Some time ago I received a mailed poster of a painting from The Florida Highwaymen. The Painter, James Gibson, titled the piece, Road Less Traveled. It features red poinciana trees with bright colors that generally make you feel good.
If you don't know who the Florida Highwaymen painters are, you should research them. It's an interesting piece of Florida history.
JAMES GIBSON (FLORIDA HIGHWAYMEN) "ROAD LESS TRAVELED"
The first thing that noticed about the painting was the name. It also shares the name of a Robert Frost poem that I hold dear to me as well.
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
Being an entrepreneur IS the road less traveled. It is not like working for someone as a manager or having a job that you work from home. There is no person higher on the food chain that can take the blame when things go wrong. There is just you.
You get to right the wrongs and take the glory when everything moves perfectly. Late nights, working on the weekends, early mornings are all part of the road less traveled. I will give you the advice I offer every client during our initial consultation.
Devise a mission statement that clearly reflects the reason you want to be in business. This is written evidence that you have a mission and this statement will help guide you as you make decisions for growth. It will hold you accountable.
Knowing what you want and being honest with yourself if you are willing to get it, is the step #1. It is by far the most important one. If you make past the business plan and funding plans, then you are on your way.
I'd like to think that this painting was meant to inspire us into travelling to places that are uncomfortable or challenge us. Maybe the reward is that we get to see and experience things that others could not. Walking this path is not easy, but choosing it can make all the difference.