Determined to Do This?

From my years of consulting, I have learned that there are certain things that are sure tell signs of whether or not a business will succeed or fail. It has little to do with the business idea itself (though that is very important), but the most important sign that a business can succeed is the determination of the business owner themself.

Steve Jobs says, "I am convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance". Think about that statement for a moment...

Consider the perseverance of some of the most successful people in the world. Those whose names you know well. Benjamin Franklin, Martin Luther King Jr., Michael Jordan, and so on an so forth. These individuals were not known because they were great. But because they accomplished great things despite many obstacles. When things didn't work, they continued. When they failed, they tried again. This is the mindset that an entrepreneur must have. Owning a business is like a roller-coaster. There are many successes but also many failures. Many disappointments. Many obstacles. The question each entrepreneur must ask themselves at the very beginning of their business journey is how far are they willing to go to achieve what they want? Are they willing to, at all cost, push through weariness, frustration, delayed gratification, sacrifice, and all that comes with owning a business until it becomes profitable?

Owning a business will require mental fortitude. The question is not whether or not you can succeed - It's whether or not you will continue to do what is necessary until you do.