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Why didn’t Gandalf just take the giant eagles from the Shire right to Mordor or The Misty Mountains? He could have, very easily. Being a wizard, he probably knew that all along. “Don’t worry Frodo, we’ll just hop on an eagle and do a fly by over Mount Doom and drop that nasty old Precious right into the volcano. Easy peasy.”
Ah, but Gandalf was wise, he knew there were lessons to be learned, adventures waiting, and important bonds that needed forging. Without the journey, healing the rifts between the worlds of Men, Dwarves and Elves never would have taken place…and it would have been a very short story.
Our own adventures into the entrepreneurial business world are like that too. Sure, we see lots of get rich quick schemes, plenty of “secret” short cuts to success that are so tempting we fool ourselves into believing we’ll be overnight millionaires.
The truth is, there is no such thing as an over night success. What you’re seeing is the end result and the rewards of many months or years of hard work. There is no magic bullet, no single method that shoots you to the top in an instant.
What worked for one person, may not work for you and there’s the real key.
Your Own Unexpected Journey
Inspiration can strike at any time, it can come in quiet and polite like Gandalf knocking at your door, or it can come in a rush, like a clan of Dwarves fired up and ready to go. And, like a Hobbit, you can try denying the wizard or shooing away the rowdy Dwarves (or inqusitive family, or pesky solicitors), but you may be missing out on a wonderful opportunity in disguise.
Bilbo’s own adventure teaches us many valuable lessons as entrepreneurs and reminds us exactly why we struck out on our own to begin with.
- Leave the Comfort Zone. So many Hobbits are content staying within the boundaries of the Shire. The old adage of “nothing ventured, nothing gained” comes to mind. We can choose to stay in our cozy little Hobbit Holes, sitting by the fire sipping tea, or tending our gardens and being safe, but where’s the fun in that? Risk is hard, it’s scary, but when we succeed, we find what we feared wasn’t all that scary to begin with and the rewards are many.
- Build Your Confidence. Eclisiastes 1:9 says “There’s nothing new under the sun.” Others may have had the same idea you have, but it’s up to you to put your own unique spin on it. Not an easy task. Again, risk comes into play, that jumping out into the Great Unknown and believing in yourself. At the beginning of his journey, Bilbo didn’t have faith in himself, he wasn’t sure he could do what was expected of him. Not even the Dwarven leader, Thorin Oakenshield was convinced the Hobbit could do what Gandalf said he could. Only by taking action and facing each challenge did Bilbo build his confidence and that of his fellow travelers.
- You Can’t Do It All Alone. This is a reoccurring theme throughout all the Tolkien stories. Bilbo had support from the team Gandalf assembled for him, and Frodo had the Fellowship. The same goes for you. Being an entrepreneur does not equate with being a Lone Ranger. That kind of mentality is a fast track to burn out. Ask for help, don’t bear the burden of The Ring all by yourself.
- Jack of All Trades, Master of None. When Wendi and I first started Blue Sun, we realized we had a multitude of skills right in our own hands. We had the capability of doing our own tech work and design, we knew how best to start and run a business. We had (and still have) a walk in closet FULL of hats. We also discovered this leads to the Lone Ranger trap, even though we have a partnership. There comes a time when you realize you can’t be all things to all people, you need to focus on a specialty, and that means letting go and delegating some of your other tasks to others. Decide what your Genius Work is, what you do best above all other skills you have, then assemble a team of others whose genius work are the pieces eating up your time.
- Open Minded Failure. Face it, failure is inevitable. You will fail, and you will fail often. Remember though, failure is not defeat. Failure doesn’t mean you have to quit. When we fail, and give ourselves permission to fail, we learn. Each time we learn, we discover ways to improve. Sometimes those failures show us our true genius work isn’t what we thought it was. Go ahead, make a crappy design, write a book that’s total garbage. It’s okay. Bilbo found Sting and other treasures in a Troll’s garbage heap and you will do the same.
- Get All Your Dwarves In A Row. Before entering into any business or business relationship, whether it’s a partnership or gaining a new client, remember the legalities involved. Set up your business properly; incorporate, or become an LLC, or whichever suits your needs. Open a business account at the bank, hire an accountant, get a business license. This is not a hobby anymore. You’ll have to abide by the tax laws in your area, you’ll need contracts for your clients, you’ll need invoices and paper trails. Begin with a solid foundation of financial systems and you’ll save yourself a lot of hassle and headaches down the road.
- Hold To Your Vision. You started your business because you had a dream. You had a very clear “why”. Every entrepreneur starts out with one of The Seven Entrepreneurial Freedoms in mind. There will come periods when this vision gets pushed out by the lack mindset; you have bills to pay, the jobs aren’t coming in fast enough, etc. When this happens, take a step back, remember what your main why was back in the beginning. Focus on that and the lack mindset takes to the shadows again. You’ll free up your creative juices once that Lack Dragon is subdued and slain.
The Bonus Lesson: Calling Your Own Giant Eagle. One of the main reasons we become entrepreneurs isn’t for the money, believe it or not. It’s about helping others. As entrepreneurs, we see a need and we fill a gap. We provide services and products to help people. When you’re feeling stuck, ask yourself, “How may I help someone today?”. Listen closely for the answer and you’ll feel that subtle shift, the one that lights up the hidden message on the map and illuminates the way.