The 4 Most Difficult Stages of Becoming an Entrepreneur

As you go through the process of starting your own
business and training yourself to adapt to the new
(often intimidating) commitments you've signed
yourself up for, it's important to be aware of the
mental journey you're going to be traveling along,
in addition to the physical one of making your
company come to life.
There will be ups and there will most certainly be
downs along the way. If you're careful to learn
from your mistakes and minimize the negative
outcomes as much as possible, you'll stand a very
real chance for succeeding in business.
Making the definitive decision to start your own
business and create the lifestyle you want to live, is
worth any amount of hard work; mental and
physical.
In my experience starting businesses, these are the
4 most difficult mental stages of the arduous
journey to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
The Sacrifice.
This is by far the most mentally trying stage of the
journey. At first, everything you do (and achieve)
will feel like an immense sacrifice. When your
friends are all hanging out together on a Friday
night, you're at home working on your app, doing
freelance work, or putting the finishing touches on
your prototypes.
You're likely to frequently question yourself, doubt
the work you' re doing, and seek outside approval
to help you justify all of the time and hard work
you're putting into your fledgling business.
However, the reality is, you only have a limited
amount of time outside of the hours you already
commit to your day job, so if you want to become
successful with your new business, there's no other
choice than to utilize the time you do have.
The Grind.
Now that you've become comfortable with the
discomfort that is starting a business, learning new
skills, and sharing your ideas with the world, you
start to get into a rhythm. You'll move into a
routine that helps you maximize your productivity,
so that you're spending as much time as possible
on your new business.
During this stage, you'll start picking up
momentum and experiencing bigger wins with
more frequency than when you were just getting
started. You've eliminated the regular feelings of
self-doubt, and can focus on growing your business
idea into a valuable solution for your customers.
The Life.
Your new business is generating revenue. You
know who your customers are and how to reach
them. You've attained a good amount of traction
and you're extremely confident in your ability to
serve those customers better than your competitors
can.
If you've been launching this business while
keeping your day job, this is likely the phase in
which you'll finally meet your minimum income
criteria for quitting your day job to focus on
growing the business full-time. It's exhilarating to
be working on your passion project with all of your
time & energy.
The Freedom.
After all of your hard work, you have a lot to be
proud of.
Your business has achieved product/market fit and
you're able to scale your operations much more
quickly now that you have the time, energy, and
mental clarity to focus on your longterm vision.
You're able to step away from the business at times
and trust the systems and people you've put in
place to help keep things on track, while you enjoy
the lifestyle benefits of running your own business.
True entrepreneurs never stop challenging
themselves, pushing the boundaries, and operating
with discomfort. It's how we grow.

7 Lifestyle Changes to Make You a Better Entrepreneur

If there were a magic button that could instantly
make you a better entrepreneur — one that gave
you better ideas, let you make clearer decisions,
helped you communicate better with the team, etc.
— you’d almost certainly press it.
Entrepreneurs tend to desire improvement in all
areas of their lives, especially areas that will make
them better business owners. Obviously, there’s no
magic button, but there are many ongoing
strategies that can improve your leadership and
business acumen.
The Lifestyle Difference
You could undergo a training program or engage
in brainstorming sessions with peers as simple
ways to become a better entrepreneur. These
approaches focus on the acquisition of knowledge
or a new skill set.
However, there are also lifestyle factors that can be
incorporated gradually and that condition your
mind to achieve its fullest potential. These lifestyle
changes are simple, easy to adopt, and can have
powerful effects on your entrepreneurial
performance, so why not give them a shot?
1. Take more breaks. There’s no question that taking
breaks can actually increase your productivity.
Though it’s tempting to work through lunch to
squeeze in an extra few assignments, it’s better for
you in the long term to allow your mind to
decompress, and return with greater focus and
motivation. Commit to taking at least three small
breaks throughout the day, even if they’re only 10
minutes, and incorporate breaks on a larger scale
by taking an occasional vacation.
2. Get more sleep. Sleep is more important than
most people realize. That recommended “eight
hours” might seem like a pipe dream, but if you’re
getting only a few hours of sleep per night on an
ongoing basis, or if you maintain an inconsistent
and unpredictable sleep schedule, you could be
sabotaging your own potential for success.
Without enough sleep, you’ll have a harder time
concentrating, remembering things, and solving
problems … not to mention all the physical health
problems associated with long-term sleep
deprivation. Do yourself and your team a favor by
making a good night’s sleep a top priority.
3. Read every day. The benefits of reading should be
obvious; you’ll gather new information and
knowledge for starters, but you’ll also build your
vocabulary and strengthen your communication
skills. The wider range of books you read, the more
pronounced these effects will be; don’t pigeonhole
yourself into one genre, format, or subject. Expose
yourself to a wide array of perspectives, and
you’re likely to generate more creative ideas.
4. Talk to more people. Ask your team for their
thoughts on your business. Talk to competitors and
peers. Seek opportunities to discuss your field with
other professionals at networking events. Talk to
random strangers on the street. The more you
interact with people who are not part of your daily
routine, the more skilled you’ll become at
communicating … and you’ll surely pick up new
ideas and perspectives that can help you solve
problems and address individual needs.
As an added bonus, you might even meet some new
potential clients or hires.
5. Eat healthier foods. The foods you eat can have a
substantial impact on your mind and body.
Without the proper nutrition, you might not be
able to function properly. We all intuitively
experience the energy drag that junk food can
have, and we all know what it’s like to try and
work while hungry. Keep your body fueled with
healthy, nutrient-dense foods. Kale is a perfect
example. It’s low in calories, high in fiber, high in
protein, and packed with antioxidants. As a
general rule, the more fruits and vegetables you
eat, the better; and the fewer processed foods you
consume, the healthier you’re apt to feel.
6. Be willing to ask for help. Inevitably, you’ll run
into pain points as an entrepreneur, and many of
us would prefer to take on and address those
obstacles independently. However, doing this on a
steady basis almost always leads to overwhelmed
work schedules, high levels of stress, and improper
procedures (especially in the case of tackling an
objective outside your expertise). It’s important for
you to learn to ask for help from outside sources to
prevent these negative outcomes. For example, you
could delegate a task to one of your team members,
seek counsel from a mentor, or even ask a family
member for help in brainstorming.
7. Reduce your reliance on technology. You probably
use the computer or smartphone for almost every
facet of your job these days. When you get home,
you might relax with more computer-based
entertainment or TV. You might even check your
email and voicemails throughout the night.
Breaking away from technology on an occasional
basis — even for a few hours — can be beneficial
to you in the long run. It can improve your focus,
reduce your stress, and give you time for more
important things. Why not pick up a book and kill
two birds with one stone?
Some of these lifestyle changes might appeal to you
more than others, but you ought to give all of them
a fair try. Even if it seems like an impossible goal
(like getting enough sleep every night), or
uncomfortable (like stepping away from technology
on a daily basis), you should challenge yourself to
improve in these key areas.
You’ll find yourself thinking more clearly, working
harder, and most important, feeling better about
your own role.

7 Words You Need to Eliminate If You Want to Be Successful

Becoming a successful entrepreneur is as much of a mental game, as it is one of finesse and expertise.
You can be the most intelligent, talented, and
respected person within your industry, but if you
don't believe in yourself and continue to be
brutally honest as you move through the extremely
difficult stages of growing a business, your failure
is all but inevitable.
Everything from the way you feel about getting up
to head into the office each morning, to the quality
of relationships with your business partners, and
the words you use on a daily basis, will have a long
term effect on whether or not you'll become
successful.
Whether you intend to or not, if you allow yourself
to use words and phrases that convey doubt,
insecurity, and a lack of true belief in what you're
saying, you'll eventually lose faith.
Not only does this effect your own mental well-
being, but the people you're communicating with
will read into your word choice and pick up on
your sentiment & body language.
Here are the seven words you'll need to eliminate
from your vocabulary if you want to be successful.

1. "Might"
This one is my all-time least favorite word.
Anytime I catch myself using it in conversation, I force myself to first think about why I would be unsure about what I'm promising or expounding
about—especially in a business situation. "Might"
is most commonly used to highlight something that
may be a possibility. In business, you need to be very sure of yourself and the decisions you're making. If you're not, others will pick up on your insecurity and have a difficult time believing in
you.
Not to mention how often this word is misused and out of context.

2. "Usually"
In a business context, "usually" is another word that expresses doubt about a situation or set of circumstances. Its lack of definitive nature tells the
person you're conversing with, that they shouldn't
confidently believe in an outcome that happens
only most of the time.

3. "Should"
Similar to "might" and "usually," the word, "should" also conveys a general lack of confidence and
certainty in the result you're really just hoping for, rather than taking the necessary time and
preparations to make sure you execute flawlessly.

4. "Won't"
Using this word is one of the quickest ways to put someone on the defensive. Instead of using a less personal word to decline participation in an
activity, the word, "won't" has an air of stubborn
rejection to it.

5. "Likely"
If you're using the word, "likely" in a business
setting, you're really doing nothing more than
making a prediction. Not only are you clearly not confident in the results or outcome you're talking
about, but you're making clear your lack of
personal knowledge on the matter.

6. "If Only"
Nothing says that you're living in a dream world
more than talking about business situations with the ever-hopeful, "if only." Here, you're actively
stating that you don ' t have control over what ' s happening, and it gives the impression that you're
just grasping at the hope of some sort of divine
intervention.
Quit dreaming of the things you could do with all
the resources in the world, and instead, focus on
making your dream come true with the tools you do have.

7. "Really"
In a business sense, the word "really" is a very
casual expression that attempts to place extra
emphasis and importance on a particular outcome,
without really quantifying what exactly that extra
emphasis is. The word rarely adds any real value to
your conversations.
Which words are you using today, that may be
holding you back from achieving your goals?

Beyond Sunday: Wounds from the Surgeon

Beyond Sunday: Wounds from the Surgeon

by

[Editor's note: Beyond Sunday is a Monday refresher to start off your week.]

Focus Verse of the Week

For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. (Job 5:18, NIV)

Classic Commentary

For he wounds, but he binds up

The surgeon, who makes a wound even more painful by probing and opening it, does so to let out the matter and make way for his medicine. Then he lays on the plaster, and binds it up. So God causes grief and puts his people to pain, by diseases of body, or by making breaches in their families and estates, by other cutting providences. Then he binds up their breach, and heals the stroke of their wound, and in the issue makes all whole again. So it is in spiritual things - by the sharp, two-edged sword of the Word, he cuts and wounds, and gives pain and uneasiness. His Spirit lays open all the corruption of nature, and brings to repentance and humiliation for all transgressions; and then pours in the oil and wine of pardoning grace and mercy, and binds up the wounds that are made.

He shatters, but his hands heal

The same thing is meant as above, expressed by different words. The whole suggests that every afflicted man, and particularly Job, should he behave well, and as he ought, under the afflicting hand of God, would be healed, and become sound and whole again, in body, mind, family, and estate. For, though God for the present caused grief, yet he would have compassion, since he did not willingly grieve the children of men. He did not do it for his own pleasure, but for their good, as a skillful surgeon cuts and wounds in order to heal. SeeDeuteronomy 32:39, Hosea 6:1,Lamentations 3:32, andLamentations 3:33.

(Adapted from john gill's exposition of the bible, job 5:18)

A Thought to Keep

No one likes going under the knife, but we like cancer even less. God is in the business of scraping off those warts and moles that threaten to become malignant and attack our souls. He wounds so we might experience wellness in the Spirit.

SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIPS

SUCCESSFUL RELATIONSHIPS

(A FRIEND STORY)

A stray dog moved into the Smiths’ neighborhood the same day the Joneses moved in next door, and the dog immediately began to wreak havoc, scrounging in trashcans and tearing up flowerbeds in both yards. The Smiths were irked that the Joneses had brought such a nuisance into the neighborhood, and the Joneses found it inexcusable that the Smiths made no attempt to control their dog. For several weeks neither couple said anything to the other, while bad feelings festered on both sides. Finally Ms. Smith could stand no more and gave Ms. Jones a piece of her mind. “Oh,” Ms. Jones replied, “we thought it was your dog!”

Often the things that sour relationships are like that dog—more a matter of misunderstandings or small irritations that get blown out of proportion than actual wrongdoing on anyone’s part. Usually all it takes to set things right is better communication, but someone has to make the first move, and that’s not always easy. Both parties, convinced that they’re right or unwilling to admit that they’re not, lock themselves into their positions. Barriers go up. Relationships go bad. Everyone suffers.

Where can we find the humility to admit we’ve been in the wrong, or the love and grace to forgive and forget when we’ve been wronged? Where can we find the wisdom to turn a no-win situation into a win-win situation, the strength to buck our stubborn nature, or the courage to make the first move? All these and more are at our disposal anytime, whatever we need, when we need it, in unlimited supply, free of charge. “Every good and every perfect gift is from above.” “Ask, and it will be given you.” Like all of the other best things in life, the most successful relationships begin with the ultimate relationship—heart to heart communion with “the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” May He bless you with His very best, always and in all ways.

—

James 1:17 (ESV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
Matthew 7:7 (ESV) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
1. Timothy 6:17 (ESV) As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)

Question: "What was the meaning and purpose of the ten plagues of Egypt?"

Question: "What was the meaning and purpose of the ten plagues of Egypt?"
Answer: The Ten Plagues of Egypt—also known
as the Ten Plagues, the Plagues of Egypt, or
the Biblical Plagues—are described in Exodus 7
—12. The plagues were ten disasters sent upon
Egypt by God to convince Pharaoh to free the
Israelite slaves from the bondage and
oppression they had endured in Egypt for 400
years. When God sent Moses to deliver the
children of Israel from bondage in Egypt, He
promised to show His wonders as confirmation
of Moses’ authority ( Exodus 3:20 ). This
confirmation was to serve at least two
purposes: to show the Israelites that the God of
their fathers was alive and worthy of their
worship and to show the Egyptians that their
gods were nothing.
The Israelites had been enslaved in Egypt for
about 400 years and in that time had lost faith
in the God of their fathers. They believed He
existed and worshiped Him, but they doubted
that He could, or would, break the yoke of their
bondage. The Egyptians, like many pagan
cultures, worshiped a wide variety of nature-
gods and attributed to their powers the natural
phenomena they saw in the world around them.
There was a god of the sun, of the river, of
childbirth, of crops, etc. Events like the annual
flooding of the Nile, which fertilized their
croplands, were evidences of their gods’ powers
and good will. When Moses approached
Pharaoh, demanding that he let the people go,
Pharaoh responded by saying, “Who is the Lord,
that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I
know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel
go” ( Exodus 5:2 ). Thus began the challenge to
show whose God was more powerful.
The first plague, turning the Nile to blood, was a
judgment against Apis, the god of the Nile, Isis,
goddess of the Nile, and Khnum, guardian of the
Nile. The Nile was also believed to be the
bloodstream of Osiris, who was reborn each
year when the river flooded. The river, which
formed the basis of daily life and the national
economy, was devastated, as millions of fish
died in the river and the water was unusable.
Pharaoh was told, “By this you will know that I
am the LORD” ( Exodus 7:17 ).
The second plague, bringing frogs from the Nile,
was a judgment against Heqet, the frog-headed
goddess of birth. Frogs were thought to be
sacred and not to be killed. God had the frogs
invade every part of the homes of the
Egyptians, and when the frogs died, their
stinking bodies were heaped up in offensive
piles all through the land ( Exodus 8:13–14 ).
The third plague, gnats, was a judgment on Set,
the god of the desert. Unlike the previous
plagues, the magicians were unable to duplicate
this one and declared to Pharaoh, “This is the
finger of God” ( Exodus 8:19 ).
The fourth plague, flies, was a judgment on
Uatchit, the fly god. In this plague, God clearly
distinguished between the Israelites and the
Egyptians, as no swarms of flies bothered the
areas where the Israelites lived ( Exodus 8:21–
24).
The fifth plague, the death of livestock, was a
judgment on the goddess Hathor and the god
Apis, who were both depicted as cattle. As with
the previous plague, God protected His people
from the plague, while the cattle of the
Egyptians died. God was steadily destroying the
economy of Egypt, while showing His ability to
protect and provide for those who obeyed Him.
Pharaoh even sent investigators ( Exodus 9:7 ) to
find out if the Israelites were suffering along
with the Egyptians, but the result was a
hardening of his heart against the Israelites.
The sixth plague, boils, was a judgment against
several gods over health and disease (Sekhmet,
Sunu, and Isis). This time, the Bible says that
the magicians “could not stand before Moses
because of the boils.” Clearly, these religious
leaders were powerless against the God of
Israel.
Before God sent the last three plagues, Pharaoh
was given a special message from God. These
plagues would be more severe than the others,
and they were designed to convince Pharaoh
and all the people “that there is none like me in
all the earth” ( Exodus 9:14 ). Pharaoh was even
told that he was placed in his position by God,
so that God could show His power and declare
His name through all the earth ( Exodus 9:16 ).
As an example of His grace, God warned
Pharaoh to gather whatever cattle and crops
remained from the previous plagues and shelter
them from the coming storm. Some of
Pharaoh’s servants heeded the warning ( Exodus
9:20 ), while others did not. The seventh plague,
hail, attacked Nut, the sky goddess; Osiris, the
crop fertility god; and Set, the storm god. This
hail was unlike any that had been seen before.
It was accompanied by a fire which ran along
the ground, and everything left out in the open
was devastated by the hail and fire. Again, the
children of Israel were miraculously protected,
and no hail damaged anything in their lands.
Before God brought the next plague, He told
Moses that the Israelites would be able to tell
their children of the things they had seen God
do in Egypt and how it showed them God’s
power. The eighth plague, locusts, again
focused on Nut, Osiris, and Set. The later crops,
wheat and rye, which had survived the hail,
were now devoured by the swarms of locusts.
There would be no harvest in Egypt that year.
The ninth plague, darkness, was aimed at the
sun god, Re, who was symbolized by Pharaoh
himself. For three days, the land of Egypt was
smothered with an unearthly darkness, but the
homes of the Israelites had light.
The tenth and last plague, the death of the
firstborn males, was a judgment on Isis, the
protector of children. In this plague, God was
teaching the Israelites a deep spiritual lesson
that pointed to Christ. Unlike the other plagues,
which the Israelites survived by virtue of their
identity as God’s people, this plague required an
act of faith by them. God commanded each
family to take an unblemished male lamb and
kill it. The blood of the lamb was to be smeared
on the top and sides of their doorways, and the
lamb was to be roasted and eaten that night.
Any family that did not follow God’s instructions
would suffer in the last plague. God described
how He would send the death angel through the
land of Egypt, with orders to slay the firstborn
male in every household, whether human or
animal. The only protection was the blood of
the lamb on the door. When the angel saw the
blood, he would pass over that house and leave
it untouched ( Exodus 12:23 ). This is where the
term Passover comes from. Passover is a
memorial of that night in ancient Egypt when
God delivered His people from bondage. First
Corinthians 5:7 teaches that Jesus became our
Passover when He died to deliver us from the
bondage of sin. While the Israelites found God’s
protection in their homes, every other home in
the land of Egypt experienced God’s wrath as
their loved ones died. This grievous event
caused Pharaoh to finally release the Israelites.
By the time the Israelites left Egypt, they had a
clear picture of God’s power, God’s protection,
and God’s plan for them. For those who were
willing to believe, they had convincing evidence
that they served the true and living God. Sadly,
many still failed to believe, which led to other
trials and lessons by God. The result for the
Egyptians and the other ancient people of the
region was a dread of the God of Israel. Even
after the tenth plague, Pharaoh once again
hardened his heart and sent his chariots after
the Israelites. When God opened a way through
the Red Sea for the Israelites, then drowned all
of Pharaoh’s armies there, the power of Egypt
was crushed, and the fear of God spread
through the surrounding nations ( Joshua 2:9–
11). This was the very purpose that God had
declared at the beginning. We can still look
back on these events today to confirm our faith
in, and our fear of, this true and living God, the
Judge of all the earth.

A SOUND MIND

A SOUND MIND

I am by nature something of a worrywart. I’m almost constantly preoccupied with one worry or another. I am also a multitasker. I can do just about anything and worry at the same time. For example, this morning I was trying to take my daily quiet time, reading a few pages of devotional material and reflecting on it (I say “trying,” because at the same time I was worrying about the week’s work ahead of me, ongoing health problems, and an upcoming trip) when this sentence jumped off of the page: “In the Bible, the admonition to ‘fear not’ is used more than 100 times.” I guess God knew our inclination to worry and fear.

As kids we are afraid of the dark, the boogeyman under the bed, and the dentist. A couple of years later we’ve learned that the boogeyman doesn’t exist and the dentist knows what he’s doing, so we’re afraid of bullies at school, being embarrassed in front of our friends, and making a poor grade on the Tuesday math quiz.

A few more years later and we’re afraid of pimples and braces and not being popular enough.

Soon enough we fear that first job and worry about the future and what we’ll become. We fear failing academically and failing in relationships. We fear disappointing family and friends. We fear economic failure, we fear for our children’s happiness and well-being, and we fear sickness and death.

We outgrow fears, but we never seem to outgrow fearing.

It also doesn’t help that these days there seems to be more and more to be afraid of. Just read or watch the news and you’ll see what I’m talking about—war, crime, terrorism, new strains of deadly diseases, natural and manmade disasters, and of course the miserable state of the world economy and the ramifications that brings with it.

In the Bible, God has an answer for each of those fears:

“Trouble at work? Nasty coworkers threatening to cause trouble for you? Don’t worry! Put your will on My side and I’ll take care of the problem!”

“Worried about war and terrorism? Don’t fear! Entrust your life and your family to Me, and I’ll take care of you.”

“Afraid of natural disasters? Worried about earthquakes, tsunamis, or hurricanes? Don’t be! I’ve got you covered. That’s the best insurance policy you could ask for!”

“Are you suffering physically—perhaps even battling a life-threatening sickness? Don’t be afraid. I will be with you through it all, to comfort you and hold your hand.”

“Have you been wrongly accused and therefore worry about saving your reputation and future? Don’t. I know the truth, and I’ll make sure it comes out in the end.”

“It can be a scary world out there! There’s a lot of bad stuff going on. Maybe you live in a dangerous area and that worries you sometimes. Don’t be afraid. If I take care of the birds and the flowers, what makes you think I won’t take care of you? You’re worth everything to Me.”
“I see you’ve been worried about how to provide for your family. It’s been difficult to make ends meet, and the bills are piling up. Don’t be afraid. The world and all that is in it are Mine, and it is My pleasure to meet every one of your needs. Just ask.”

As I thought about it more, I realized that God had a contingency plan for every possible calamity. For every worry, He has a solution at His fingertips. What’s more, it’s His pleasure to take care of us! He doesn’t consider us an annoyance when we come to Him with our fears and worries. Rather, like the loving Father He is, He picks us up and gently says, “I understand. Why don’t you leave that fear with Me, and let Me handle it for you?”

“God has not given us the spirit of fear,” the apostle Paul wrote, “but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

—

Luke 12:32 (NIV) Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

1. Peter 5:7 (NIV) Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

2. Timothy 1:7 (NIV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Onyedikachi Kingsley Ogbonna (Surv.)