The Cold Dark Morning

It was a cold, dark morning.

This morning, when I heard the puppy whimpering, it was early and it was dark.  It was about 10 minutes before the alarm was set to go off, so I turned the alarm off and walked out to let the dog outside.  I wiped the sleep from my eyes as I tried to attach the leash to Fin’s collar.  I would just let him out, but he cannot be trusted.  So I hooked him up and walked outside…and wow!

It was cold!

The cold burst of air hit me and I realized I should have put on more than a t-shirt.  Then as I stepped off the porch and felt the cold, wet drops on my neck.  It was more snow than rain, but either way, it woke me up in a hurry.  I was cold.  I had no coffee.  I was getting wet and standing in the dark.  Ah…the glory of owning a puppy!

That’s not what you think of when you make the decision to get a dog is it?  You think of taking walks with your new buddy.  You envision cuddling up and taking naps together!  And don’t forget playing catch.  It will be SO much fun!  And here’s the thing, you do have those moments.  But they are not the ONLY moments.  You have to do the cold, wet mornings in the dark too.

Building a Business Is The Same

The same is true for for building a sales career or a business.  We often spend a lot of time envisioning how great it’s going to be.  We think about the freedom.  We consider being our own boss.  We run the numbers and think about the big money you are going to make!  But we don’t always consider the after hours work.   We don’t think about the stress or the number of people that are depending on you.  We don’t always think through what happens when the numbers don’t look good.

In those moments, it can feel like you are alone, in the dark with a cold rain on your neck. It’s not always as glorious as people make it out on the internet.  Being an entrepreneur can be hard and lonely.

But there’s good news within this dark cloud.

There is Good AND Bad

I am not working to be a downer.  In everything there is good and bad.  It’s just better to understand that.  It’s important to know that there will be times that are tough in any endeavor…and that’s okay!  Don’t get down that there are tough times.  Just know that better times will come if you keep after it.  Which leads nicely into…

Most People Are Not Willing To Deal With The Bad

The fact of the matter is, most people want the puppy but not all of the headaches that come with it.  The same is true with building a business.  They see the outer success and would love that.  But most people are not willing to do what it takes.  They are not willing to put themselves out there.  So if you are, you are 100% ahead of the game.

Accept that there will be tough times.  When you do, they don’t surprise and overwhelm you.  Then you have the energy to put in the work that others are not willing to do.

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Written by: Kirby Hasseman

Kirby Hasseman is the CEO of Hasseman Marketing & Communications. Kirby hosts a weekly Web show called Delivering Marketing Joy where he interviews business leaders from around the country. Kirby has published four books. His most recent is “Fan of Happy.” His book, called "Delivering Marketing Joy" is about doing “promo right” and is perfect for people in the industry and customers. He also wrote “Think Big For Small Business” and “Give Your Way to Success. All are available on Amazon.