Entrepreneurs around the world will tell you that they draw their inspiration, passion, and motivation from many sources. But what’s the one source that they won’t leave off that list? Mom.
As Mother’s Day (in the US) approaches, we’d like to reflect on the massive impact that mothers everywhere have had on our lives, and how businesses and startups can apply these lessons to their core values.
Believe in yourself and anything is possible
Don’t cry over spilled milk
One of the most common life lessons most of our mothers teach us early on is that if we believe in ourselves, we can achieve anything. Confidence in ourselves, our goals, and our dreams is essential to succeeding in every aspect of our lives. The mantra “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words will never hurt me” can also be combined with this lesson. No matter how many obstacles you may face as a new business or startup, take heed of what Mom said—have confidence and believe in yourself, and you have the power to achieve it.
Moms everywhere have been sharing this mantra with their kids for decades, and it’s a timeless lesson that applies to our adult lives. Translation: Don’t stress what mistakes or setbacks that may have occurred in the past—keep it moving and focus on what you can control: the future. It can be devastating to lose funding, experience decreases in interest and/or sales, or be a flop in the eyes of the critics. But, it’s important to brush it off and keep moving forward to your ultimate end goal. After all, even if you don’t succeed, at least you’ll always be able to say you gave it your absolute best shot, instead of throwing in the towel.
Follow your dreams
Although it may seem trite, this lesson is a timeless one. We shouldn’t settle into a life we are unhappy with just because we think our goal is impossible. Follow your dreams and create your own destiny,, no matter how far-fetched it may seem. You can’t launch your million dollar idea, create the most buzz-worthy app of this year, or write the next Great American Novel if you don’t try.
The only person that can make it happen is you
This mantra is an obvious one—we can’t become complacent or lazy and depend on someone else to make our dreams happen. Be proactive, persistent, and tireless in the pursuit of your goals. Nobody else is going to be!
The Golden Rule
Mom was right: treat others as you would like to be treated and you will go much further in life. Sometimes it may be easy to compromise our ethics by sabotaging another person or business in the pursuit of our end goals. However, that behavior can lead to another life lesson that some might say is cliché: what goes around comes around!
If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you too?
Ah, the oft-used bridge mantra—how many times did most of us hear this growing up? However, it’s still applicable. Sometimes it may seem to be tempting to change an idea or core mission in order to make it on-trend with the latest app, product or startup that’s receiving a ton of buzz. Tech is like fashion—one day you’re in, one day you’re out. Even if your idea may seem too far-fetched or different from what’s trendy, don’t give up on it if you believe it.
Now, go out and get your mom that card and gift, but more importantly, don’t limit showing her your gratitude to Mother’s Day. Tell her how much you love and appreciate her, and not just by text and Facebook; pick up the phone and call her!
Happy Mother’s Day to mothers around the world!
