A famous inventor and diplomat once said “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” And true to his wise words, it is evident that excuses are what hinder most people from achieving their dreams and aspiration. Are you one of those people? Well, if you're reading this today and you really want to move forward (in entrepreneurship or personal life) then you should stop making these surmountable excuses.
1.I Don’t Know How…
Firstly, stop worrying. We live in a world where information is available in plenty at your fingertips and you can learn anything provided you are ready and committed to it. So many experts are readily reachable and willing to help you learn the secrets to success. Secondly, unless your choice of business requires a special skill, there is absolutely no reason to worry about qualification in most cases. Most big names today only had basic education (Richard Branson) when they started their business. Some dropped out of school (Bill Gates) while some started as students (Mark Zuckerberg).
2.I am Waiting For The Perfect Time
There is never a bad time to start a great venture. And while you might blame a bad economy today, tomorrow you’ll still find another excuse in the name of insecurity. Even the day after tomorrow you’ll still find another excuse in the name of lack of capital. And the list of excuses goes on. There is no perfect time to embark on a journey to the pinnacle of success. Likewise, there is never a bad time to start something great. Even Microsoft was started during a recession, remember.
3.I Have To Start Big, Small Business Might Shame Me
Most people, particularly graduates, will not admit this but it is one of the greatest hindrances to succeeding in business. How can I graduate and be back in the farm planting onions? How can I be selling water on a mkokoteni (Cart)? How can I be taking care of other people’s children? All this is a result of pride and myopic thinking. At Kuza Biashara we always advice people to start SMALL but dream BIG. Every business started small. Talk of Jumia, Equity Bank, Optiven Ventures, Interconsumer etc. Don’t wait until you have ten million shillings. Once you have the capacity to get moving, start. It is not compulsory to have an office or fixed address, those come later.
4.I Want a Fresh Business Idea
This is actually the lamest excuse we come across on a daily basis. Well, and the best answer – Keep waiting because that so-called fresh idea might never arrive. You don’t need to have invented a sector to be the best in it. You only need to identify what you are good at and how you can solve a societal problem better than everyone else and start working on it. That's exactly how the ideas of M-Pesa and M-Farm were born…and you're still waiting for a fresh idea?
5.What Will People Say If… (It Doesn’t Work)
People will always talk. But at the end of it all, your business will remain just that – your business, not theirs. Believe you me, for every successful business that you see out there, there are more than 10 people who thought it wouldn’t work when it was being launched. The best is to forget about people’s gossip and do what must be done. Believe in yourself and prove them wrong (the funny thing is that when you prove them wrong, they will come again and start saying you’re using juju). Don’t waste time listening to negative people.
Final Word
Remember the words of Benjamin Franklin “He that is good for making excuses is seldom good for anything else.” Don’t be that person who dies without realizing their full potential. Stop hiding in that small cocoon. Come out, roll up your sleeves and start working on your dreams. All the best.
