Bootstrappin’ #Vlog 3: “Prove Yourself Right” – Examining Entrepreneurial Motivation

By: Jeff St Onge

Proving yourself right works a lot better than proving others wrong. What is motivating you deep inside? If it’s not positive, righteous and energy-producing – you need to tread very carefully.

Reality check to entrepreneurs, mainly wantrepreneurs. People posting pics of Leonardo Dicaprio with the heading “PROVE THEM WRONG”. You need to keep it real, people are worried about themselves, not your hustle. That’s for you to worry about.

Being misunderstood is a part of being an entrepreneur. No one is taking time out of their life to root for you to fail.

It’s an unnatural human reaction for people to instinctively be happy for another’s success… it makes us feel slighted and sometimes insecure about what we’re doing if we see someone else on top of the world. This is not people rooting against you – it’s human nature.

But it’s even more innate for people to worry about their own lives… and not worry about you and your dreams & aspirations. This is reality and where many people will struggle in the long-term if their motives are shallow.

What entrepreneurs will find, especially when starting out, like myself – is that if they’re open & honest about where they are in their process, many people are actually going to root for you. It’s when you try and put on a false facade that people begin to root against.

There’s no doubt that if you study people who have done amazing things with their life, a lot of their dreams were initially spurred on by hard times. That’s OK to begin with, but there has to be a point where your desire is not rooted in negative circumstance, but to do good, achieve more and live for yourself, employees and family.

But to be blunt… either way – what type of delicate flower are you that you have automatically earned the approval and support of everyone around you? That sh*t is earned, not given.

And when you get to the point when you actually have a ton of haters… you should be congratulated for reaching a level that most never come near.