Mom Always Made Me Clean My Plate

I have talked about some of the things that are going on in my life right now, other things I have not. I am working full-time, going to graduate school, searching for a new job, losing 85 lbs. (30 down, 55 to go), writing a book, starting an Internet company on the side, and learning Adobe GoLive in order to start said Internet company. Oh, and I have a wife and daughter to pay attention to, as well.

I have never been this busy in my life, and I credit the weight loss and exercise with giving me the energy to do so.

The most difficult thing I have found is staying focused on one task. I know what I have to do on any given day, but I don't schedule myself well and even if I did, I would probably not stick to my schedule. It's exciting to have so many opportunities laid out before me, but I need time to create a plan of action.

This morning, Guy Kawasaki posted a great essay about 11 qualities of successful entrepreneurs on his blog. Here is a bit of #11, my favorite:

Take the “red pill.” This refers to the choice that Neo made in The Matrix. The red pill led to learning the whole truth. The blue pill meant waking up wondering if you had a bad dream. Bootstrappers don't have the luxury to take the blue pill. They take the red pill--everyday--to find out how deep the rabbit hole really is.

What he is getting at is the fact that you can't lie to yourself if you are going to be a successful entrepreneur. Whether it is about finances, product capabilities, target markets, or your employees' loyalty, you need to be completely honest with yourself everyday, or else you run the risk of failure.

I took this to heart. This weekend I will put together an action plan to get the Internet company really rolling. I have a syllabus for each of my classes now, and have already compiled a schedule of assignments. I can work the new business around my school schedule, and based on industry cycles, the real crunch time will be about a month after I graduate.

This just might work!