By definition, entrepreneurship requires risk and hope, two ideas that hold uncertainty in and of themselves. When we venture out into the world of business in the hope of carving out a space for our ideas and vision, we end up facing an unknown reality—that’s a scary concept.
As a business owner and entrepreneur who often interacts with others in positions similar to my own, I think it’s safe to say that a majority of us feel like we need to control all the variables that make up a successful business. However, we soon find out that doing so is virtually impossible. Despite my best efforts, while developing my business and getting it off the ground, I ran into obstacles that had the ability to completely derail my plans.
But, I dared to face them, find solutions, and accept the things I could not control. By relinquishing my ability to control everything and learning to face uncertainty, I took a step towards growth and opened myself up to learning. In doing so, I put my business in a better place and grew as an entrepreneur.
With that said, I understand that the uncertainty of facing success or failure can be enough to stop a budding entrepreneur from going after what they want. As a practitioner of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I was lucky enough to learn at an early age that failure is a necessary aspect of growth and improvement. For example, without falling on your behind a few times, you never learn how to get back up and keep going—you never learn how not to fall. As an instructor, some of the most influential moments in the gym occur when someone fails and becomes more motivated to be better.
The same principle can and should be tied to entrepreneurship. If you’re looking to control every variable and unwilling to admit that you don’t know everything, then you’re effectively cutting yourself off from opportunities to learn, adjust and, subsequently, grow.
Few mistakes are irredeemable or irreversible, though that’s not to say they won’t hurt. Like a good fighter, you must learn to take the punches as they come, reflect at the situation, and ask yourself what you could have done differently to result in a more desirable outcome. Failure is nothing to fear. Fear is nothing to fear. Without it, we would never grow.
Originally posted on FlavioAlmeida.org.