SIX awesome things you can NEVER do as an entrepreneur

Life as an entrepreneur. Freedom. No more 9-5 timings. No more bosses to report to. And the ‘bestest’ part? No more resumes to update. Ever. Life sure is great……. Or is it? Here are SIX awesome things you can NEVER, EVER do as an entrepreneur. Let me know how many of these you are guilty of!

#6: Sleep peacefully:

As an entrepreneur, sleeping peacefully through the night is an achievement on its own! How often do we wake up in the middle of the night (and at 2 AM and at 4 AM) to check our emails on the phone to see if our client has signed the contract?

#5: Watch a movie without being a critic:

Mea culpa! As an editor, my life is all about reviewing and criticising and offering feedback. And when I watch movies like Happy New Year, my criticism cup brimmeth over. I can never watch a movie and relax. And even if you are not an editor, most entrepreneurs are trained to catch flaws. (Think Powerpoint presentations!) We can never read a book, watch a movie or play a game without thinking how to make it (or market it) better.

#4: Ignore numbers:

For an entrepreneur, numbers are like manna from heaven. Pricing, ROI, EBIT, square footage, mileage, tonnage, shortage… (I just threw that last thing in for effect). Every day we go through numbers and cannot afford to ignore any of it. Add to these, the latest in the bandwagon – likes, tweets, hits, views, shares.

#3: Take the day off:

Sure you took a day off – back in 2011! I challenge you to take the day off, sans your phone, the laptop, the ipad, the Bluetooth device stuck to your ears, and the phone you use for your overseas trip (catcha!). Nope, cannot be done.

#2: Exercise for the sheer pleasure of it:

The typical entrepreneur exercises for results. Better abs, firmer pecs, faster time……..when was the last time we went for a walk because we wanted to smell the roses? I did, and now I want roses as colourful and as big as my neighbor’s!

#1: Quit your job and walk away:

Entrepreneurship is for life. Not a take-it-or-leave-it option. It is not a job, a career or a business. It is a lifestyle. And let me correct those who think we choose this life. No. SHE chooses us. Handpicks us, caresses us first, then wraps us in her coils tightly, throws us hither and thither, and just when we think we are taking in our last breath, shows us the ‘promising’ lead at the end of the funnel!

So if you are an entrepreneur, go back to your numbers and your powerpoint presentations. And if you are one of the lucky ones with a dull, but nevertheless steady job, get down on your knees and thank God. Before you take the day off, and catch a movie with your family.

Sigh!

This post was first published on Linkedin Pulse

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