I don’t know you, but (unless you have a special affinity for business) I am willing to bet I have read more business websites, magazines, books, and biographies than you.
For example, I know by heart that the Dewey decimal system code for the business section of the library is 658. And I’ll end my case with that.
Having spent so much of my life drinking in the “business success” cool-aid why am I calling it out as a lie? Let me tell you…
First off, anyone who makes running a business sound like an easy, fun endeavor is a flat out liar.
And the ones who say that when you do it right, “then,” it’s fun and easy are patronizing charlatans who will leave you feeling like “what is wrong with me, this isn’t fun or easy – something must be wrong with me.”
It’s not you, it’s the lie.
But it being hard work and often not fun – these are not the main reasons why I call it a lie.
My issue is with this idea of “success” and “happiness” they are pushing.
Don’t listen to me, try out the lie, give it enough time, and you’ll find out the hard way that:
there is way more to life than business and money (google results for meaning of life)
I would say more about that now, but this is just a short post. Of course, I intend to type more about the fullness of this lie.
For the moment though, let me only list some other outstanding reasons why I call it a lie.
Starting your own business:
- coronavirus or any other unforeseen occurrence could destroy your hard work overnight.
- even if you love the business, it will be hard/painful
- “being your own boss” just means you have all your crazy clients as bosses and an incompetent idiot (yourself) as a manager
- “look at those business rock stars in that Fortune magazine! I can do it too” – The truth is for every one of them there are countless sob stories of failed businesses
- “I just need to make 10% of Apple (or [insert other successful business here]) makes and I will be a success. ” No. Just. no.
- any number of other lies
So, if you like business or need to do business to live what should you do about all of this?
Don’t get rich quick…