Many are drawn to the journey of an entrepreneur through a romanticization of it as a pursuit of freedom, purpose, financial success, and sticking it to the man. For those of us who take the plunge the path is fraught with challenges, many of which are more psycho-spiritual than logistical. At the heart of this endeavor is a crucial distinction between what it is we are bringing to life (the product/service) and the means in which it is brought to life (the business). The product is an emanation of the entrepreneur’s inner truth - a unique manifestation of their purpose, akin to a Platonic Form made tangible. The business, conversely, is the complex, worldly apparatus built to support this creation.
While the creator seeks to perfect their craft and gain experience, a shadow can and will start to take form. That shadow is the financial pressure and realities that the work should sustain oneself in their desire for security. If left unchecked, it is a corruption that threatens to poison the very essence of the work. This looming necessity can sever the connection to the original source, making the pursuit of authenticity a battle against a degrading force of survival
When the pursuit of financial necessity becomes the sole driver, it can drain the vital spirit from the work, much like a flawed alchemical process yielding lead instead of gold. The initial purpose, the creative impulse, becomes lost in the relentless cycle of transactions. The impact of this is life threatening to the business as a whole. Customers, partners, stakeholders, investors, guides, mentors and employees can sense the shift from operating from the place of creative freedom and into one of necessity.
To reclaim this authenticity, an entrepreneur must perform an inner hermetic process—an inversion of focus. This requires approaching a fundamental question: If the constraints of both money and judgment were removed, would my purpose remain the same? Various internal parts may have an averse reaction to this response, but an honest and persistent inquiry reveals that the fear of judgment is not merely a social anxiety; it is a fear of losing alignment with one’s Self, a fear of a metaphysical fall from grace and a mirrored physical loss in self-confidence.
The fear of external judgment is but a reflection of a deeper, more profound worry: what one might think of oneself in the face of failure. An entrepreneur might ask, “What are people going to think of me when I fail?” but nagging beneath the surface of this question in the internal realm of our deepest and most hidden fears in the question, “What will I think of myself when I fail?” When an individual loses self-respect, the opportunity to do the Magnum Opus is closed. This internal disappointment is far more damaging than any external critique or financial loss. It is a disunion from the creative force within. The only true regret, therefore, is not a failure of a worldly business, but the failure to apply our complete being—our knowledge, experience, and essence—to the endeavor that brings meaning to our life. This loss of self-respect stems from a failure of effort, a departure from the hermetic principle of balance between oneself and their craft.
Ultimately, the most difficult hurdle in entrepreneurship is not a financial one; it is a psychological one rooted in the fear of losing one’s integrity. In dancing with the dark uncertainty of going it on ones own, the individual must enter a relentless confrontation with this fear. By understanding that a devastating failure is not a business collapse but a personal one, we can focus on what truly matters: doing our best work, staying true to ourselves, and learning from every experience regardless of external measurements of success. In doing so, we not only build a successful business but also preserve the most valuable asset we have—our connection to the authentic, purposeful self.