It is an all too common story; you gear up to become an entrepreneur and ‘make a go of it on your own,’ only to find that ‘going it on your own,’ can be extremely difficult. Being an entrepreneur can be one of the most liberating things you will ever do. The independence is exhilarating, but feeling lonely can be a harsh side effect. The fact is; the world of entrepreneurship is inherently lonely.
The way you feel as an entrepreneur is not the same as you might feel eating alone at a restaurant or going to a movie alone. Entrepreneurial loneliness is one of those ‘Am I totally crazy?’ or ‘Does anyone understand what I am trying to do here?’ loneliness. This feeling can shake you at the core. Lots of entrepreneurs are making huge decisions and strategizing the next move without anyone at their side.
So, what can you do to fight against your arch nemesis? Here are three tips for the lonely entrepreneur:
1) Remember to think about yourself.
Be healthy and be good to yourself. While entrepreneurial life might be work, work, work, you have to remember, if you are going to be able to work efficiently, you need time to recharge. Do things that you enjoy with the people that you care most about. Spending time with family and friends is a sure way of realizing that there are still people on your side. If you look at the reasons that people start their own businesses, most will point to time with family and friends as one of their top five reasons.
2) Collaborate with something bigger.
Joining up with others who have the same ideas and goals can be a great asset in your struggle against loneliness. Business Incubators like the Business Innovation Center (BIC) can be a wonderful tool for connecting you and your company to like-minded people that know what you are going through. Even when the outlook can seem bleak, incubators provide coaching and connections that can help to keep an entrepreneur’s idea alive.
3) Get out there.
Don’t allow yourself to be a hermit. Get out of the house or office, and meet up with other professionals. While social networking is important for lots of new startups, your social media contacts are not going to help you fight loneliness. Entrepreneurship can afford you the physical freedom to get up and go. Attend chamber events, social events, clubs and associations.
Remember that you do not have to go it alone, even Batman had Robin.
The way you feel as an entrepreneur is not the same as you might feel eating alone at a restaurant or going to a movie alone. Entrepreneurial loneliness is one of those ‘Am I totally crazy?’ or ‘Does anyone understand what I am trying to do here?’ loneliness. This feeling can shake you at the core. Lots of entrepreneurs are making huge decisions and strategizing the next move without anyone at their side.
So, what can you do to fight against your arch nemesis? Here are three tips for the lonely entrepreneur:
1) Remember to think about yourself.
Be healthy and be good to yourself. While entrepreneurial life might be work, work, work, you have to remember, if you are going to be able to work efficiently, you need time to recharge. Do things that you enjoy with the people that you care most about. Spending time with family and friends is a sure way of realizing that there are still people on your side. If you look at the reasons that people start their own businesses, most will point to time with family and friends as one of their top five reasons.
2) Collaborate with something bigger.
Joining up with others who have the same ideas and goals can be a great asset in your struggle against loneliness. Business Incubators like the Business Innovation Center (BIC) can be a wonderful tool for connecting you and your company to like-minded people that know what you are going through. Even when the outlook can seem bleak, incubators provide coaching and connections that can help to keep an entrepreneur’s idea alive.
3) Get out there.
Don’t allow yourself to be a hermit. Get out of the house or office, and meet up with other professionals. While social networking is important for lots of new startups, your social media contacts are not going to help you fight loneliness. Entrepreneurship can afford you the physical freedom to get up and go. Attend chamber events, social events, clubs and associations.
Remember that you do not have to go it alone, even Batman had Robin.
