Perseverance: entrepreneurial success isn't about money; it's about freedom

I started reading the book “Mastery” by George Leonard, and in the first part of the book he talks about how we are all born geniuses, which means we can do things that computers can’t. Then he goes on to talk about how the caveman idea downplays humans. He says, “We are capable of creating complex, well knit social groupings, a challenge which, more than tool making, accounts for the development of the large brain.” (pg 13) It also downplays the human body. If we were to compete athletically against animals, humans would have the overall score. I found this so fascinating because the world tries to tell you that we are animals, but this proves that we are so much more. Humans were designed to think and reason and develop. I have never believed in the caveman theory because I have always believed humans to be intelligent. And this book just proved what I have been thinking all along.

We have also been learning about mastery and perseverance. I read that it takes you 10,000 times to master something. That would be like playing a piano piece 10,000 times before it was mastered. I have been playing piano for 27 years and I doubt I have played anything 10,000 times. But the more you do it, the closer you get to those 10,000 times, and I am still young yet. This is what perseverance is, doing it again and again. The Secret is to stay the course, day after day, year after year. Here is a quote that I like from one of the articles I read in class this week:

“Entrepreneurs become successful, one small investment at a time, in a never-ending process. Because entrepreneurial success isn’t a destination, it’s a journey. A journey taken one determined step at a time, in a way that builds lifelong treasures.”

Another quote I like is:

“Entrepreneurial success isn’t about money; it’s about freedom. The goal isn’t to make more money than you need, it’s to spend less that you make. Because that way your free time belongs to you.”

These are great reminders for me that great success is a lifelong journey…and to keep my focus on people instead of material things. Money comes and goes, but your relationship with people lasts forever.