Delayed Gratification: The Most Underrated Seed for Growth
Oct 31, 2023
In #entrepreneurship, the quickest wins often lead to diverted attention, wasted time, and a general unawareness of the value of delayed gratification. It's a rarely discussed topic, largely because those selling dreams prefer to paint a picture of instant success.
My journey from a drone pilot > Drone Service Provider (DSP) > consultant has given me insight: knowing how to fly and knowing how to run a business are 2 different concepts.
We wanted to be indispensable. So we had to figure out what it meant to be a holistic drone professional, with a growing network of opportunities.
Here are some principles of delayed gratification:
✅ Vision Over Instant Rewards:
Entrepreneurship is a marathon, not a sprint. The most successful are simply those who have been at it the longest. If it doesn't align with your core goals, target market, or long-term plan, reconsider.
✅Control Your Impulses:
I hear about great opportunities every single day. But if I took all of them, I'd leave no time for what I care about the most.
✅Long-term Goal Setting:
Define your vision of long-term success, break it up it into realistic milestones, and celebrate the small victories along the way.
✅ Systems and Framework Thinking:
Adopt a mindset that prioritizes steady, long-term growth. Framework thinking encourages a structured approach to growth, ensuring that each step taken is a sustainable and goal-oriented.
✅Document the journey:
Your audience cares about your growth. Give updates on your vision to foster and grow your support network.
✅Think Bigger:
We all take Ls. When you do, think about the big picture. Resilience and delayed gratification are two sides of the same coin.
Embracing delayed gratification is more than personal discipline; it is necessary for growth (and your overall sanity). It creates a mindset rooted in patience, resilience, and meaningful progress, preparing you for the inevitable ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey.
Thanks,
Eno