The weight of female entrepreneurship is heavy, and in all honesty, the odds, can at times, be stacked against us. Doors that we want opened are locked. We are plagued with restless nights and worries due to uncertainty and the lack of support as well as the loneliness can sometimes make us want to through in the towel. But if you continue to push forward, despite the trials, despite what others say, your breakthrough will come. Here are 5 reasons to never give up on you dreams.
There's no smooth road to success
The road to success will always be a bumpy one. Picture this - emergency braking, pit stops, filling up on gas - because your tank is empty, pot holes, and more. The entrepreneurial road is hard. Now we've all heard about success stories of people who, with determination and perseverance, achieved their dreams after years of failed attempts, well this is the normal. It takes an estimated 5 to 10 years to reach full success, so hang in there your time is coming.
What's the other option?
Most women I know have started their business because they despised what the 9-5 world gave them, or should I say didn't give them. Long hours with no assurance in promotion, less pay then their male counterparts, childcare with extortionate price tags. Living out your dreams, can bring a positive impact to your work life balance.
Detours are normal
I used to look at pit stops and road closures as the end of the world - until I began to realise that they were actually secret blessings in disguise. What I realised is that each experience caused me to re-evaluate and take another direction, one that usually lead me down a better road. When you're feelling stuck or like your at a dead end, it could be the perfect time to take a look at your strategy and change things up.
Failure is normal
The best way to succeed is to fail your way to it. If we do not fail, we are not trying or advancing and moving forward. Life, and especially living your dreams is about taking risks and trying new things, Learning what works and what doesn't and adapting and then changing for the better is all part of the process. So the more you fail, the closer you are to success.
Proving everybody wrong
Venturing into the entrepreneurial world can raise a lot of eyebrows from friends and family members. But do not be discouraged. People often object to things they do not understand. What I've learnt is that strangers can sometimes be your biggest supporters and that's actually okay. Keep pushing and moving forward. The nay sayers will be surprised once you make it, and the look on their faces will be priceless.