You want to pursue a big idea. Are you willing to hear hundreds of “no’s” on your journey?
You believe in something wholeheartedly. Will you still believe when no one else does?
You desire to make a million dollars. Will you keep going when you can barely pay the mortgage?
You long to spend more time with your family. Will you sacrifice some of that today in pursuit of more time tomorrow?
Why am I asking you these questions? Well, because I’ve asked them of myself. Many times. As a business owner, I’m faced with the harsh reality that the road between what I want and what it’ll take to get there is never paved in gold.
A while back I asked the question, “What pain do you want?”. This week Seth Godin talked about “pushing through the dip”:
“We know what you want to accomplish. We know how you’d like everything to turn out. The real question is, “what are you willing to push through the dip for?” What are you willing to stand up for, bleed for, commit to and generally be unreasonable about? Because that’s what’s going to actually get done.”
Growing a business? Seeking investment? Looking for support? Buying a new Ferrari? Anything you want – any measure of success, will require sacrifice, money, time, commitment, trust, belief in the process, trying new things, failing, and hustling/grinding/iterating to get there.
At Proof, we’re growing a big idea and new business venture that we’ll be launching in the coming months. The dip we’re pushing through? Do we have time? Will anyone buy it? Will they get it? Do we get it? Is it worth it? Why does it matter? What if it doesn’t work?
While we don’t have clear answers to all of these questions – because inevitably building something requires a journey through uncertainty. We believe in it. We’re willing to endure the “pain” to see it come to reality. And so, we continue to push through the dip.
Today, take a look at a goal you have. Just one. With that goal in mind, ask yourself what it will take to make it a reality.
Are you willing to push through the dip? Are you willing to endure the pain? Will you continue to hustle? If so, that idea, that goal, can – and likely will – become a brilliant, beautiful reality.