Some time ago, I did read somewhere that entrepreneurship is like jumping off a cliff and figuring out how to build a plane while you're on your way down.
I think the mental image that it conjures is why it still occasionally flashes in the back of my mind every now and then.
This time around, this image was triggered by watching a random skydiving short that came across my YouTube feed.
I don't know, but being up there in the sky is a paradoxical feeling. You're both so free, light as a feather, yet so scared at the same time, given the absolute absence of solid ground beneath you.
And usually, there's a split second to decide which side of the paradox you're going to lean into. How do you hold onto one feeling and let the other run in the background without causing a complete collapse of resolve?
In entrepreneurship, building a plane while you're on your way down is one of the ultimate tests of adaptability, resourcefulness, and sheer will that you can get out of life.
Without having all the answers upfront, you're cultivating an unwavering belief in your ability to find them even under extreme duress.
And part of the main reason why you're constantly iterating, learning, and improvising is that the stakes are literally life or death for your venture.
Besides, there's an element of deadline to it, i.e., before you hit the ground. Which also means there's intensity, since every passing second brings you closer to potential impact.
Deadline and intensity go hand in hand when survival or significant success is on the line.
The pressure can either crush you or forge you into something stronger, faster, and more resilient.
How about being ready? Is one ever ready to jump off this proverbial cliff knowing that their chance of survival is never 100% guaranteed, and often feels closer to 1% than 99%?
I think this aspect in and of itself is worth pondering because it clearly explains why so few people make the leap despite having great ideas.
The fundamental difference between entrepreneurs and everyone else is basically the willingness to act despite uncertainty.
The idea of being "ready" for such a leap is, in itself, also a paradox.
No amount of planning can simulate the actual experience of freefall.
This is where the real work begins.
The more you "prepare" for entrepreneurship, the more risks you discover, creating an endless cycle of "not quite ready yet" until the opportunity passes.
This was a common mistake that's made out of a misguided pursuit of certainty in an inherently uncertain endeavor.
I think readiness here, could actually be the willingness to be perpetually unready.
Because at some point along the journey, you also tend to realize that every business plan, market analysis, financial projection are essentially just an educated guess about a future that refuses to be predicted.
Why not just jump and get into that chaotic space where actual learning and building can begin?
Of course, having a handkerchief plan with the bare essentials for immediate survival helps.
Maybe also an eraser for all the assumptions you'll inevitably get wrong.
This above metaphor reminds me that one of the main aspects of entrepreneurship is timely responsiveness.
Having the ability to pivot, adapt, and rebuild your plane mid-flight as many times as necessary before you either soar or hit the ground.
Hopefully, it's the former and the true ascent begins!
Thanks for reading!! Share your thoughts below on the comments.
