E1: Sacrifice, Work/Life Balance & Purpose

Sep 29, 2017 31m 33s 9 insights
Stephen Bartlett, CEO of Social Chain, shares his unscripted diary on being an entrepreneur. He debunks the glamorized view, discussing immense sacrifice, unpredictable chaos, loneliness, people management, and finding purpose beyond money.
Actionable Insights

1. Redefine Work as Life

If you genuinely love your work, view it as a hobby or ’life-life balance’ rather than a traditional ‘work-life balance.’ This perspective helps you enjoy dedicating extensive hours without feeling like you’re sacrificing personal time.

2. Prioritize Quality Relationships

Actively cultivate and maintain high-quality relationships with family and friends, as a 75-year study found they are the single most important factor for long-term health and happiness. Make a conscious effort to stay connected and build close bonds.

3. Find Purpose Beyond Money

Recognize that money, beyond covering basic needs and enjoyable experiences, does not scale happiness. Instead, seek purpose in having a transformative impact on people, inspiring others, and building something great that changes perceptions or industries.

4. Embrace Immense Sacrifice

Be prepared for fundamental life transformation, including years of uncertainty, pain, loneliness, and financial and relationship sacrifices, if you truly desire to become an entrepreneur or CEO. You must want it more than everything you currently have.

5. Cultivate Calm Amidst Chaos

Develop an inner calm to navigate the constant unpredictability and ‘bullshit’ inherent in entrepreneurship, as issues like financial uncertainty, malicious emails, and people problems will inevitably arise and consume your thoughts. This mental resilience is crucial for sustained effort.

6. Seek Understanding Partners

As an entrepreneur, consider dating someone who is incredibly busy and focused on their own pursuits, and who also deeply understands your demanding world. This shared drive and comprehension can foster a more harmonious relationship.

7. Embrace Hard Work

Believe in and commit to hard work, as success in any field, from entrepreneurship to athletics or arts, consistently requires immense effort and dedication. When you love what you do, you’ll naturally be willing to give it every waking hour.

8. Prepare for People Problems

Understand that as a CEO, people issues will be your primary challenge, as you inherit the personal problems and challenges of every individual in your business. Developing your ‘calm within the chaos’ can help manage these scaling complexities.

9. Self-Assess Your Desire

Before embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, deeply question how badly you truly want to be an entrepreneur or CEO. Your desire must be strong enough to justify sacrificing nearly everything you currently are or have for several years.