Let’s talk about the greatest performance e-myths in business and debunk them to help you avoid falling into the e-myth trap.
First, let’s take a minute to discuss what an e-myth is. The classic “entrepreneurial myth”, or e-myth, is an assumption that anyone can succeed at business with:
- Desire;
- Some capital;
- A projected target profit.
This sounds great, but it just not realistic. Think of starting a business as a marathon. Sure, everyone starts out of the gate at a record pace, but after a few miles people start slowing and some drop out entirely. Building a successful business takes stamina and versatility.
Picture this – you wouldn’t hand someone a Stradivarius violin and just expect them to be able to play in Carnegie Hall next week. Yet every day, bright-eyed entrepreneurs grab their metaphorical instruments, skip the rehearsals, and jump straight to opening night.
Business isn’t a three-chord pop song – it’s a complex symphony, or multi-year opera requiring highly skilled performers, world-class orchestration, and yes, years of personal practice and countless team rehearsal sessions.
The reality is that there are multiple facets of a successful business and none of them should be overlooked if you want to find success.
Let’s reflect on the classic ‘entrepreneurial seizure’- the roller coaster of emotions that comes with starting, nurturing, and the potential failure of a business.
The emotions that will be experienced, as a dramatic rise and fall that catches so many off guard, in order are:
- Exhilaration: (first standing ovation)
- Exhaustion: (tempos accelerate, more is on the line)
- Despair: (complexity, the spotlight feels hotter, competing ideas)
- Sense of self-loss: (one wrong note…)!
Entrepreneurial seizure is usually caused by the e-myths and assumptions we outlined. You can get so caught up on the idea of instant success that even the smallest setback will send you into an emotional tailspin. This can also be brought on by the stark realization that you are not capable of doing it all by yourself and will require assistance in areas where you lack knowledge. Now as you are faced with limited choices you may feel like you need to turtle, but it is imperative for your business that you don’t do this.
Soon you’re facing a choice: Keep trying to play every instrument yourself (spoiler: even Yo-Yo Ma doesn’t do that) or build an orchestra of talent around you.
Here’s the virtuoso secret: The greatest conductors aren’t necessarily the best at playing every instrument. They excel at bringing together exceptional talent and creating harmony from complexity, competing ideas and approaches.
Don’t let your solo performance turn into a one-hit wonder. The business world has enough of those.
Ready to elevate your career from singular excellence to a commanding symphony that stands the test of time?
The world of enterprise awaits your masterpiece legacy – without the dramatic crash at the end.
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