Be a Real Entrepreneur, Not a Digital Clone

Ever watch a toddler take a shaky step, stumble, fall, and burst into tears? If you’re human, it probably evoked conflicting emotions. While it’s fun to watch them learn to walk, it also sort of pulls on your heartstrings. You wish you could help but you know this is something they simply have to learn on their own.  

I feel much the same way watching today’s up-and-comers at work. It’s painful to watch them make mistakes, but learning through experience and figuring out how to survive the inevitable trials and tribulations of the business world are rights of passage they all need to get through on their own.

Sadly, I’m not nearly as confident about the vast majority of today’s entrepreneurial crowd. No, I’m not talking about real entrepreneurs who’ve founded startups with real investors, products, employees, and customers. I’m talking about the hordes of wantrepreneurs and posers who use titles and labels they haven’t yet earned.

The problem is that far too many of you are not learning through real world experience. Instead, you’re being indoctrinated through online propaganda. That’s not how humans learn to think for themselves and lead; that’s how mindless drones are programmed to fall in line and march in lockstep.

Related: The Simple Secret to a Happy Life

Don’t look around as if to say, “Who me?” You know what I’m talking about. Instead of getting out, working hard, and finding their own way in the real world, millions have joined the cult of clones marching to the drumbeat of the online social collective.

All the time you waste building your social network, courting followers, promoting your personal brand, personal blogging, taking online classes, going to “leadership” seminars, screwing around with apps, playing games, following causes, and buying stuff you don’t need, you’re really just slacking off when you know you should be working.  

And all the time you spend consuming and sharing self-help-style nonsense about personal productivity, positive thinking, emotional intelligence, life hacks, coaching, time management, inspirational quotes, and the personal habits of the rich and famous, you’re throwing away your only chance to build a real career.  

Look, I know the pressure to conform is enormous and the level of groupthink in today’s so-called entrepreneurial cultural is pretty much off the charts. But the great irony is, not only is that not entrepreneurial behavior, it’s exactly the opposite. Cultural conformity and groupthink actually stifle diversity and suppress innovation. 

If all the great entrepreneurs you seek to emulate – the Richard Bransons, Mark Zuckerbergs, and Elon Musks of the world – wasted even a fraction of their precious time on all that fluff instead of working their tails off developing products customers love and building their companies, you never would have heard of them in the first place.   

Related: 10 Myths About Successful CEOs

Real entrepreneurs are unique individuals who think and act differently, shatter the status quo, develop breakthrough products, and lead customers in new directions. They don’t follow the crowd. They don’t do what everyone else is doing. And like it or not, that’s exactly what most of you are doing. You’re simply following the crowd.  

I know you probably see yourself as an entrepreneur, a leader, a risk-taker taking control of your own destiny. If that’s ever going to be true then it’s long past time you quit drinking the Kool-Aid and got to work. Quit hiding behind a display and get out in the real business world. Launch a product, build a company, and grow your business. Be a real entrepreneur, not a digital clone.  

Either that or get a job in a field that interests you and start building your career. You’ll meet lots of great people and gain exposure to all sorts of ideas and opportunities. And if you work hard and make smart decisions, you’ve got a very good chance of discovering what you love to do and having a fulfilling career. And you may even end up running your own show after all. That’s how it happens for most real entrepreneurs.  

Look, you only get to do this once and the outcome depends entirely on the choices you make. If there’s something you’re passionate about, something you’re driven to do, then do it and see what happens. But if you’re following the crowd because you think that’s what you’re supposed to do, the only choice you’re making is giving up your free will. And that never ends well.  

Steve Tobak

I'm a self-made millionaire, and here are the 10 best pieces of advice I can give you about money

About six months ago my wife and I decided to turn our North Georgia summer retreat into our full-time residence.

We decided to make a few changes to the property now that we would be living in it year-round.

As I was getting into my car one morning, three of the workers paused from what they were doing and stared me down.

I stopped and asked if everything was ok and one of the men said, "It's not fair. You have this beautiful home and a nice car while we are stuck doing hard labor for just a little more than minimum wage."

I approached the men and we ended up speaking about building wealth for more than an hour. I shared with them that life wasn't always this good, and at one point I was $50,000 in debt and didn't know how I would climb out of it. The men shook my hand and thanked me for sharing my insights.

Fast forward to this morning and I was again about to get into my car. A man driving a truck down the street stops in front of my house and yells, "Mr. Siebold, I took your advice and started my own company. I have five employees working for me and business is booming. My family and I are experiencing freedom like we never thought possible."

He continued, "Please share your words of wisdom with others."

So moved that this man turned his life around, I'm now going to take his advice and share the takeaways from that conversation six months ago:

1. In a free market economy, anyone can make as much money as they want.

2. Your background, highest level of education, or IQ is irrelevant when it comes to earning money.

3. The fastest way to make money is to solve a problem. The bigger the problem you solve, the more money you make.

4. Don't listen to the naysayers who tell you that life is supposed to be a struggle and that you should settle and be grateful for what you have.

5. Expect to make more money. For this one you have to think big. $100,000, $500,000, or why not $1 million?

6. Lose the fear and scarcity mindset and start seeing money for all the good things: freedom, opportunity, possibility, and abundance.

7. Being rich isn't a privilege. Being rich is a right. If you create massive value for others, you have the right to be as rich as you want.

8. Don't wait for your ship to come in. You're not going to be discovered, saved, or made rich by an outside force. If you want a lot of money, build your own ship. No one is coming to the rescue.

9. Stop worrying about running out of money and focus on how to make more. Constantly worrying about money is no way to live. Dream about money, instead.

10. Stop telling yourself that getting rich is outside of your control. The truth is that making money is an inside job.

Just like the man working at my home six months ago who was frustrated over his finances and held a grudge against the rich, you too have the power to change your financial situation around. Maybe you've been living in debt for years or maybe you've just dreamed of having more; it's all possible if you make the decision and really set your mind to it.

Steve Siebold