Come for the Ride!

Every now and then, entrepreneurs sit and reflect on their mistakes and takeaways. If things get really bad, we sometimes question the American Dream. Is it destined to just be a dream?

I came across an interesting article today on Seattle 2.0 by @evilbeet about the obsession that many of my entrepreneurial friends have about being successful and rich. In it, it states that we have been shaped by media, our peers and other forces to build our own solutions and be uber successful if we can.

I admit, making money or creating something REALLY useful from nothing is a really compelling reason to set out on your own. After all, like Russell says,

Being an employee without a stake is like playing poker for monopoly money. After a while, there is no thrill. I’m just going through the zombie motions, counting the days and the dollars in my account until I can drop out, start a company and feel alive again.

But why do so many of us chase this dream giving up almost everything else just to achieve it? Are programs still in place to make sure smart people have a good shot at winning? Despite how civilized the start-up environment is, sometimes I can’t help but feel like we are all storming the <insert beach massacre of your choice> beach during WWII. You see so many people rushing to reach the goal and failing, yet if you play it smart and learn from others’ mistakes, you may just get a shot. One heck of a way to reach the end right?

For me, the entrepreneurial way is the one great equalizer in America. It doesn’t matter if you’re 8th generation immigrant or 1st (unless you’re in Arizona), if you can make something compelling that has demand, you can shoot to the top in a matter of years instead of generations. Of course, you still need good networking and a bunch of other resources… but they’re out there if you know where to look.

But is it okay to want to set out on your own and not be rich? On one hand, we can’t all expect to be at the top but on the other hand, what’s the point? The alternative isn’t so bad… work in an office and take home steady pay. The alternative certainly allows more time with your loved ones and perhaps, less gray hairs.

Why do you choose to fight the fight? What’s your motivation?

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