Why do so many people think that a true entrepreneur is defined by the struggle they endured in the building or pursuit of their dream. Like why has the story of being homeless, sleeping in your car, drowning in debt, walking away from your job, being piss pour the requirement to being successful. And if your story don't contain all those components then you not on your way to the mountain top yet, no you have to get mauled by a lion before you access the perverbial top.
And what's with the whole you gotta be broke the first 5 years and cant socialize whatsoever. Don't you dare go to one brunch the whole year, don't go see a movie, hell just don't eat. Hustle hustle hustle for the vision. And... it will take at least 10 years before you see the fruits of your labor. What! Why?? Like that is the most ragady ass message that's conveyed in the entrepreneur world. And truthfully it is so intimidating that it may be what keeps most from even trying.
Are there a lot of stories with those experiences, yes. Are they all the stories, no. And I just refuse to accept that its a requirment to be mine. Will the experience of struggle help me to appreciate the "success" yes of course. But I don't have to keep putting myself in a finacial bind to stay relevant to the worlds measure. I don't have to only get 4 hours of sleep to hustle hustle hustle at these early stages of building. I'm laying bricks, I can't do it all, nor am I willing to kill myself mentally, emotionally and physically to lay said bricks at a faster pace. I'm not racing against anyone!! Not a single soul. This is a marathon that I have to train for, that I have to run. And it doesn't require me to be sleeping out of my car to do so.
Sacrifice, yes. But don't navigate your journey feeling like it has to include all forms and levels of struggle to be a true entrepreneur story.
Be persistent, yes. In the pursuit of your dream when you experience rejection or when someone tells you no; don't listen and stop.
Take full ownership. Your dreams are not for someone else to manage. But neither are your failures, struggles, and trials.
What qualifies a person for this life of entrepreneurship is their endurance, discipline, and persistence just to name a few. Not that they got shot 9 times.