The Worst Business Advice You'll Ever Get

There is a quote that floats around often. I hear it in entrepreneurship circles over and over again, and it can significantly hurt you before you get started. I'm sure you've even seen internet memes or other "business-people" say it as well. In fact, it's not just business people, it's a bumper-sticker philosophy that has been around for years, but you must avoid it if you want to be successful and I'll tell you why.

Let me first tell you a story.When I started Grunt Style a few years ago, my wife and I were never poor but we certainly were broke. We had very little money. We used to mash our own beans out of the bag because we couldn't afford the pinto beans in the can. We did this for a few years. We struggled and worked hard, 7 days a week. I used to sleep in my car, traveling around the states between Chicago and Georgia selling our product. I'd sometimes use my military ID to go to a local military installation to shower at the gym to freshen up before going back to selling. We didn't have much money, but we always tried to stay authentic. We never bought nice expensive things, because we couldn't afford them. We bought the few things that mattered and that we could afford. We did this for years. It was 6 years before my wife bought her first brand new car. Why? It's because we could afford it appropriately. Remember this lean living and continue to read.The worst business advice or just advice on success, in general, is "Fake it until you make it", and let me tell you why.[caption id="attachment_10301" align="aligncenter" width="591"]

Fake it until you make it - The worst business advice you can get[/caption]"Fake it until you make it" focuses on the word fake. This is a problem if your goal is success. To be successful you must have lofty goals, the drive to obtain them, and, just as important, the honesty to know where you are.Let me use an example: Say you're out in the middle of a forest. You have a map and a compass. You look at the map and recognize that you're at the bottom of the map; your destination is 20 miles north.[caption id="attachment_10303" align="aligncenter" width="1024"]

LT Dick giving some great advice on getting lost in the woods.[/caption]The right attitude is to create a plan, using the assets that you have (compass, map, etc.) and execute. Your attitude should reflect positive, CAN-DO thinking. You can dream and imagine your destination, all of the wonderful things that are over there waiting for you, when you've completed your mission. This is healthy and focuses on your goal of accomplishing your task.The WRONG attitude is to tell everyone that you've already arrived at your destination and drink all your water and use all your supplies because you're lying to yourself. This facade will only lead to your utter failure of your mission at hand.

Let's take that example and apply it to business:The RIGHT attitude: "I'm working hard and hustling every day to reach my goals. I'm going to learn from others who know more than me and humble myself to listen to them. I will not stop until I reach my business goal of 1,000 bars in America selling my new Vodka brand." <--- (Example. I don't sell Vodka. I just drink it.)The 'Fake it until you make it' WRONG attitude: "I'm going to tell everyone that I'm a super successful entrepreneur, even though I haven't really sold anything. I even bought a brand new car and $5,000 watch to show people how successful I am. When people see that they'll want to do business with me because I'm successful. I'm going to do this until I make it."...No, you'll be out of business and your new financed rims on your car will be repossessed. [caption id="attachment_10304" align="aligncenter" width="510"]

At least he's honest.[/caption]Focus on what matters most. Set a goal, work hard to accomplish it. You can NEVER reach your objective if you're lying to your self and others of where you are.