I’m a terrible swimmer.
My waist tends to sink every time I find a rhythm in the water. My breaths aren’t consistent. I forget to kick regularly. My preferred stroke is the doggy paddle. It’s just not a natural “thing” for me to do.
It is such a great workout, though!
Twenty minutes in the pool makes my legs wobbly, lights my back up, and takes the wind out of me more so than an hour-long run. It seems I’m a glutton for punishment. It’s not natural, but I do it anyway.
Being an entrepreneur is a lot like jumping in the deep end of the pool for a swim.
Less Competition
Most people prefer to stay in the safety of the shallow end. Many have ventured out once or twice, and some even stay there. But lots of them come back to the shallow end where it’s easier to stand. It’s counter-intuitive to do what’s hard all the time.
If you’re going to take the leap into entrepreneurship, you’re gonna have to get out of the shallow end.
Yes, it can be a bit more dangerous, but it can also be more rewarding. There are less people trying to start businesses than there are people searching for jobs. When you look for a job, you are typically pigeon-holing yourself into the category for which the job is being advertised. As an entrepreneur, your possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
Sitting Still = Sinking
Wendy Peffercorn probably won’t save you if your business idea fails.
Just because you are tired doesn’t mean you can take time off. If you do…. hello lifeguard.
The shallow end offers a number of perks. It can take less energy to spend your time with your feet on the ground instead of treading water. You can still dunk your head and get immersed in water without all the fear of drowning. It can even be easier to relax in the shallow end, there’s less to stress about.
The other day I was exhausted and feeling sorry for myself. It didn’t matter. There was nobody I could call and ask for a “ME-day” or a break. If I didn’t work, I didn’t get paid.
The fear of drowning – also known as failure – can be a strong motivator. As an entrepreneur or a business owner, you have to keep moving or you’re going to sink.
Of course, everyone needs a rest. Nobody can swim, or even tread water, forever. You have to take calculated breaks. If you decide to take a rest in the middle of the pool, you’re going down like Squints from The Sandlot. If you manage your work properly, you can take a break every time you hit the wall, hanging on to something stable.
The perks of the shallow end have to be compared and contrasted to the perks of the deep end. Each of you has to determine which is more important: the feeling of knowing exactly how much your next paycheck will be (and when it will come) or the feeling of knowing that your opportunity is limited only by your ambition.
I have made the choice, and what I want is different than what you want. But in the end, that’s the opportunity cost we’re all facing.
You Can Do It Forever
You don’t see many 65 year old men playing flag football, much less putting on a helmet and setting up for Oklahoma Drills. Football and other contact sports become less practical the older you get. Swimming, however, is perfect for 65 year old men whose joints hurt but still have plenty of energy to burn.
Swimming is something you can do for life, just like entrepreneurship. The pressure is the same whether you are 25 or 65. And if you’ve been doing it all your life, you’re probably going to be much better at it when you’re 65 than you were when you were 25. Technique improves with age and the longer you practice, the easier it gets.
It Could Save Your Life
Our economy is shifting. Thought leaders talk about the Connection Revolution and the effects it is having on today’s workforce. I have seen it and I wholeheartedly believe it is changing the landscape of our country.
*If you have no idea what I’m talking about, read this above article, it’s worth the 4 minutes. Kodak, a company that has been around since 1888, was recently bankrupt. This happened because everyone gained access to higher quality photography right on their smart-phones. Victim A of the Connection Revolution: Kodak.*
If you’re a good swimmer and you get tossed into a deep body of water, you won’t have a problem swimming to safety. But if you’ve never ventured out to the deep end, well… you’re gonna have a hard time learning as you go.
This isn’t a call to action for everyone to quit their jobs and start a business, that’s impractical. We’ll always have jobs. There will always be government positions, there will always be large factories producing at the lowest price possible, and there will always be people who desire “security” from their job.
I put that word in quotations because I don’t believe “job security” as it has been traditionally defined exists any longer. I view security in a different way, I believe in hedging your bets.
This is a call to action to venture out to the deep end. Start something, anything, that makes YOU more marketable. You never know when an entire industry will be wiped out with the latest technology – just ask Kodak.
I started a blog, this has lead me to a number of new opportunities. Some people might start a side-business out of their garage. For others, it’s time to write that book you’ve always talked about. Still for some, it may be time to chase that dream you’ve always had: one small step at a time every day after work.
Don’t let the changing landscape limit your opportunity. Instead, lean into it and take control. Start venturing out to the deep end, the water’s great!
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Leave me a comment or chat with me on Twitter, I’d love to hear from you. Have a great weekend!
