Scary Move, Eh?

Have you ever gone to a restaurant in the United Kingdom by yourself? The popular greeting for the single visitor is, "All alone?" You look at the host and sigh, "Yes, I'm all alone." Compare that with the greeting you get at restaurants in the United States: "Party of one?"

To thrive in The Entrepreneurial Zone, you need to enjoy the adventure and keep a positive attitude. You have to become a party of one, independent. Isn't that why you want your own business?

Here's a little trick I use to remind myself I'm always a party of one. In my wallet, I carry a small piece of paper that says: "Dream like a child, decide as an adult."

Think about your business and dream about the possibilities. Visualize them. Like a child, believe in imagination and know that anything is possible. Then, as an adult, consider all the possibilities you've dreamed up and decide on the best course of action to take. What is the first thing you can do today to make your dream business a reality? What is the next step after that?

It is important, especially when the external world isn't wholly supportive, to maintain the balance between your dream and your reality. Never let the dreamer get too quiet, and always remember when to let the adult take over.

The adult seeks advice and wisdom on how to get from here to there. So work to continually expand your knowledge by referring to the resources around you. Discover how other entrepreneurs in your field achieved success. Keep the possibilities alive and your business moving forward.

This article was originally published in the August 2002 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Scary Move, Eh?.