Why Hunger is the Key to Entrepreneurial Success

I once launched a card game on Kickstarter with my friends. We had a great time creating it and were excited to share it with the world. But despite the support, we didn’t reach our goal. My mum, who is a lifelong entrepreneur, told me that we weren’t hungry enough. She explained that entrepreneurs work tirelessly on their businesses because they have no other choice. They have bills to pay and a team counting on them. Being hungry means being motivated to change and finding a way to move forward against all odds.

It’s interesting how starting from a low point can actually make it easier to aim high. When you’re not comfortable in your current situation, it’s easier to leave your comfort zone. Society loves to celebrate the stories of garage-dwelling graduates who build billion-dollar businesses. While this narrative is flawed and doesn’t apply to everyone, it does highlight the motivation that comes from being hungry and uncomfortable.

However, being hungry alone is not enough. A mild appetite for change won’t get you very far unless the right opportunity comes along. Sometimes, we need to artificially create that hunger. One way to do this is through a side hustle. Many people have embraced the gig economy and have a side hustle alongside their day job. This temporary route to a new and better career path naturally creates hunger and motivation.

But for those who enjoy their day job and have a stable career, finding the hunger can be harder. In these cases, we need to dig deep and create the hunger ourselves. One strategy is to break up our time into 90-day sprints. Instead of focusing on a distant goal, we concentrate on what we want to accomplish in the next 90 days. This shorter timeframe provides more immediate motivation.

Another strategy is to make it a game. Within these 90-day sprints, we set goals and treat them like a game we want to win. Whether it’s earning a certain amount of money, gaining new followers, or securing a partnership, we make it interesting and try different techniques to achieve our goals.

Finding our why is also crucial. We need to ask ourselves why we’re doing what we’re doing, not just once but five times. This helps uncover our deep-rooted motivation and gives us a boost when we need it.

Creating and sustaining hunger is not just the responsibility of individuals, but also their managers. Managers often use rewards like pay raises, bonuses, and promotions to motivate their employees. However, this reward-centric approach is not enough. Managers need to offer fulfilling experiences at work and help individuals find fulfillment directly through their work.

To do this, we can switch our mindset from career pathways to career portfolios. Instead of focusing on climbing the corporate ladder, we should focus on building a portfolio of impactful experiences. These experiences will be more valuable in the long run and will make for compelling stories for future employers.

In conclusion, hunger is indeed the key to entrepreneurial success. Whether it comes naturally or needs to be artificially created, hunger motivates us to change and strive for success. By finding our purpose, time-boxing our work, and focusing on experiences rather than career pathways, we can sustain lasting hunger and achieve our goals. So, let’s stay hungry and keep pushing forward!