I feel like I’m at the bottom of the ocean right now. Between AP tests, finals, and the stress of college applications, there’s barely time to breathe. Still, I believe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. I think.
Sure, once I get into college, there will still be plenty of tests and information to cram (which is exactly what the system is set up for), but at least it will be in the direction of what I care about—my path to becoming an entrepreneur. But will that make me a business owner? Let’s make the difference clear.
Business Owner vs. Entrepreneur
“While both business and entrepreneurship involve creating and running a company, they are quite different in purpose, approach, and goals,” says marketer Hamza Rajroot on LinkedIn. “Business focuses on making profits and improving operations, while entrepreneurship focuses on creating value for customers and driving innovation and growth.”
Looking at that worn-out, creativity-starved skeleton of a student at the bottom of the ocean, you could bet he’ll make waves once he gets out of school with at least some sanity intact.
As the quote explains, you can be a business owner and still be an entrepreneur. The entrepreneurial mindset is what allows you to start your own business and break free from the daily grind.
But let’s think about this—if you’re a business owner working long hours, isn’t that still a grind?
No, because the difference is that you care deeply about what you’re doing. You have a vision for the future and welcome change to keep growing. That makes all the difference. In the meantime, you’ll need the patience and strength of a superhero.
Patience Is a Virtue
Patience is something I lack.
Right now, I’m feeling trapped in what I’ve called in my book Misfit Mogul the “old school” education system, designed to prepare us for jobs working for other people. But the truth is—we still have to go through it. I say this as someone who owns several businesses and plans to never be anyone’s employee again.
If you have that entrepreneurial spark, start shaping your future while you deal with all the nonsense. Begin your business plans while you’re still finishing school, so you know you’re choosing your own path.
Work for yourself. Focus on things that excite you and give you purpose. You can begin at any age—the earlier, the better. Treat your “old school” environment as temporary, pretend you’re patient, and push through it. For me, patience reminds me of a bounce house memory.
When I was a kid at a birthday party, they began to deflate the bounce house, and everyone piled on top of it, laughing. I ended up at the very bottom, buried under the heavy nylon and polyester, unable to breathe. While everyone else kept having fun, I felt crushed. My only choice was to wait. Eventually, the pressure lifted. And that’s how it works now—the stress will ease with time.
Be Obsessed With the Future
I know, I know—people say, “Live in the moment…”
But if you’re in high school and looking toward college, sometimes the best way to push through the present is to focus on what you really want. Keep jotting down your business ideas. Take classes that can move you toward your goals, like business, finance, or law.
It’s okay if you cry quietly in math class while secretly sketching plans for a better pizza delivery system. It’s fine if your mind drifts away in early-morning English while you read about satellites and dream of improving them—just make sure your homework still gets done.
You’ll make it through by reminding yourself that one day, you’ll be your own boss. Your random “napkin ideas” are worth keeping. Plan your business now, find mentors, and pay attention to anything in school that could still feed your goals.
