If you ever talk to an entrepreneur who has experienced success….”perseverance” is bound to come up in the conversation in some form or other. It seems that without having the ability to stand your ground and fight for what you believe in, it is just that much harder than we believe it to be. To really get this point across, I recommend you watch the movie “Flash of Genius”. I will not give away the plot or ending of the movie,  but it is all about sticking to what you believe in, no matter what the circumstances, and seeing it to the end. It is true that sacrifices have to be made with some hurting in the worst possible ways, this will also prompt people to ask you to let it go. I know many individuals who launched companies, and when they did not see traction in the first couple of quarters, they packed up their bags and went back to whatever they had been doing before. Admittedly, in some cases the sacrifices were too much for them, but in other cases they just did not have the ability to hang in there till they reached whatever they were heading for.

I may sound as if I mean that making sacrifices is a trivial matter. It is clearly not my intention to do so. I understand that different individuals have varying degrees of responsibilities and priorities in their lives. I also accept that we make decisions in accordance with our value structure. However, once we start on the entrepreneurship path, one of the best pieces of advice that I could give would be, start as early as possible!  This is the only time when the major sacrifice that you have to make, your time (a non-existent social life is a close second) is possible. At this point of life, you  also have the capability and will power to hold on for a much longer period of time. Easier said than done I know! An attractive salary package on the cards is a tempting alternative offer, given that you may also be on the receiving end of family or peer pressure, specially in regard to putting off your plans for later. I would agree with your peers and family,  particularly if one does not know the direction you want to take . However, if you have managed to discover something you are passionate about, and have a vision for it,there cannot ever be a better time to start, than the present.

When you do start, plan for the long haul. Over night business success are as rare as lottery wins. Most of us have to slog for years on end before we see results. During this period, we will experience our share of highs and lows. It will eventually all come down to just how badly you want to succeed, and realize your true potential. When you know the answer to that….you will always want to hold on for as long as it takes to win.