The Hardest Part of Entrepreneurship: The Goodbye

The Hardest Part of Entrepreneurship: The Goodbye

How often have we heard the many quotes and clichés regarding leadership being a lonely road or the road less traveled? How many pictures and graphics have we seen depicting the lonely leader or maverick climbing the highest mountain, or navigating the open sea in a boat alone? Too often we read the endless flow of these type quotes auto posting Twitter timelines, filling Facebook pages, endless hashtag-carrying-quotes, and even being the signature post for email tails cell phone text strings (SMS). And what of these quotes? What was transforming in the lives of leaders (those who authored such quotes) whereby they produced such great, life-changing work that impacted global societies? I contend that it was the revelation of separating for change.

As entrepreneurs taking the necessary steps to educate and execute the varied tasks of starting viable businesses has been accomplished. No matter the industry, service or product, the guidelines for establishing a business is set; no reinventing the wheel here. But there were some things that were experienced that no amount of studying and training could teach – it had to be experienced. Successful entrepreneurs had to experience the gut wrenching –heart-twisting ache of separating from people, habits, processes, crowds and even some family if not all, to accomplish the goals necessary for building our visions and dreams. Great quotes are derived from great experiences. Marion Woodman said it best when he stated, “It takes great courage to break with one's past history and stand alone.” When you have to release the hands of those individuals or those old thoughts, behaviors, and way that no longer serve you can be rather frightening. This is a process. But a process when once lived you find yourself stronger, better, productive, moving (not aimlessly) with more direction and in purpose.
Becoming stagnant in our development occurs when we refuse to say “goodbye” to the friends, family, habits, and thoughts that continually perpetuate the same mediocre outcomes. We attempt to mask these stifled conditions with activities: meetings, conferences, shows, expos, endless networking events - we’ve done it all! 

It’s time for the “Goodbye.” It’s time to let the hands go. It’s time to lay aside the weight(s) that restricts movement, creativity, and advancement. It’s time to abhor rituals, habits and traditions that abort accomplishment. As Nate Sachs with Blueprint For Tomorrow would say, “Now it’s time to “work ON your business and not IN your business.”

It is time to tap into the new and changing landscape of philanthropy that has positioned itself to seek, support and embrace the 21^st Century social entrepreneur. It’s now time to plan with purposed precision. It is time to seek the unconventional in order to gain the stuff that dreams are made of. It is time to seek out the next revolution and we have to be in “front” of it if we are to expand our reach, our influence, our profits, and our giving. Building the courage to walk into your truth (purpose) takes much more time to build, when you don’t embrace the separation necessary for great transformation. I guess you could say no one really prepared us for the day when we would walk alone – they just assured us that by faith, we would get there. James Harvey Robinson concluded, “Greatness, in the last analysis, is largely bravery-courage in escaping from old ideas and old standards.” In moving forward, you have to be alright with the “goodbye”.