Excerpt from Do the KIND Thing
A lot of people have great ideas but don’t act on them. For me, the definition of an entrepreneur is someone who can combine innovation and ingenuity with the ability to execute that new idea. Some people think that the central dichotomy in life is whether you’re positive or negative about the issues that interest or concern you. There’s a lot of attention paid to this question of whether it’s better to have an optimistic or pessimistic lens. I think the better question to ask is whether you are going to do something about it or just let life pass you by.
Are you an actionist? Action, no less than creativity, is essential for an entrepreneur. While others may ask whether the glass is half full or half empty, an entrepreneur just fills up the glass.
Determination is fundamental. Entrepreneurship is hard work, and most people who start a venture understand that they will be working around the clock and doing anything that needs doing. Being an entrepreneur is also about figuring out what needs to be done, what problems need to be solved, and then finding solutions. In many ways, attitude is destiny. If you determine that you’re going to do something and have a positive attitude, you can find fulfillment in the pursuit itself. Trying is half the win already. If you don’t try, you’ve lost from the outset.
One thing that my dad taught me is that change is not a spectator sport. You have to actively participate in shaping the world you want to live in. This sense of responsibility has influenced all of my business ventures. The same is true with the blocking and tackling of sales. There were retail accounts that took me years to get, but I would not relent; I would not stop until those outlets were carrying KIND bars. There are still goals today that I won’t give up on.