You’ve Got to Start Somewhere

You’ve Got to Start Somewhere

How do you get to where you want to be? Should you plan out your course from start to finish and calculate every step of the way before you begin? Should you know exactly where your path is going to lead before you begin your journey? The answer might depend on where you’re going, but in most cases, you have to start somewhere. There could be a lot of uncertainty and a lot of unanswered questions, but the fact is you have to head in a direction if you want to get somewhere. It’s also true that at some point you’ll figure it out. That’s not to say that you should just head blindly down a path with no plan, but you do have to take the first step at some point even if you can’t decipher the end from the beginning.

Start By Doing Something

Jeff Hayzlett, the CEO of Hayzlett Group, shared some insight on this subject with me when we spoke on my radio program American Dreams. Jeff said you have to start by going somewhere. “Someone once asked me what’s my greatest achievement or what’s my biggest failure. I said ‘I don’t know, I haven’t done it yet.’ And that’s really the way in which I think you should do it. I don’t think the leaders of these major, major companies – I happen to know who they are, a lot of them – they didn’t start off with that in mind. They started off doing something.” Jeff said it doesn’t really matter what it is you want to do, you have to take the first step and start by going somewhere.

Mistakes Are Part of the Process

Speaking about these leaders at some of the most successful companies Jeff said it’s possible they were working at a fast-food chain, or at a local saddle shop at some point, but they all started somewhere. However, where they started isn’t important, what mattered was they started. So it really doesn’t matter who you are and where you are, you have to start and then you’ll figure it out along the way. “The most important thing with the business we’re going to learn…is that unless you’re operating heavy machinery or you’re operating on someone if you make a mistake no one is going to die. And that’s really what it’s about.”

Try, Try Again

It might sound kind of extreme, but as Jeff pointed out, in almost all situations no one’s life is on the line. So if you make a mistake it isn’t going to kill anyone. With that idea in mind Jeff says it’s important to go out and give things a try. “You’ll find something that works for you. If it doesn’t work for you then try something else.” No one wants to fail, but sometimes it takes several tries before we find success. So the bottom line is you have to start somewhere.

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Alan Olsen, is the Host of the American Dreams Show and the Managing Partner of GROCO.com.  GROCO is a premier family office and tax advisory firm located in the San Francisco Bay area serving clients all over the world.

Alan L. Olsen, CPA, Wikipedia Bio

GROCO.com is a proud sponsor of The American Dreams Show.

The American Dreams show was the brainchild of Alan Olsen, CPA, MBA. It was originally created to fill a specific need; often inexperienced entrepreneurs lacked basic information about raising capital and how to successfully start a business.

Alan sincerely wanted to respond to the many requests from aspiring entrepreneurs asking for the information and introductions they needed. But he had to find a way to help in which his venture capital clients and friends would not mind.

The American Dreams show became the solution, first as a radio show and now with YouTube videos as well. Always respectful of interview guest’s time, he’s able to give access to individuals information and inspiration previously inaccessible to the first-time entrepreneurs who need it most.

They can listen to venture capitalists and successful business people explain first-hand, how they got to where they are, how to start a company, how to overcome challenges, how they see the future evolving, opportunities, work-life balance and so much more..

MyPaths.com (Also sponsored by GROCO) provides free access to content and world-class entrepreneurs, influencers and thought leaders’ personal success stories. To help you find your path in life to true, sustainable success & happiness.  It’s mission statement:

In an increasingly complex and difficult world, we hope to help you find your personal path in life and build a strong foundation by learning how others found success and happiness. True and sustainable success and happiness are different for each one of us but possible, often despite significant challenges.

Our mission at MyPaths.com is to provide resources and firsthand accounts of how others found their paths in life, so you can do the same.