The Biggest Thing That Shocked Me About Being an Entrepreneur

Successful entrepreneurs are masters of detail, right?

Not necessarily.

Dan Kennedy said that he’s worked with millionaires who forget their keys on a regular basis, have to get their spouse to buy clothes that look presentable, and one client was so absent minded they walked right through his screen door.

I have a millionaire friend who has to be told not to wear the same basketball shorts and flip flops for days in a row.

The most shocking thing I’ve discovered is that as you move up in the world of entrepreneurship, your main limitation isn’t your time, it’s your mental capacity and energy.

So we’re sharing a beautiful idea that was passed on to me, that will free you from guilt over your capacity and allow you to focus on the things that will get you to the next level as an entrepreneur.

One of my clients was raised by stepfather who was a serial entrepreneur.

And he gave her a powerful little metaphor for entrepreneurs.

He told her, Some people are “Go West” people - Just like the early pioneers in America, they declare that they’re going to lead their group west, and their eyes are on the horizon. They can’t be the same people responsible for making sure there are enough beans and flour and meat going into the wagon train. If you count on them for those kinds of details, the group would starve on the way.”

So the timeless principle here is that entrepreneurs are “Go West” people.

I love that idea because it explains WHY our energy and mental capacity are limited - our minds are occupied with big goals and big challenges.

Our subconscious is working away at those things in the background, so we’re probably less observant than we used to be. And we may not have the energy to do all that high level thinking and decision making AND do a bunch of routine, detail tasks in our business.

When I worked for someone else, I was a master of details.

I had great observation skills and great recall. I could not only follow a detailed process to get things done, but I could spot opportunities to improve on the process. And I could do it day in and day out.

But it’s not the same way today.

When you’re the person with 100% responsibility for the success of the business and the livelihood of your team, it changes everything.

Because my mind is on the big picture of getting to the next level of influence, impact and income.

So I have to take my energy and mental capacity into account when I plan my week, when I take on new commitments, and even in how I’ve structured my business.

I hire detail-oriented people, give them great systems and great training, so I can keep my eyes on the horizon.

I don’t expect myself to do a bunch of routine, detail-oriented tasks in the business while also keeping my eye on the horizon.

And if you’re an entrepreneur looking to get to the next level, you need as much free energy and mental capacity as possible. That’s what allows you to focus obsessively on your goal.

So as you move up in the world of entrepreneurship, your relationship to detail has to change, your schedule has to change, your focus has to change.

And you can’t allow yourself to feel guilty for not being as detail-oriented as you used to be.

It’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a function of having your mind on bigger things.