Back in high school, my favorite teacher said to me: Jonathan.
Remember to die a little every day.
Back then, I thought it was a strange thing to say.
Today, I understand what he meant.
Ive been named Entrepreneur of the Year, and Ive lived entrepreneurship in both body and soul.
When I started my first company, back in 1999, I was totally focused on the idea.
Instead you push, you struggle, you make things happen.
No one there to do it for you.
I sometimes describe the lifestyle of being an entrepreneur as a constant limbo between passion and panic.
Some days what you do is the very essence of life.
You forget whether what youre building it really that important to the world.
Your brain just falls in love with the project and the process.
Other days its a total feeling of panic.
Will you succeed or fail?
Will you be able to pay your employees salaries?
Entrepreneurship becomes like life … and death.
And then contemplating about what that deep understanding does to you.
So entrepreneurshipislife and death, and deciding to start a new growth company is therefore a truly existential decision.
I know from experience that building a company from idea to a sustainable business takes around 5-10 years.
5-10 years of your life.
Perhaps this perspective on entrepreneurship is the most important of all.
Its really up to you and your perspective on life.
On the other hand, producing dog food can also be seen as the most meaningful thing in life.
No matter which idea you choose to attribute meaning to, you will need willpower.
You will need stamina.
You will need endurance.
I have to admit that thinking about entrepreneurship like this is something relatively new to me.
I didnt start doing so until a few years ago, where I suffered from a severe depression.
I wanted to share this with you.
That is the best entrepreneurial advice Im able to offer you.
Story byJonathan Lw
Jonathan Lw is one of Denmarks most well-known entrepreneurs and business authors.
He is also former Startup-Advisor and Investor at Accelerace the leading investment fund for startups in Denmark.
Additionally Jonathan Lw is the editor ofThe GuruBook published in March 2018 by Taylor & Francis.
He is also the author of the foreword to leadership-guru Simon Sineks latest book Find your why.
