They say there isn’t much you can accomplish without passion. Passion gives our lives a meaningful direction and drives us to achieve the impossible. Therefore, it is undoubtedly an essential prerequisite for an entrepreneur to succeed. However, the key is not to cross that fine line and become so obsessive about your goal that you can’t see beyond that since that could be the beginning of the end for an entrepreneur.
There’s a thin line that separates passion from obsession. While “passion” has a positive connotation attached to it, “obsession” can make you completely delusional and disconnected from others around you. But considering entrepreneurship is not meant to be a solo journey since, all along you need the love and support of family, friends as well as others who matter, your obsession will only lead you to isolate yourself and prevent you from going far. Now that is certainly not what you bargained for!
There will, of course, be times when you need to put your startup before everything else, purely because a startup is, after all, like a new born baby that needs some extra dose of love and care. You might even come across as selfish at such times, but as long as you are able to make up for it at other times, those around you will certainly understand and support you. The key is to know how far you can take your passion without turning it into an obsession.
Here’s how a certain degree of passion and selfishness can even prove to be an advantage for your startup:
Truly Successful Founders Are Focussed And Individualistic Leaders
With passion comes focus. It’ll help you stick to the goals of the company and not get distracted by the criticisms, demands, and requests of others. You can stick to your plan and not get swayed by external influences. Being firm, decisive and individualistic can make you come across as a commanding and confident figure. So, naturally, people will look up to you and support you in realising your goal.
Able To Set Up Boundaries To Protect The Startup’s Interests
Once you know the target you have set for yourself and are determined to achieve it, you will automatically learn to say “No” to stay away from distractions. So, you cannot be manipulated or taken advantage of.
With clear boundaries set up, it will also be easier for other people like suppliers, co-founders and staff to deal with you. This can also help you negotiate favourable terms with investors during funding rounds which will not dilute your control over the way the business is run.
With no scope for ambiguity or self-doubt, collaborations with such startups become easier.
Also, this streak of self-assuredness prevents startups from chasing impossible objectives expected by unrealistic investors.
More Mentally And Physically Adept To Cope With The Rigours Of Running A Startup
To be able to cope with the bumpy journey of a startup fraught with failures, you need to be fighting fit. Most success founders who are driven to achieve their goals realise that taking care of their mental, physical, and spiritual health will ultimately transform into better performance at work.
This way, you can run your startup more efficiently and effectively and won’t burn out easily.
Conclusion
Life, whether personally or professionally, is all about maintaining a fine balance. So, if you believe that the only way you can make your startup a success is by turning into an obsessive workaholic and consider even those small and joyful moments with your family a guilty pleasure, it’s time to get your priorities right, because all your accomplishments at work will have no meaning if your personal life is not in order and vice-versa. Also, with obsession, an entrepreneur may end up taking emotional decisions, but with passion, there are more chances that you end up taking practical business decisions.
It is all about working smart and aligning your personal and professional goals, so you can lead a more wholesome life. While there’s no denying that there will be circumstances when you need to be selfish and put the startup first, don’t forget to make it up to those who matter, because your accomplishments will have no meaning if you have no one to share them with.
