To become an inspired entrepreneur, you have to discover who you are beyond your fears.

This is according to Nick Williams, international bestselling author of The Work We Were Born to Do, who hosted a special workshop at the UCT Graduate School of Business. Williams is also a co-director of the Purpose and Personal Leadership course run by the GSB’s Executive Education unit.

“Once you’ve discovered the work you love, the work you were born to do, it is likely you will also feel a call to become more entrepreneurial and even start your own business around it".

"This new entrepreneurial spirit isn’t about money alone, but is also about having your own business be a way that you create freedom, grow yourself, fulfill your potential, make a difference and create meaning. Your own business can be a perfect fit for your own unique gifts, talents and needs and allowing you to work for love and money,” he says.

Bringing this new entrepreneurial spirit to fruition, however, involves crossing many thresholds so that one goes from fear and resistance to confidence and competence.

“There are eight main obstacles in transitioning from employment to becoming an inspired entrepreneur – these are common challenges and many people face one or more on their road to becoming an inspired entrepreneur.”

The first big obstacle is defeating your own inner resistance.

“I am a passionate believer that we must end our resistance and overcome our inner-inertia. Have you ever noticed that whenever you have a great idea others things get in the way? You think to yourself ‘I’ll wait till the kids are older’ or ‘I’ll study further before I start that’. It’s a phenomenon that we all can identify with.

“About seven years ago I saw a magazine while I was in London and as they did not have much content thought of the great idea of writing career coaching articles for them. But then other thoughts came into my mind and the notion went from inspiration to dead in the water in 30 seconds. So often we talk ourselves out of good ideas before we even know it,” he says.

It is critical therefore that we recognise that we all have resistance, he adds. “And equally importantly, we must recognise our power to overcome this. You can’t wait for the resistance to go, because it never goes. You have to overcome it one step at a time.”

A second obstacle is not having any entrepreneurship role models that you can aspire to be like.

“It is very valuable to find people like you, people who have taken the steps across thresholds, to help you take those first steps. Author Caroline Myss writes that ‘we evolve at the rate of the tribe we are plugged into’ – if we are plugged into the wrong people it so much harder to move ahead,” says Williams.

Thirdly, he says, people are often afraid to be a pioneer in their work or life and afraid to fail at something new.

“A child will fall a hundred times before it learns to walk, but we as adults are afraid of falling even once. If you want to be a writer, you may have to write badly to start with to write better. Falling is part of the journey or getting things right.”

The fourth barrier, Williams continues, is not believing that you can or should make money from doing what you love, enjoying yourself and contributing to others in the same way.

“You feel guilty or find it hard to value yourself when it comes to asking to receive money – it was certainly a difficult challenge for me as well,” he says.

Fifthly, many people have great ideas but don’t know how to bring them to fruition due to a lack of know-how. “When you get really good at what you love, when you immerse yourself in it, then the money will follow,” says Williams.

Another obstacle, and this is a common one, he adds, is feeling that you have too much invested in your current position or career to change.

“We tell ourselves, ‘maybe this job is not so bad’ and ‘why not stay where you are’. There is a fear of losing something, but in reality you never throw anything way. You will be amazed at how you recycle your experience in a new environment,” he says.

The next obstacle is being subjected to incorrect advice and erroneous opinions, sometimes from people you respect and love.

“Sometimes we get the response: ‘You want to do what? Are you mad!’ To quote the Sufi poet, Rumi: ‘When setting out on a journey do not consult someone who has never left home.’ I am a great believer in getting good advice. I ask: ‘Has this person walked the path?’ – If not, then I look at what can I filter out that can be useful to me.

Sometimes, just because some advice hurts, it doesn’t mean it is bad advice,” Williams explains.

The final obstacle is not fully understanding the power of baby steps and incremental growth. “In whatever you want to pursue, it starts with small steps. Writing a book, for example, starts with the first line.

“How do you start? If you are employed, use your evenings or weekends to get things going – create your first deliverable and then keep going till you create your first bit of entrepreneurial income. That tiny bit of income will spark a deeper enthusiasm and you’ll want to keep blossoming.”

“I can recall the first presentation I gave – I had a sleepless night before and beat myself up about how it went afterwards, but in doing it I felt an authenticity that was from the heart. Yes, there is terror, but it indicates where the treasure is.”

For more information, see www.gsb.uct.ac.za/execed.

For more on Williams see www.nick-williams.com.

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