We often hear and are amused by the success story of the likes of a certain Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. These stories set our pulses racing and there?s a great rush in us to achieve bigger things in life. But do we? Do we go ahead that do what?s needed? More often than not.
So, what is it that sets us apart from the likes of people who inspire us?
We recently sat down with a young entrepreneur from Gujarat, Milan Shah, to discuss what he thinks about this phenomenon. Very much in his early twenties, Milan has been in the industry for close to a decade and co-founded his company, Alliancetime Media a few years ago. From event management to brand management to producing music videos with the likes of Chris Gayle, the young chap has a strong body of work. He says he never believed in academics and always focused on learning things the practical way.
?Entrepreneurship, you know, is a lot like jumping off a mountain and building a parachute on the way,? he says. ?I know it’s a weird metaphor but that?s what it is. You take a huge risk and figure out how to survive on the way, and eventually fly. And the adrenaline rush is the same,? he explains.
But can this mindset be cultivated? Milan nods positively.
Digging further, Milan shares three tips on how one can begin the journey. Here?s a paraphrasing of the same.
- Be open to learning, and unlearning at the same time. An entrepreneur?s role is to challenge the conventions and find new routes. So, you are always needed to keep exploring varying thoughts and opinions.
It?s always easy to start by following someone you don?t like for a few days. This will give you a wider perspective and understand where they are coming from. This now makes your decision easy and a lot healthier. - Focus on the story and not theory. Meet people, ask them what their story is, read biographies, go through documentaries. Most people learn best through the experiences of other entrepreneurs. Narratives make the theory stick.
- Practice self-discipline by adopting a daily habit to reinforce a new mindset. It?s fine if you start by picking a small task, but do start. And do-follow. This will help you act on what you?ve learned to live a new mindset.
Milan says that if there?s one thing that his experiences have taught him is that entrepreneurs need to be reminded to take time for anything that seems self-focused. As a founder and a leader, you throw all your energy into problems external to you: your product. Your market. Your team and your funding. But the most crucial part is to cultivate your mindset. It?s the most important tool you can bring on your quest to build and scale your product and business.