Page 204 - 6 Secrets to Startup Success

Staying Power 183

opportunity to learn and master new things. Passion and joy drove
me, not fear or obligation. I was free.

Forty years later, I still seek and enjoy that Saturday morning feel-
ing, the “fire in the belly” that pulls me out of bed as I look forward to
the activities of the day ahead. I seek it out in my relationships, in my
work, and in my personal pursuits. I believe all of us yearn for the mo-
ments when we feel on course, called and driven by a sense of purpose,
focused on what we are moving toward rather than what we are hoping
to escape. This is the essence of entrepreneurial passion, a self-evident
compulsion driven by instinct, needing no explanation.

Most of us, too, can identify with another feeling, more like a
“weight on the shoulders,” a feeling of resignation and compliance, of
doing a job because we seem to have no choice. It’s the hit-the-snooze-
button syndrome, where we most look forward to the end of the day.
When it comes to personal energy and stamina, the difference be-
tween these two states is like the difference between the Saturdays
and Mondays of my youth.

A key strategy for building your own perseverance and perfor-
mance as an entrepreneur is to know what activates the fire in your
belly. As your startup road becomes more challenging: Why do you con-
tinue to care? What are your compelling reasons for persevering? What is it
about your business that most energizes you? In what ways are your expertise
and passion best utilized? On the other side of the coin: What issues and
activities provoke frustration or fear? Where are your feet stuck in mud because
of a lack of desire, skill, or confidence? How can you better align the goals of
your venture, and your role in leading it, with your natural motivation and
capabilities?

As I wrote in Chapter Three, founder readiness is more than a pre-
launch issue. Your level of preparation and performance will continue
to determine your venture’s health long after the launch button is ac-
tivated. To ensure the best fit between your role and the needs of your
venture, periodically revisit the questions provided in Chapter Three
related to your purpose and goals, skills and experience, relationships
and resources, and personal capacity. How are these factors playing out
along your venture path? How can you maximize the fit and alignment between
your goals, skills, and the needs for your new business?

American Management Association • www.amanet.org