Be an Entrepreneur, Stop the #grind

• Are you a “serial entrepreneur”?
• Do you #grind 24/7/365?
• Is the key to your success the #hustle?

Then you might need to stop and reflect on whether you’re on an entrepreneurial path to success, or just a glorified social showman with no tangible plan to have a sustainable business.

In the business world, one often hears certain mantras about hustlers. There’s a sense that hustlers don’t have the patience that entrepreneurs do. Just like entrepreneurs, they take risks but, without the careful considerations that entrepreneurs take. They jump at opportunities and often take offense when others don’t share their own passion and belief in their business.

Hustlers are thought of as great networkers. They’ll bring up their business in random conversations with random people. But this is also their flaw, they are terrible at prospecting. The basis of their networking often relies on their target’s fear-of-offending. Shoving business cards or forcefully connecting via social media, is not networking.

Which brings us to a much lauded hustler attitude: Hustlers never quit. On the surface it sounds like an admirable characteristic but, it reveals that hustlers lack the wisdom to realise when it’s time to pivot or quit. Hustlers are laser focused but, Hustlers are focused on the short-term. They spend little time reflecting on failure and often repeat the same mistakes over and over, blinded to a long-term vision.

In summary, a hustler hustles for the hustle. There’s no plan, no path, no reflection. Whereas an entrepreneur has a goal in mind, plans for that goal, takes action to achieve that goal, constantly reflects on the long-term, and importantly: an Entrepreneur is a nurturer. A great entrepreneur is passionate enough about his business to put the necessary energy into it to make it succeed but, emotionally distant enough to take the necessary steps to adapt.