Get Your Mind(set) Right (aka Are You a Wolf or a Sheep?)

Entrepreneurs have a different mindset, a different way of thinking. It's this mindset that is perhaps the greatest attribute of an entrepreneur. They don't take no for an answer, they don't accept things for the way they are, they make things the way they want them to be. Without this mindset, your chances for making it as one are a long shot at best.

The best way to learn this mentality is to surround yourself with people who have it. I'm fortunate enough to have some of these people in my circles and it has helped me to develop an entrepreneurial mindset for myself. 

When it comes to success we are either a wolf or a sheep. Sheep go where they are told, they don't stand out, they don't really change the world. They don't mind losing. They are average. And for many people being average is perceived as success. Wolves want to win at all costs. They can't be tamed and don't like being told what to do. They trust in their instincts to thrive. It's not hard to see that entrepreneurs exhibit these wolf characteristics, while employees tend to display sheep characteristics. 

A few months ago I was out with a friend (who happens to own his own company) in Manhattan on a Thursday night. We had both just been getting back from a long day of work and decided to meet for drinks. After a couple of beers I was ready to head home and my buddy was trying to convince me to come out for a few more drinks. Our conversation went something like this:

Friend: "Let's go to another spot for a few more drinks."

Me: "Nah, it's getting late, I gotta head back home."

Friend: "Why?"

Me: "I have to get to bed, I've got work in the morning."

Friend: "As an entrepreneur that's exactly what I want my employees to think. I want them to go to bed early and wake up rested so they can come to work and make ME money. If I saw any of my employees out right now, I'd probably tell them to go home. One of the reasons why I'm an entrepreneur is that I have the flexibility to work whenever I want. Now if I don't work, I don't make money. But when I work, I don't make money for someone else. I make it for ME." 

Not only did this convince me to stay out and wind up having a great night, but this seemingly simple exchange hit me with the profound realization that I had a sheep mindset ingrained in me. It shed light on the fact that as an entrepreneur and employer, employees are an asset. They work to put money in your pocket and should be valued and appreciated. It made me realize that I'm not viewed in that manner by my current employer and that made me angry. It gave me fuel and urgency to make a change in my life. It awakened a wolf mindset in me. The mindset I needed to put the wheels in motion to launch my first company (...more on that later).  

Well, which one are you - a wolf or a sheep?