Ever been in situation where someone uses a word you cringe? We hear it all the time. In fact, sometimes we’re all tempted to use words that we’re not too familiar with. I don’t blame them. As millennials, we are born in the age of technology where cellphones now outnumber the world’s population.

Memes. Slang. Social Media. It’s hard to avoid them.

Most of don’t realize how it has influenced our actions, lifestyles and word choices. With internet being easily accessible, staying up to date with the latest memes, news or even following your favourite celebrities online has never been easier.

I’m going to assume that the majority of my readers has used Instagram before. For those who haven’t, it’s a very popular photo and video-sharing social networking service. A platform with over 1B+ monthly active Instagram users.

With countless hours scrolling through Instagram every day, I started to notice the most common profile category amongst millennials, the word is…

‘Entrepreneur’

If you gave me a dollar for every Instagram profile with the word ‘entrepreneur’, I probably could’ve bought a Mercedes GT R Coupe (my dream car) by now.

The truth is most people only see successes, never failures. With successful entrepreneurs like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Gary Vee – people only see their glamourous lifestyles.

If you think starting a website, wearing a suit and tie, or filling out a completed business model canvas makes you an entrepreneur. You’re dead wrong.

Some people don’t realize how ridiculous it sounds when they brag about being an entrepreneur. First of all, being an entrepreneur is not f*cking job, it’s a lifestyle. Many people think about the benefits it reaps like the freedom and being your own boss, but never consider the hindrances. Here are some side effects on this difficult journey; feeling super lonely, have conflicting thoughts 24/7, face higher risk(s) and higher workload.  

A close friend of mine who co-founded an AI consultancy firm described being an ‘entrepreneur’ as a form of empowerment. “There’s a real sense of empowerment when you make your own living, without relying on a company for a paycheque.”  

The next time before you want to use the word ‘entrepreneur’ ask yourself these questions:

Do you know your why?

Don’t follow just because it’s the trend. Here are some reasons why you may be on this relentless pursuit – can’t have a boss, easily bored, too creative, striving for freedom, too ambitious or nothing to lose.  

And most of all, are your passions aligned to your goals?

“If you don’t love it, you’re going to fail” – Steve Jobs

Do you prioritize your health?

Chasing your dreams is great, but you have to take care of yourself as well.

Can you live below your means?

Without a few sacrifices in the short run, you may never achieve your dreams. Start by asking yourself, do you have any bad habits?

E.g. Takeout too much? Start cooking. Don’t know how to? Start learning.

Conclusion

By no means I’m telling you to refrain from using the word ‘entrepreneur’. Just make sure you have a mission and a strong mindset to succeed as one otherwise you’ll end up sounding like a complete idiot.

Being an entrepreneur is certainly not easy. You must be committed to learning and growing in everything you do 24/7. This is the constant process of self-development.

You have to know sales. You have to know marketing. You have to know finance. You have to know almost everything. When you’re an entrepreneur, there’s no such thing as holidays. The work you put in is the work you get.

So, what is your why? What are your goals? Comment below!

If you’re shy, I would still love to hear your thoughts – please send me an email at hello@kelvinblogs.com.

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