The Most Important Lesson I Learned About Successful Entrepreneurs

All Successful Entrepreneurs Have This One Thing In Common … They Jump Into The “Ocean”

The ocean of success awaits you and I. We must make the decision to avail ourselves to it. It patiently awaits us, wondering when are we going to take the leap. This leap becomes the door to our success story. Without the “jump”, no one can experience success.

Every successful entrepreneurs had to make a jump at some point or another. Without it they would not have experienced success. You and I must do likewise if we are ever going to succeed in life. I came to this conclusion from a recent experience I had while vacationing with my wife in Jamaica of the West Indies. It happened at a city called Negril, which is on the North Coast region of the country.

This was part of a tour we had arranged through the all-inclusive resort – Sandals Carlisle – where we stayed. More about that in a future post and podcast as I share an interview that I did with the General Manager, Mr. Christopher Elliott.

On this bright, beautiful and sunny day, we made plans for this tour that took us to Negril. As part of the tour we stopped at a place called the Caves. This stop encompassed listening to Jamaican Reggae music, purchasing jerk chicken and alcoholic beverages and choosing to jump 33 feet into the ocean from off a cliff. This is the jump of which I’ll use as the metaphor that successful entrepreneurs utilizes for success.

There were steps that led from the cliff to the ocean for those who wanted to take a closer look at the water and also for those who decided to jump, to make their way back up to the top of the cliff. There is even an aluminum type ladder that leads out of the water.

Looking from the top of the cliff, the water seemed as clear as glass, blue as the sky with a tinge of green, with the ripples of a very calm ocean, being gently blown by the breeze. It was magnificent. 

Those of us who decided to take the leap, were huddle around our guide who was giving us safety tips and would soon demonstrate to us how to safely jump into the sleeping ocean down below us.

One of the safety tips was for us to remove any rings that we had on our fingers. He then proceeded to tell us how to safely penetrate the water so that we wouldn’t hurt ourselves. The instructions were to make sure our hands were at our sides or crossed on our chest as we hit the water.

He then proceeded to demonstrate how to do it safely.

His jump was spectacular. Picture perfect. Immediately I began to think that there was no way I could do that. He hit that water with his hands straight before him. He was like a human bird in motion. This was his terrain. He had made this jump countless numbers of time. “How could I do that?”, I thought to myself. Was he asking me to do what he had done or was he encouraging me to jump?

There were two people ahead of me. The first guy walked to the ledge of the cliff and deliberated. He thought and thought and thought, and said these eternal words:” I can’t do this.” That was not what I needed to hear. His wife stepped before him. And she stood there and began to think about the jump.

Luckily she talked her way into it and jumped. How could he – her husband – not jump now? Before he went to the edge of the cliff and do a repeat performance, I decided I was going to jump.

I walked up to the ledge, looked down into the water, and immediately had a tinge of fear and doubt. What was I thinking? Could I change my mind at this point? Even though these thoughts and emotions happened within seconds, it felt like minutes. I made up my mind I was going to do it.

Without further hesitation I jumped and great was the splash thereof. I was pushed to the surface by the mighty ocean almost as fast as I went down. I did it.

As I swam to the ladder that extended off the side of the cliff, I was greeted with cheers, warm smiles, and other encouraging words. I think my wife was proud of me as well or simply relieved that I came out alive. Several people who had not jumped for one reason or another inquired about the experience. Was the water cold? Were you afraid? Did it hurt? I was happy to fill in the answers to their questions. I was successful and could now speak of the experience.

Even though the instructor had done a spectacular dive, head first into the ocean, he had a similar experience as I did jumping in feet first … we both were successful.

That is the point of becoming a successful entrepreneur. It’s not how you jumped as much as it that, you jumped in.

So many people get close to the edge of the cliff, look over into the ocean that holds the key to their success and turn away, without jumping in. They are now left to ask the questions on someone else successful jump.

Having jumped in, I repeated it and it was easier the second time around. I’m sure the more I jumped, the easier it would be and the more masterful I would get. So it is as a person who desires to become successful in life. They must jump in.

Have you jumped in yet? Are you still on the ledge looking over? Your success could start today if you just make the decision to jump in.

What’s keeping you back? What’s one thing that would help you make the decision to jump? Leave your comment for the community inside the comment box below.