd rather let someone else be responsible for their lives because it seems easier.

Besides that, a lot of it has to do with belief systems. I don't think entrepreneurs are a different "breed" than non-entreprenuers. They've just adopted a different set of belief systems, values and realizations over the years. (For example, "I have more control over my destiny if I have my own business, rather than working for someone else", or "if I don't take action, I don't get results").

Either the entrepreneurs had better role models growing up, such as their parents or other adults in their lives owning a business, or they encountered other materials (books, courses, etc.) that installed entrepreneurial belief systems and values in them.
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tryinhere 16 years ago

the part where you hand your mates on a platter stuff is simple, you will never get them to do what they do not want to do themselves. stop wasting your time even trying to help them out.

Enjoy them as your mates and do mates things with them, but leave it at that, then go home an keep building your business. When they come to you and ask, then they will be ready to learn.
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lenlatimer 16 years ago

One more thing - if you want to to actually do something with it, then charge them.
Free advice receives no credit.
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Slin 16 years ago

It's just a common viewpoint, work hard, go to college, get a job, make money, retire.

Nothing wrong with it, my parents did it, worked great for them!

I had a teacher that was an entrepreneur, he taught me a ton, I found out my parents too knew most of this stuff. They just didn't want to.

Believe it or not a lot of people actually like their jobs, they don't feel like slaves to their work.

I think the only wrong information given in schools is that it is risky. A lot of teachers used to tell me that owning my own business would be hard work and a lot of risk. Fortunately this doesn't seem too true so far. (When I worked in BIOTech it was just as hard of work)
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MorpheusMirror 16 years ago

Daniel,

The people who were the biggest pain in the neck for my many entrepreneurial pursuits were "friends" and family. Mostly out of jealousy. It would not bother me but some can be quite back biting and terrible when they see that all of the crazy ideas they were laughing at start to become real. Then you see the greed in their eyes and then I have to let them go. The last couple of years have been lonely but I have been making new friends with like dreams and ideas.

morpheusmirror
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thedogtreatjar 16 years ago

This is a great thread. And yes, there is something to our school system and social networks that breed corporation. So unfortunate since we all know that small business is the cornerstone of America... sorry for those outside the US, I can't really speak for any of you.

For me, it is more than a drive or passion... it's a calling

My best advice is not to sell it. If your friends have the spirit to make money online or run their own small business you won't have to do much beyond mentioning your work. Those that are successful, I believe take the smallest idea and run with it.

It's great that you are willing to help someone along, I have done that countless times myself... but, don't let it bum you out or get frustrated. I have done that countless times too!

I am such a control freak, which bleeds into my micro-managing... but it also hurts my ability to be in situations like this. If I tell you an idea for a business and I lay out all the plans for you... and you don't run with it... I might not be calling you for a while...

So good for you to roll with the punches!

Many Smiles and Happy Thoughts,
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- JohnMcCabe 16 years ago
  
  Daniel, back in my mlm days we used to call what you are describing "pushing a rope"...
  
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MichaelHiles 16 years ago

Not knowing if you're US or not, do some quick research on the percentage of the US economy that is based on small business.

Then ask yourself about whether or not entrepreneurism is dead.
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JeffLam

16 years ago

Daniel,

Firstly, the thing about trying to push your friends to get on the online business thing is similar to marketing (more specifically, online)..

..to have great success with marketing, you market only to people who need/are interested in what you have.

Your friends, like what you say, are like majority of the 90% of the population out there in the working and civilised world.

The answers to your questions as to why they rather do so?

Read Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.

In it you will find out the 4 different attitudes towards earning money.

Amongst other things, he also state this:

There are 3 things that determine our goals..they are to be:

1) Secure
2) Comfortable
3) Rich

Hence, depending on how you priortize the above 3 pointers, he says, it will determine if you will be rich at all. To note: ALL 3 pointers are important. It is just how you prioritize them.

Most people, who love to find a 9-5 job working for someone else, tend to prioritize it like this:

1) Secure
2) Comfortable
3) Rich

They seek security first, followed by comfort in earnings and probably repitition of what they do (forming habits, old routines, etc) and then TRY to get rich.

It's not impossible to get rich this way (if your profession is a high paying one like doctors, lawyers, bankers)..it just takes longer.However, he says those with the drive to be rich (and more likely to be entrepreneur) think this way:

1) Rich
2) Comfortable
3) Secure

If you think about it this way: YES, entrepreneurs DO think like that.

They prioritize rich over comfort and security when they sacrifice other aspects of things to work their ideas out.

They prioritize rich over comfort and security when all day their mind can only think of ways to getting rich rather than finding a steady 9-5 low-medium paying job.

They prioritize rich over comfort and security when they take large risks daily with their money in investing in themselves or their business with a chance to not make any money out from their ventures.

They prioritize rich over comfort and security when they work tirelessly on their business or ideas rather than a 9-5 job with a predictable working timing and predictable routines and things to do with predictable end results and predictable personal time.

I found on Google a small excerpt of the part he said it in the book here:
The Choice, Rich Dads Lessons On Investing Began

Now, the question of online entrepreneurs is one that many Warriors face: How to make people believe what you do online really can be taken seriously and makes the dough.

But honestly, we all know it doesn't matter as long as we are succeeding.

That is the entrepreneur spirit.

As long as we reach our goals and see our dreams realized, it doesn't matter.

Except family and friends and happiness and all that good stuff of course. But we still want more money right..?

Thanks
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Kevin AKA Hubcap

16 years ago

Hi Daniel,

I'm going to approach this from a different angle.

When I was growing up (since the age of 12) all I wanted to do was fly airplanes in the U.S. military.

I had no intentions of starting a business and truthfully didn't want to hear much about it.

After I accomplished my goals I realized that I wanted more say over my life (including the ability to earn more without waiting for the next increase in grade).

I left the military a few months before 9/11 so any thoughts I had of flying for a major airline went out the door so I took up something that always interested me--video--specifically digital video.

I thought it was great that I could shoot using a digital camcorder and edit on a desktop (something that a few years prior would have required a significant capital outlay).

From video I came here to the web.

Maybe your friends have different aspirations and can't "see" what you're saying because they're not looking in your direction.

Also- I know we're online marketers but there are plenty of offline businesses that pull in big bucks. Starting something offline might be more suitable for your friends.

Just my .02

Kevin

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Kay King

16 years ago

Which is why I spent a lot of my time telling them EVERYTHING. Like setting up blogs, changing name servers, registering domain names, adding links, all of that stuff that takes some sort of before hand knowledge.

The only thing that I left for them to do was write the content and post it on their blog, which I already showed them how to do.

Consider that from where your friends stand not only may they be totally confused as Roger mentioned - but they may see what you are "giving" them as just work they don't get paid for.

If they don't have to think for themselves, plan for themselves - but only do what you tell them to do....not much different from a job to them.

Suggest you enjoy your friends for the qualities that made them friends in the first place. For IM, get to know other IMers and make some new marketing friends that you can discuss IM with. It's the best of both worlds.

kay

kay

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Daniel E Taylor 16 years ago

Why do "Entrepreneurs" feel like they are "Saving" people
by trying to force them to do something they don't want to
do.

Just because you HATE working doesn't mean everyone else
does.

The problem I see with many Up and Coming entrepreneurs such
as yourself still don't really get it yet.

Nothing can get accomplished without many people working
together following a vision.

Everybody can't be a leader in a company, and everyone doesn't
want to.

Many people just don't care about building a business. It's not
something they are interested in.

What if everyone was forced into training to become an
NFL player?

Be pretty stupid right?

Let people live man. If people didn't work you wouldn't have food
on your table, a laptop to work on, or a house to live in.

This egotistical entreprenuer stuff gets pretty old after you begin
to understand how things really work, and we all need each other,
down to the warehouse worker.

There are some people who complain all day about their jobs.

NEWSFLASH >>>> It isn't the job that is making them complain.

They are people who like to bitch and complain. If it's not the
job. It's something else.

If someone gets the desire to stop working and start their
own business... Great.

If they choose to work a 9-5 and just have a family. GREAT.

No need to talk down about people because they
don't want to live YOUR DREAMS.

Daniel
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keerthana 16 years ago

Most of the times free advice receives nothing noteworthy
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Vagabond 007

16 years ago

Most everything has been said already. I would add that most people see the money and "lack of work" and think that's what they want....to work at home and make a ton of money.

Little do they know none of us roll out out bed and automatically have tons of money in our accounts. Before someone picks that apart, yes I know some people DO live that life. But they weren't there on day 1.

My ex always said how I "played on the computer while she was out working all day".

For a lot of people, I think it usually goes like this...

"Oh, I want that!"
"Ok, do this, this, and this and you can have it."
"Never mind."

As others have mentioned, we NEED people doing the "9-5 jobs". I'm just glad someone else is willing to do it. Because I'm sure as hell not.

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Daniel Brock

16 years ago

Thank you everyone for contributing, it really has helped me out to understand the other side of things.

You all seem to have dwelled on the topic just as much as I have, which is cool to know that im not some sort of freak or something lol.

I don't have anything against people who work or anything like that, I am just trying to understand why someone would chose to work when they have all the tools they need at their disposal to do it on their own.

I definitely see the advantages from both sides. I mean running a business is pretty stressful at times, that's for sure.

And if you like your job, well that's a totally different thing. You are getting paid to do something you like to do - can't be that.

When you all say that I am just forcing the issue with my friends, you are probably right.

Some come to me asking how to make money, so I figured I would tell them what I think is the easiest way to do it.

I just wondered why no one would do anything with it.

I guess it's because they are just don't want to do it bad enough or are just dreaming of one day never working a job again.

Or that they simply just don't want to learn how to do all that so called 'technical' stuff.

Thanks for the input everyone! I appreciate it

Would be sweet to hear some more opinions!

-Dan

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JohnMcCabe

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Daniel Brock

You all seem to have dwelled on the topic just as much as I have, which is cool to know that im not some sort of freak or something lol.

...snip...

Would be sweet to hear some more opinions!

-Dan

Dan, you are a freak. It just means you fit in with the rest of this circus.

Here's a story for you...

Several years ago, I had to have the transmission replaced on my car. When I went to pick it up, it wasn't quite ready, so I got to spend some time with the young lady who worked in the office. She noticed I was a bit antsy, and asked what the hurry was - at least I wasn't at work. I told here I was just anxious to get out to the lake and catch some fish during the best time of day.

She lit up and started telling me how much she would love to have a boat and be able to take off and go water skiing whenever she wanted. She asked me what I did that I could take off when everyone else was working. So I told her...

Long story short, she declared she could never do what I did. It would take away from her time with her friends at the bar. And her darts league. And her bowling league. And...

She loved the idea of having a boat for skiing. Doing something about it just required that she give up something she wasn't ready to give up. Different strokes for different folks.

It's been almost fifteen years since that day. If I had to place a bet on it, I'd wager that she's still working in the office at the transmission shop, keeping her social schedule and dreaming of a day on the lake...

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Vagabond 007

16 years ago

Originally Posted by Daniel Brock

I am just trying to understand why someone would chose to work when they have all the tools they need at their disposal to do it on their own.

I guess it's because they are just don't want to do it bad enough or are just dreaming of one day never working a job again.

Or that they simply just don't want to learn how to do all that so called 'technical' stuff.
-Dan

Dan, it has NOTHING to do with IM. Or making money. It has everything to do with human psychology.

Example, most guys freeze up when they see a pretty girl they'd like to talk to. There she is, 5 feet away. She sure is cute. All you have to do is walk over and say hi. Then talk to her.

But what happens? YEARS AND YEARS of social conditioning come into play. The guy starts thinking...

"What if she doesn't like me?"
"What if I'm not tall enough?"
"What will I even say to her?"
"I can't just say hi. That's not interesting enough."
"She is so pretty, surely she won't go for a guy like me."

So what happens? Nothing. The guy does nothing.

Instead of walking over to her and going after what he wants, he let useless chatter stop him.

It was out of his comfort zone. And leaving your comfort zone is very scary for most people. It's easier to just stay where you are. That way, there is no way you can "fail".

If he just walked over to her and said hi but yet she wasn't interested, that would just reinforce the conversation he had with himself.

But why didn't he? After all, he had the tools at his disposal. The girl was right there. He knows how to talk. He knows how to walk. But even with all of that, he didn't do it.

It's just easier to avoid that scenario all together. It's easier to not go after what you want because then you will never have to hold yourself accountable.

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Fabian Tan 16 years ago

Great thread! I love discussions love these.

For most people, the only thing they look forward to is the weekends. They are not truly passionate about what they do, they are just ACTING like they are interested, because they need to feed their families.

This, is what 'bureaucracy' has accomplished. Able and willing citizens who will do 'their' bidding. In the past, most people were entrepreneurs. Everyone had to hunt for food, and then grow their own crops to survive. These days, most just want to work for someone else and make them rich. The reality is that for every dollar an employer pays an employee, he is going to make a profit on that dollar, if the company is even anywhere near a good company to work for.

Many will put on a brave front during the five-day work week and appear to like their job, because it will get them that next promotion, or at the very least, avoid getting laid off. Society is full of great actors and hypocrites. They are everywhere you turn.

Most people have been conditioned to work for someone else, and settle for middle-class mediocrity.

There is a battle between the rich and the poor, and the entrepreneurs and the employees. The only difference is, the rich and poor rarely mingle much, but entrepreneurs and employees can be in the same family, so it creates a lot of tension due to a clash of 'philosophies'.

Now, I have nothing against people who want to work a 9-5 and have no interest in starting a business. What I don't like are people who put down other people's dreams. If your family is against starting a business, prove them wrong. Don't be discouraged!

Mix with like-minded, real go-getter people, like here on the Warrior forum. Entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs (employees who do have an entrepreneurial attitude) and people who will encourage you. Avoid negative people at all costs.

My fellow entrepreneurs, keep fighting!

Fabian
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- mrdomains 16 years ago
  
  Hi Dan,
  
  You offer them "change". Change from who they are, how they live and what they will be. Personality change.
  
  For some people change means exploration and possibilities. For the vast majority change implies uprooting and insecurity.
  
  You also offer them a means of income which is not the norm. Make Money on Internet might be difficult for them to accept if their social programming is to fit into the norm.
  
  Many of them might very well be excellent entrepreneur material and would dive in headfirst if you showed them how to start a construction company or how to set up a local plumbing business.
  
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  Hesaidblissfully 16 years ago
  
  Someone brought up an excellent point as well, which is that as much as we as entrepreneurs may see the flaws in working a 9-5 job, somebody has to do them. We need people to cook our food, deliver our goods, build our buildings, dispose of our trash, etc. The good news is that anyone can choose to start their own business, but our society today was built on the backs of people choosing to work for someone else. It's up to the individual to choose which role they want to take.
  
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pwnzor 16 years ago

idk if thats just how people are or what...

But Im a lot like you, I've been making money for myself since I can remember.. when I was around 13 I had my own mowing business for a few years.. Around the age of 16 I started IM.

I worked one real job my entire life and I quit because I hated it. I cant stand knowing I'm making someone else money. I cant stand not being able to set my own schedule..

I HAVE to work for myself.
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- Andy Money 16 years ago
  
  Daniel
  
  I've been in this situation so many times I couldn't even tell you...
  It's really frustrating, especially when you have no one who understands what you do or who accepts their fate as a corporate slave for the rest of their lives. Egh.
  
  I've given up on helping any of my friends until they meet me at least half way or 3/4 of the way. I suggest you do the same!
  
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T2VSonya 16 years ago

I am the entrepreneur in our family. My husband likes a nice, secure 8-5 job with 2 weeks of vacation, health insurance, 401k with matching, etc. I feel like I'm slowly killing myself when I have a cubicle job. I'd rather work for myself. He says it is more secure to have a "real job".

The Wednesday a week before Thanksgiving, he showed up to work and was told they are closing his department and are no longer supporting his product line so please clean out your desk in the next two hours, you'll be paid through today... goodbye. That doesn't feel like security to me, but for him, it's the only way.

He's setting himself up to do some consulting for his clients left high and dry, but he doesn't want to do consulting full time. Even though that's really what he was doing at the last job, only someone else set it up for him and took most of the money. He's sending out resumes and hoping one of the contracting companies hires him full time while he "gets by" with the consulting for now.

He says it's about security and predictability, but agrees that this particular job of his wasn't that secure last month. From what he's said, I think he likes not having to deal with all the hassle of running a business. He likes being able to show up Monday - Friday 8-5 and do whatever is in front of him. He doesn't have to make sales calls. He doesn't have to do accounting or billing or collections. He doesn't have to do anything other than the software project in front of him. He likes that. Drives me batty.

I think it's just different strokes for different folks.
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Colton 16 years ago

Wow man! I only read the first part of your post but this is exactly down to a "T" of what I go through. I try to talk to my friends about getting into the making money online scene and they act somewhat interested but yet they don't push farther to get more info and really get going, and I'm always telling myself I wish I had just one friend that was like me, that had inspirations like me to do what I'm doing. I feel like if I had that one person that had these same online marketing thoughts that I have then it would be so much easier for me to really get the ball rolling and to just come up with even better ideas! This is crazy.
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mandela10 16 years ago

Awesome post, love it.
This is very disturbing to me because you are offering help to your friends and i don't give much consideration to that, while many others would love to have some one like you showing them the way.
There are lost of things in life that fits this same situation, but the world goes on, and as many have said already, we each have different aspirations.
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Neil Morgan 16 years ago

Great thread.

I think entrepreneurs have an extra bit of DNA that gives them two extra traits over and above mere mortals:

1. The understanding that there are no guarantees of success.

2. The ability to live with that while working towards their goals.

Cheers,

Neil
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rbecklund 16 years ago

I think being an entrepreneur has to do with being able to make your own decisions whether they are right or not, once you have that experience it's hard to go back to working for someone else. Many people don't want that responsibility, they want to be told what to do, they don't want to deal with the problems that occur from being in charge. They don't want to sign paperwork, they don't want to make difficult decisions, but they will gladly give you their opinion of what you should do.

Also, I think people don't like change and in business change is constant. I have a friend who is at the same job she professes to hate for years, but she won't leave because she doesn't want to have the hassle of finding a new one.

Both my parents had successful businesses so I saw the rewards of having your own business and how hard it was to do it. But they were the role models for me. I think most people don't see a world in where they can have their own business--they just don't see how it is possible.
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costos gohdohb 16 years ago

Most work 9-5 for someone. - therefore most think it is the right way to live,
moreover masses are confident that to have your own business is a SUPER hard & impossible thing.
Masses will never want to conduct their own SUCCESSFUL business (until they are forced! to do it) - not just because they're lazy but because they are afraid! to lose. full stop.
For all societies of the world this is a good thing to bring up their citizens this way - because such bringing up & mentality provide them with the CHEAP labour!!!!!!!, (& so on & so forth).full stop.

you say that you regularly push your friends to conduct I - business? - perhaps the main reason of this is you just don't want to lose your tight conneciton with your close friends - therefore you try not to be alone on the Internet top ...
but ... sooner or later - you'll see that pushing does not help you at all in reality - this is illusive
- are you going to push them ALL your life? including all your family members?

push better me! I do like to be pushed by experienced people!
all people can conduct their own successful!!! business - ALL!
however, some businessman believe women don't have to do it - - for a Long time at least! husbands will earn money for the family, & their loving wives don't have to conduct biz on A Large Scale!

even if something goes wrong & a man fails - - SO WHAT? go find the way!
make an invention - & you'll be ahead of your competitors
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yamahafzr 16 years ago

Here's one thing I've learned about being an entrepreneur. I consider myself one because I always and starting something up. But here's what it comes down to. You are either born one or you aren't. I have tried to teach my friends IM and starting online businesses and they just don't have the will to. It's not something that can be easily taught.
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