It Begins With Consistency
My entrepreneurial journey began at the age of 11. After seeing my immigrant father and mother always have arguments over money, I began to think about how to make more of it and at the time I was not legally allowed to have a job so I raked leaves. That was my start. Then I went on to start a business selling nutritional drinks, then flip cars, then install security cameras, the DJ, and now my father and I joined heads to run a Digital Marketing Agency. The point I’m trying to drive home is consistency.
As any serial entrepreneur would tell you that they had many businesses before they made their millions, even billions. I’m also sure that they will tell you that without consistency, the journey becomes significantly harder. For the interest of practicality, I would like this blog to serve a pragmatic approach to entrepreneurship so I’d like to point out a few tips that I’ve learned along the way about consistency. I follow the rule of three so here they are.
Stay Away From Negativity
This is my personal number one. People are negative, lets face it. Not everyone but you will come across those whom simply do not want to see you prosper. Pay them no mind. Get your tunnel vision head hear on and keep on going. Doing this will allow you to enter into a mindset that is necessary during the ups and downs of Entrepreneurship. Keep positive vibes around you, guard your thoughts against even yourself and go through the motions. Its a marathon not a sprint.
Envision The Life You Desire
For me, as much as I seek for the material stuff that comes with financial wealth, I’ve learned that for one, money is not the root of all evil, having the nice car and the nice house is not a bad thing, money is not the key to happiness, and experiences are more fulfilling. With that said, every night before I hit the sheets, I like to envision a day in the life of Diego just the way I want it to be when the time comes. Some of these visions are experiences like family reunions ever so often, prosperous travels at whatever time I please, a healthy exercise and eating regime, fulfilling client engagements, strong involvement in my community, and of course the feel of enjoying a nice cruise in a supercar.
Envision the life you desire and most importantly deserve, then wake up and go after it.
Quantify Everything
I get it, some things are not easily quantifiable but try your best to see where most of your time is spent. I keep a ‘Priority Matrix’ that was given to me by my best friends dad. He’s a guy a look up to because he has achieved wealth and by wealth I don’t only mean money in the bank. I mean in the full sense of wealth; health is wealth, love is wealth, family is wealth, you get the point. This priority matrix allows me to hold me self accountable for the things I need to do during a week. I also keep a daily to-do list by my bedside table to write down things I must get done during that day.
Lets be real for a second… Sometimes you forget, sometimes, you just don’t feel like it but if you set a goal to start quantifying your efforts even if you start doing so once a week, then twice, so on so forth; you will see your productivity sky rocket. Hence, why I’m able to attend class, work part-time at a bank, run a business, volunteer, hang out with my mom, dad, sister, and watch the Raptor’s games 60% of the time.
Try it. Ask me for the priority matrix, I can show you how it works.
I’d like to make a key statement before signing off. It does NOT matter at what age you decide to go into Entrepreneurship. I’ve met guys with two kids with one on the way that own a home and have to take their two daughters to gymnastics every day that are just starting their entrepreneurial journey. These guys are in their late 30’s. Point being, Entrepreneurship is a combination of an art and a science. You have to have the right mental vibe, be forward-looking, and very pragmatic with where your time goes.