Mario Andretti and Entrepreneurs

You may wonder what the legendary race car driver, Mario Andretti has to do with starting or expanding a small business. A great deal actually. Mr. Andretti began his career as an ordinary American, but his character is what made him the successful champion that he became. As an entrepreneur you have to get up and do whatever it takes to achieve your end result. If you wait for things to get little easier your business will never succeed. In the words of Mario Andretti, “If you wait, all that happens is that you get older.”

One of the exercises a good business coach will give you to do is make a list of all the reasons that you think you will use to fail in your business. Most people will come up with answers like “not enough time,” “not enough money”, “not enough experience” and so on. The reality is that whatever you believe will get between you and your success is what you will eventually have to face. It’s all par for the course in the arena of breaking out of mediocrity and heading for higher ideals. But here is what is so great about facing your challenges: each one that you overcome will add another pillar of strength to the company you are building.

“Circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, but never lose sight of your goal. Prepare yourself in every way you can by increasing your knowledge and adding to your experience, so that you can make the most of opportunity when it occurs.” – Mario Andretti

In the beginning of a business it’s easy to have a sense of euphoria envisioning all the people you are going to help and all the things you are going to do with your profits. When it comes down to the nitty-gritty of dealing with everyday problems like late deliveries, sick employees, damaged products and unhappy customers your rose-colored picture may not look as good. Those are the precise moments when your commitment to your success is being tested. Those are the times when you have to take a deep breath, remind yourself about why you are doing this and just keep going! With this attitude, you have already made it.

“Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the success you seek.”  – Mario Andretti