By Jillian Gordon (opens in new tab), contributor of The Underground Group
To be an entrepreneur (opens in new tab) is to take less-traveled roads. It’s carving a path or blazing a trail and consequently facing challenges, failures and those who might call you crazy for trying. It can also mean the glory of experiencing success that results from vision, hard work and determination. To be an entrepreneur is to be a risk-taker.
The ups and downs that come with launching your company can be difficult, if not weakening at times (opens in new tab). Rest assured, you are not alone. Some of the world’s greatest innovators and business minds have faced the same challenges. If you’re in need of motivation, take a look at these inspiring words of wisdom.
But first, fail.
1. “Not taking failures personally allows us to recover--and even to thrive.” –Sheryl Sandberg
2. “I have not failed. I've just found ten thousand ways that won't work.” –Thomas A. Edison
3. “Don’t worry about failure; you only have to be right once.” –Drew Houston
4. “It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all, in which case you have failed by default.” –Bill Gates
Innovate, innovate, innovate.
5. “I’m as proud of many of the things we haven’t done as the things we have done. Innovation is saying no to a thousand things.” –Steve Jobs
6. “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon you have a dozen.” –John Steinbeck
7. "It's always about timing. If it's too soon, no one understands. If it's too late, everyone's forgotten." –Anna Wintour
8. “Every act of creation is, first of all, an act of destruction.” –Pablo Picasso
Leaders eat last.
9. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” -John Q. Adams
10. “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to be.” –Rosalynn Carter
11. “I think the currency of leadership is transparency. You've got to be truthful. I don't think you should be vulnerable every day, but there are moments where you've got to share your soul and conscience with people and show them who you are, and not be afraid of it.” –Howard Schultz (opens in new tab)
12. “Don’t waste your energy trying to educate or change opinions; go over, under, through and opinions will change organically when you’re the boss. Or they won’t. Who cares? Do your thing, and don’t care if they like it.” –Tina Fey
Say “nay” to naysayers.
13. “The secret is not to give up hope. It's very hard not to. If you're really doing something worthwhile, I think you will be pushed to the brink of hopelessness before you come through to the other side.” –George Lucas
14. "Never be ashamed! There's some who will hold it against you, but they are not worth bothering with." –J.K. Rowling
15. “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right.” –Henry Ford
16. “Don’t be afraid to assert yourself, have confidence in your abilities, and don’t let the bastards get you down.” –Michael Bloomberg
Dream big or go home.
17. “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” –Mark Twain
18. “The biggest adventure you can take is to live the life of your dreams.” –Oprah Winfrey
19. “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” –Walt Disney
20. “If you can’t fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. if you can’t walk, then crawl. But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.” –Martin Luther King, Jr.
Success isn't as it seems.
21. “Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” –Winston Churchill
22. “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” –Albert Schweitzer
23. “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” – Dale Carnegie
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