I’d rather be someone’s whiskey than everyone’s tea

I’d rather be somebody’s shot of whiskey than everyone’s cup of tea

Found a rather quirky quote on one of my random walks today. I’ve resigned myself to the thought that the pubs in London seem to have some of the most inspiring quotes of late.

Being yourself

In a lot of our earlier posts I’ve rather taken a pedantic note and said we should always be different. Perhaps those were the days when I was a bit younger and took on a ‘preachy’ note! It is fascinating what experience does to you. I suppose the good thing is that you know what you’re talking about.

Part of being an entrepreneur was to tell myself that I was different and strive to be that. But yes, that means you do end up making a fair few sacrifices. But the belief was about delayed gratification and finally getting the big payout. Truth of the matter is that we tend to see only the big successes.

If you look at it in a holistic manner, a job is just a part of life and needs to be treated as such. I think that’s been the biggest learning for me, and I’m still trying to get used to that. Entrepreneurship takes so much of passion and energy that it tends to overtake a fair amount of your personal life

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The plus

To be fair, being an entrepreneur got me some experiences which wouldn’t have been that common otherwise

– You need to be very sure of yourself

Yes going away from the crowd takes a lot of excitement and energy. Staying there can get a bit lonely. You’ll constantly have to reassert this confidence and find ways to keep on top of this

– Know your sacrifices

decisions are horrible this way. there’s never a place where you get everything you hope for. Sacrifices are a part of everyday experience. It may mean long working hours, lesser social life and some personal compromises too

– Why are you doing this

This question trumps all. It is not one reason that makes you want to be different and be comfortable with it. But these reasons are to be kept close to you. They come in very handy during the dark days. Trust me they do help a lot to maintain the emotional balance

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Balancing act

I hope I haven’t sounded too pessimistic in this note. The more I think, more I realise that being different is a balancing act. You don’t constantly have to fight everyone and everything just to prove to yourself that you’re doing alright. It’s not just about boosting an ego

A lot more is about being aware and ok with it. Yes there are things to lose while you’re being different but there are things to gain too. Ultimately it is a choice and the knowledge that you can change things the day you want. It won’t be an immediate change and will take some more emotional strength. But you can take charge and make it work

Motivation is not just about being positive and aggressive. It is also about accepting the shortcomings and being ok with it. Or it is about finding ways to be ok with it.

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Your comments

These have been my thoughts primarily based on a few experiences of trying and striving to be different. At the same time also enjoying the aspects of trying to be similar. I’d love to hear your thoughts and energies which will be of massive help to fellow entrepreneurs who’re in the brink of making magic happen