Success takes persistence

In anything you do, to become a success you need to put in the time, energy and effort.

In Malcolm Gladwell’s book – The Outliers, Gladwell examines the factors that contribute to high levels of success.

Two Roads Diverged

His hypothesis is rooted in the understanding that for any one person to be highly successful (s)he needs to put in at minimum 10 000 hours into her/his craft. Whether it be an athlete or an entrepreneur. Practice, research and practical application will all contribute to a great future of success.

I have been thinking more and more of this subject of late – looking to understand my purpose on this earth and what I would like to be remembered for. I think this maybe as a result of my pending 30^th birthday in a month’s time.

If you take this process, breakdown your weekly spend at your pursuit, as an entrepreneur of 8 hours a day and 5 days a week (this is typically very low) – it would theoretically take you well over 5 years to make a success of things.

So that old age dictum of work hard, holds true here.

Looking back at my life, the building blocks that have lead to today, I wonder if there were paths that I should have taken but didn't. With no regret of the road taken, I do however remember – as Robert Frost once put it,

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both”

A group of entrepreneurs I know including myself, left great careers in corporate South Africa to pursue or answer a call to being an entrepreneur.

Not negating any progress made over the years, I do at times sit and wonder how my other path could have gone - where would I be. What kind of person would I be because of all those opposite or different decisions? Would I be happy with myself? Would I have the same or greater level of happiness? Would I have purpose in life?

Two mates of mine have in the past 2 weeks left their safe employment to start up as entrepreneurs - it is such a thrilling thing to see an entrepreneur born - born out of opportunity (necessity based entrepreneurial activities are quite messy and at often times very dangerous). I wish them great success but am also weary of the road they will walk with some of the challenges they will face - and will they come to the other side of it and feel it was with it?

I recently had supper with a dear friend - we have been conducting entrepreneurial activities for the past 5 years now, and as we st to chat, we discovered some very interesting tales of our comings up.

Years ago, trying to get a funding partner into our embattled construction company - at the height of the credit crisis, we met up a gentleman from one of the northern provinces of South Africa. (Not sure, could be Limpopo or North West), Notwithstanding, this was a cash rich gent who could save us from our current predicament.

His accountant had been sent a month prior to our meeting to review our operations and financial statements and we were now about to meet the man who could sign the cheque for us.
The meeting was at a high-end restaurant in Centurion, Gauteng - fully understanding decorum and a firm understanding our financial position, we knew we would be expected to order from the menu and we could not even afford the bottle water at the establishment.
Famished, as it was midday by then we decided to pick up a Boerewors Rolletjie (Sausage Hot-dog) - from a vendor on our way to the meeting.

Ensuring that we were adequately nourished we entered the meeting.

I really do not remember what we spoke about, or if we agreed upon anything - at the end of it all, we were not able to get any investment from this gentleman.

On a journey of a thousand miles, there will be such difficult steps - what we have learnt is that these have made us better and gave us a greater appreciating of daily success.