Entepreneurs: What's wrong with our Brains?

So what is wrong with us?  We drag our spouses through a rollercoaster ride they never asked to go on, get caught up in the whirlwind of our own passion for an idea that we know to the tips of our souls is right and will work if only we can get others to see what is so clear in our heads.  We put ourselves out there in front of hundreds of people who at best will respond with "That's a great idea, but what you REALLY need to do is [insert seemingly random tweak or left turn from idea here].   Worse, hidden in that hazing ritual of unasked for suggestions are great observations that can only be seen by fresh eyes, and balancing  listening to those and being able to be nimble with being the change-o-matic guy who leaves his teams exhausted and with  NY taxi whiplash type resentment, is an act worthy of Cirque du soleil.

We need to be utterly blind to the objective odds of success and willing to stand tall and project a will-fed force field of success that shelters and shapes those who drink the Kool-aid with us.  We need to keep those deep fears of failure and rending moments of rejection hidden from everyone, usually even our spouses, who can't help but respond with "well then why are you doing it?"

We need to be so sure of what we are doing, how to do it, and that, damnit we are right, that we can stand up to all the pounding we take to get through the waves. No wonder so many of us end up perceived as brilliant on one side of the coin, and utter jerks on the other.  And no wonder we tend to have such problems when we get back into big companies, who tend to look at entrepreneurship like a perfect sweet through the glass, longing for it, but unwilling to take a bite when they actually have it in their hands. We get impatient with those who we keep having to deal with that don't "get it" (ie see what we have in our heads), people who in the start-up world just get left behind as those who decided not to fund or join.  And we can't stand seeing something that can be fixed and not just fixing it, or worse, doing paperwork (cough, MRD, cough  that we know are more for the reflex of the company process rather then on that razors edge to getting what needs to be done, done.  And even worse...the painful Kabuki drama of quarterly budgets...the wild hunt to fill them out at the end of the quarter for the known fear of them being reduced the next.  And the absolute worst...the corp. ejector seat to that senior exec. who "got it" and brought you in in the first place.

We end up in the corner of the pub, muttering to ourselves like the sea captain who's lost their ship, with that mad look in our eyes, knowing that we will never be truly happy until we are on the deck, barking orders and proudly pointing our billowing masts at a point in the horizon that only we know is there.  Sound crazy?  Sure..we're all crazy....but as the joke goes...we may be crazy, but they need the eggs.  ;-)

It's been way to long since I've posted to this, and will probably be even longer.  I've spent the last couple of years playing "small ball", living life as a small retailer.  Go check out what I'm doing at www.d20alameda.com.  The lessons I'm learning living life intentionally without my tech buddies to back me up as a small retailer, and what limitations and confusing paths lie between them and any success moving what they need to online is horrendous.  That said...it is interesting as hell.   If I can only get what I need to do done in the standard 36-hour day...I'd be fine. ;-)

Halloween now...need to go get my shop ready.  - Be back when I can.