The Self-Reliant Entrepreneur

November 20In the Open Light

You talk as if you had always lived in that wild, unprofitable element you are so fond of, where all things glitter, and nothing is gold; all show and no substance. My people work in the secret, and their works praise them in the open light; they remain in the dark because only there such marvels could be bred.

Margaret Fuller—At Home and Abroad; or, Things and Thoughts in America and Europe (1856)

Relentless self-promotion probably creates more stress for entrepreneurs than making payroll.

Why? Because all too often it's a lie that gets harder and harder to uphold. Look at your typical top 20 list to follow for this and that; dig beneath the façade, you will find few who have accomplished much approaching what you want to accomplish. (Yes, this isn't the first time you've read this idea.)

The true success stories often shun the spotlight in favor of making something more useful out of their efforts—including money.

Take note of what author David Zweig calls a “quite elite” in his book titled Invisibles.

Entrepreneurs seeking some measure of self-reliance are more wired to give credit than take credit and derive satisfaction in the work itself and the value it produces.

Some professions require more self-promotion than others. The good that you can do won't reach as many people as possible if you do not promote, but seeking status for the sake of status has never been a steady path to self-fulfillment.

Do work that has value for others, self-promote ...