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As an entrepreneur, failure isn’t a possibility—it’s a certainty. You’ll fail, repeatedly for years.
Here’s the truth: failure feels devastating. When everything starts crumbling, you find yourself thinking, “This isn’t working out. Maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
I've been ready to throw in the towel more times than I can think. And my encouragement is this, "the failures don't get easier, you get stronger."
Let me explain.
The Three-to-Four-Year Slump: When the Doubts Creep In
Around the three-to-four-year mark, I often hear entrepreneurs say things like, “It isn’t supposed to be this hard anymore,” or “I thought it would get easier by now.”
It's a season of reckoning.
You were prepared to struggle at first. You knew being a start up was going to take a lot. Now, you’ve poured years into your business, you're exhausted, and instead of smoother sailing, you feel like you’re hitting a wall. The spark of initial enthusiasm has worn off, and the relentless demands of the business leave you exhausted.
It’s a natural reaction to think, “If it’s still this hard, maybe it’s not meant to work out.” But here’s what I say to that: Yes, it’s meant to work out. But you have to shove it forward. It stays hard. The grind doesn’t end; it just changes shape.
You're Just Getting Your Masters Degree.
Each setback, loss, or challenge has a lesson embedded in it, waiting for you to mine its value. (If you can keep a level head about it.) Whether it’s a product that flopped, a partnership that soured, or a strategy that didn’t yield results, every failure teaches you something crucial.
I've been known to say I'm just getting my masters degree in hard knocks. My failures are often expensive. And its helpful to think of it as tuition towards my education.
What you learn through failure helps you pivot. You adapt because you must.
The “Dying” Feeling is Part of the Journey
You are supposed to feel like you're dying. Entrepreneurship demands all of you.
And realize this often takes a few years. It's why we end up in that 3 year slump.
The emotional toll of risking so much, putting yourself out there, and striving for something bigger than yourself drains you. But that feeling isn’t a signal to quit. That feeling of exhaustion, of hitting your breaking point—this tells you that the rubber has finally hit the road.
All it means is you are stretching, growing, and evolving as an entrepreneur.
It’s Not Supposed to Be Easy—And That’s a Good Thing
There’s a misconception that if you’re good at something or truly passionate about it, it should come easy (or get easier) But if building a successful business were easy, everyone would be doing it. The struggle, the sweat, and yes, the tears are what make success so rare.
There will be moments where you’ll have to literally will your vision forward. You have to shove, push, and grind. There are no shortcuts or magic wands.
Building a business is an endurance game. How hard can you dig in your heels?
