beingcoreybayless

What is the ultimate goal? Have you truly given it the necessary thought? What are you putting into your business?
These are questions that need immediate addressing. You must know where you are going and what you’re doing.

I know what I’m in and where it’s all going. I am not simply running my own business… I have a plethora of projects and operations I have going on presently… I am building an empire. I will settle for nothing less.

Be prepared for your future and know what that future is. Create your own fate.
Decide where it is all going and begin speaking it… to your friends and family… blast it all over social media. This isn’t one of those ‘be positive and just speak it into existence’ situations. What I am referring to is accountability. You start telling everyone and speaking it over and over again… Well, now you’ve got to follow through with it. No excuses or backing down. You spoke it… make it happen. People will begin to check in on you, reminding you that you’re not yet there or giving you that confirmation that you’re on the right track. Make your vision a reality, and then make that reality grow.

There is a reason that not everyone runs their own business and works for themselves… This is America, the land of the free… the land of opportunity… No one is prohibited from doing this, but not everyone is cut out for it. Don’t be one of the many who think they are; know that you are. You can’t go into this halfcocked. You must know and believe in your goals and your mission. Set the standard for what you’re doing, how you will get it done, and then exceed that and then some. If you want to reach the true heights of your potential, you’ve got to be all in. You must fully commit.

Put no limits on the time in which you are going to put into your work; break down any boundaries that may stand in the way of your success. Know now that your future is in your hands and let no one tell you otherwise. You have got to be in control and be the driving force that carries your business to that next level. Let nothing stand in the way and get it done already.

I want to be able to help you reach your potential and get the success you’ve always dreamed of. You are capable of building something great… if you are willing to put in the work.

So, step it up… Get Cocky…

If I am going to help you, all I want is everything you’ve got.

You know you’ve heard the phrase before… “the struggle is real” … We hear this all the time. You see it again and again in hash tags across social media; it is used to refer to so many different struggles… being a parent, making ends meet, work, fitness, weight loss, just life and the everyday balance of everything.

When people see this hash tag, they get one ‘Like’ after another as if people feel as though they are a part of something. Are they really? There is this false sense of psychological confirmation that you aren’t alone because others agree they feel the same struggle. This is classic enabling although they won’t see it that way. They believe in the struggle; again, it’s real. (sometimes you see this hashtag and aren’t compelled to click ‘Like’, instead you almost laugh)

You will sometimes even see supposed entrepreneurs hash tag this phrase when referring to their daily hustle… I say supposed entrepreneurs because with social media these days, anyone can give themselves whatever title they want on their multitude of profiles; it is meaningless if you haven’t earned the right to claim such status. They haven’t sold anything, closed any deals, they have no legit company or business to speak of, yet they claim they are an entrepreneur and their struggle is real… I suppose they may really be struggling to find where they are going and what they are doing. Maybe they should step back and figure out if this is truly the path for them. I am a firm believer that everyone has something to offer, and if you desire to be your own boss, you need to figure out how to make it a reality. Some people don’t have the ambition or the drive to be their own boss and that is okay…

Those of you who are determined that this is the life for you, good for you. Now, lace your J’s and eat your Wheaties… It’s time to Get Cocky and get it done. In the world of entrepreneurism there is no room for weakness or whining. We do not shy away from a challenge or complain about the obstacles we find standing in our way. In life and in business, you have to find yourself doing what you love… There will be times when you are doing things you don’t, but it is all in efforts of getting to that place that you do love.

I have a good friend, Greg, who I refer to as G-Money because this guy is ‘all money’ all the time… he just has it all together. This is a man who is married with two teenage boys whom he is heavily involved in their daily activities. He is a great dad, a hard worker who never complains when extra things are laid on his desk, very much a team player. He’s an incredible bassist, singer and front man to a successful band that gigs regularly, sometimes a couple times a week. Moreover, he keeps himself in top physical condition always. He keeps his game tight. Most of us know a person or two that just seems to have it all together. Truth is that nobody has it all together; things are never perfect even when they seem as though they are. The big difference between your friends that got their game tight and the ones that continue to speak of the struggle is happiness. My man, Greg, is happy; he loves his wife and boys, enjoys his job, his band, his workout. He enjoys how he feels and what he’s doing even though he faces challenges all the time just like anyone else. He doesn’t look at the challenges as struggle; he just faces it and gets it done. Like I said, the man is just all money all the time; he isn’t stifled by nonsense.

If you aren’t wired to be that way, you can learn… but learn fast. You’re on your way.

Trials and tribulation may come your way, but we, the gladiators, never refer to what we do as the ‘struggle’. We own the day and the issues that come our way.

There is no struggle… only hustle.

We have all made different choices in life, and you will not hear me claim that one is better than the other or that one is ‘right’ when it comes to life choices…

Some have chosen to get started building their company when they were younger and before they had a family… they have the freedom to be on the hustle for fourteen hours a day and get it done. They can better take advantage of their opportunities without having to give thought to other things…their friends and family will support them and understand the time they must stay moving and grinding because of the business they are growing.

Now some of us started a family young or just realized we wanted to own our own business later in life. Now, whatever your path (trust me, they are all different and there isn’t a right way…although there are some wrong ways) there is a way to make it work and get your business going. The biggest obstacle that you may face oddly enough is balance… You need to remember that although you are doing something big for your family by developing this company, you can not neglect time with them to get where you’re going. This can be incredibly difficult.

You are going to feel at times that you just need a little more time to get this one thing done; before you know it, someone else is trying to contact you; a client, customer, investor, contractor. That ‘little more time’ turned into a lot more. You are going to have to be able to set proper boundaries and hold firm to them, so others don’t monopolize your time. Not only is it the right thing to do to continue to be available to your family because your family needs you, you will also need their support in order to get where you’re going. Y’all are a family and must work together to develop this company and grow it to the level you desire.

No matter how much you try to prepare for this, it will inevitably get away from you. You’re human and it happens. Even when you are working for someone else, it is easy to get wrapped up in something and miss a little family time… It is even harder to prevent that from happening when it is your company, and you are working diligently to grow it. You must keep things in perspective and be know now at times you will get lost in your work. Be aware of this and never stop making efforts to be present for your family. You will get lost in work from time to time but be sure they know your situation and know what you’re working towards.

If you make efforts to keep the family involved and in the know of what is going on, they can be more understanding and less likely to feel as though they have been pushed aside for your new business venture. You never want them to feel that your ambition is priority over them, and you never want to get to the point that you feel they are in the way of your ambition…. Communication is key.

Be sure to communicate your goals and expectations while including some time designated for the fam… You need to control this delicate balance. They will help you thrive and you will reach the heights you desperately seek.

In the business of running your own company, you must remember that everything rests on your shoulders. When you are developing your company, there is only you. As your company grows and thrives, there may be more than just you, but it will always rest on you. You are responsible for everything that is happening in your company and everything that others do on behalf of your company. You must keep these things in perspective when you put others in a position responsible for getting things done… you are still responsible for them and for what they accomplish.

This is your business… this is your future and know that the things that will be thrown at you or sometimes dropped right on top of you may not be easily predictable. You will try to prepare for the things that can and will inevitably go wrong and the obstacles you will face, but you will get surprised again and again…

No matter what you are faced with, remember there is always things to be done, moves to be made. Things may even seem bleak at some points… I have owned multiple businesses that have failed… or just fizzled… some because of partnerships that went sideways, some because wrong decisions were made, and others… well that is the nature of business. There is timing and marketing… right place and right time. There are so many factors that come into play and sometimes you just can’t clearly pinpoint what has gone wrong.

You have got to be calculated in the moves you make. Be sure you know what you’re getting into, where you are going, why you’re doing it, and do you honestly believe in it. You have got to weigh all the factors that go into what you are developing. Is this a viable business? Is it the right marketplace? Do you know how to market it? Is this something you can do on your own or do you need partner or assistance getting it going or maintaining it? There are so many things that need to be contemplated.

Many people fall into an idea, or it falls into them…

Even when you feel you have given everything careful consideration, life happens, and twists and turns are bound to hit you and your business. Roll with the punches. You will get through it… Just as you contemplated all the risks and options before your company jumped off the ground, you must weigh in on all these again when problems arise, or you feel things are crumbling around you. You can’t hang it up so easily, but you mustn’t continue fighting a fight that is futile. You have got to know that you are fighting a fight worth fighting for or cut your losses at the opportune moment. If it comes to that, and you must hang it up; this isn’t the end. You move on to the next project; you live to fight another day. These things happen; do not allow them to cause discouragement as this will only stifle your productivity on your next big thing…

No matter what comes or how bad it may seem, you are in the drivers’ seat. It’s up to you if you get where you’re going.

Get Cocky. And own it…

To you, the young entrepreneur… to be clear, young is not at all about age; it is about experience in the game. How much time have you put in? Have you put in the work? Reality is, it is more about the status of your company than the actual time in which you have put in. Don’t get it twisted… time and efforts are important, but for today’s discussion, we are focusing on people’s idea of Saturday.

To a young entrepreneur with proper drive and motivation, a Saturday means nothing more than the sixth day of the week… too bad for those who think the week only has five days in which you can work, earn, and grow. Five days…? Who are you clowning? You have a company that you are trying to grow; how can you take a weekend to rest? How does Friday or Saturday become a day to party? You feel as though you have worked a long week… you’re tired… you deserve a break…
“I’m in a good spot and will pick back up on Monday,” you say as you text your homies to figure out where the hot spot is tonight.

Truth is, you have not yet earned that privilege. You have to get there… You have to put in the work and earn that time off. If I am having to tell you this, you have the wrong perspective…

If you want to reach the height of your true potential, you must be committed to getting it done. You have no time to be wasting at this stage in the game. You have your whole life to party and enjoy a day off. Get there first… Earn it!

For the avid entrepreneur, fully joy, and eager to get it going, they need not be reminded to get back to work. You are a soldier fighting for something… fighting for financial freedom, to break the chains of conventional society that says normal is a 9-5 Monday through Friday job, and ultimately find true independence in one’s skills and abilities to market said skills. This is where you are going… you can not lay down and give up the fight until you have fought and won.

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.” – Vince Lombardi

The great Vince Lombardi could not have said it any better… These words speak volumes when referring to football, life, and even business. If you want to win, win.

You don’t take a day off until you win. Get there already and earn that day off.

You’re on your way and believe me that day off is going to feel great when you know that things are running smooth in your business and you can truly embrace your time off.