I think therefore I am!

Well, eventually, Mr. Descartes was sitting alone in a world where everything may not be as it seemed…but then, instead of looking outward, he looked inward – at himself, and realized that at last, there was proof…the fact that he could think, that he had thoughts running through his consciousness, those thoughts proved he existed.

“I think therefore I am”.

Around about now I’m sort of expecting a big ‘So what?” from anyone reading this…

So what?

Descartes thought he existed, therefore he existed.

Being an entrepreneur and a successful one at that, starts at exactly the same place as our half crazy Mr. Descartes – he thought he existed, so he did. If you want to be a successful entrepreneur – you need to have that inward belief too. You need to know you are a kick ass, no holds barred, no obstacle to stop you, world shaking, entrepreneur.

You will have failures – guaran-damned-teed…and we live in a culture where failures are looked down on to the point where we deploy spin to prove they weren’t failures but success – sometimes we even fool ourselves. Spin, dodge and weave but in reality – a failure is truly only a failure when you fail to gain education from the experience – maybe you hate failure, but how do you feel about education?

Probably pretty good huh?

Thomas Edison made over 9000 light bulbs that exploded and failed to work – one after another – 1^st light bulb…pop…failed. 2^nd light bulb…pop…failed. Now you and me – maybe after 10 pops, perhaps 100 pops …maybe even 250 pops – we’d have raised our hands and said “I’m a failure! This is never going to happen…”

When Edison was asked if he minded having 9000 failures – rumor has it he answered – “I didn’t have 9000 failures, I learnt 9000 ways not to make a light bulb…”

So – as you start your business – seize onto those failures, both small and large, and understand them, dissect them, know them even more intimately than your success – they may not keep you warm at night but the lessons you learn, that help you to be a stronger entrepreneur – may do.

And if you really want to gain the best education from these failures make sure you OWN them – make them yours – what do I mean by that? If something goes wrong – if there’s a failure – don’t push responsibility for it onto someone or something else – that makes you a pawn, a person pushed around by forces beyond your control.  That is not you – that is not an entrepreneur – you are responsible for your successes and your failures – and you also own the education and thoughts you get from them – so you can use those thoughts to move yourself towards greater success – because…

You think therefore you are – so if you believe you are going to create your own success – you will. Mr. Descartes proved it more than 350 years ago – and a dead Frenchman can’t be wrong.

Do you think I’m half crazed? Let me know with your comments – does any of this strike a cord with you?

Descartes

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