Thanks for sharing your review. I often experience this, too… Should I quit and move on, or should I pump up more effort to boost it?

I’ll give The Dip a try.

You have an interesting life, you should start a blog. I’d probably read it and might even link to it.

I still love aviation, but it isn’t a priority right now… my kids are my priority. We’ll see if they develop the same love of flying that I did.

Seth’s book is about far more than just “if you find yourself in hole, stop digging.” That was the part I decided to focus on.

About research… think before you act… yeah it’s important… but you have to be careful there too…over analysis is as dangerous as acting without thought. I’ve had a lot of great experiences (and some really bad ones) and even accomplished a few things acting without thinking. There is nothing I find more boring than analyzing the shit out of everything and never acting. I see people do it, and they are the most boring unaccomplished people I know. You can never bee absolutely sure of anything. You know the saying “shit or get of the pot.”

Most of my experiences lately are better than black ink. Last night – we had a Memorial Day barbeque with dozens of families. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was.

John,

I know it’s dangerous and it takes a lot more than believing. I don’t suffer from the “all you have to do is believe” delusion… I didn’t mean for it to come across that way… guess I need to keep working on the writing. But believing in yourself is an ingredient, you’ll never find anyone who did anything great say they never believed in themselves.

Steve, you say, “if I had done some research before I started, I could have saved a lot of time and money.”

My father always told his children to: “think before you act.”

When I fail, I never regret. I go into each project knowing the risks because I follow another of my father’s admonitions: “there is no substitute for doing your homework.”

I think that this post indicates that you have learned to do your homework - after a series of experiences that taught you the value of research. Am I reading you correctly?

If I am reading you correctly then the next question is: how can you become a more reasoned entrepreneur? The answer to that question requires drilling down to the very bedrock of your beliefs and perceptions.

——

FWIW, I hold a valid Airman’s License and presently fly only lighter-than-air aircraft. A Balloon Works FireFly 7.

It is not, nor has it ever been, a business. It is a recreational aircraft and there is not much more fun to be had than to assemble 9-10 friends, the Balloon - a couple of coolers - 40 gal of Propane and have a nice spring evening flight of an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Our deal: everybody who crews gets to fly at least once every four flights. What does it cost? About $150.00 per flight (up by a third with the current gasoline prices).

No fixed-wing aircraft can come close to the economy - and LTA is far, far safer. You have to fly fixed wing aircraft daily to become and remain competent. My Beach Duchess twin ran me about $700/hr to fly (all inclusive - for the entire two years I owned it - I could post the spreadsheet) - I sold it to the local Beach club… I still can see her flying from time to time as I pass our General Aviation airport.

Did I lose money on the Duchess? It depends on how you perform your accounting. Yes, I dropped about $30k over two years that I could not recoup. During that two year period I flew a minimum of 90 hrs/year - I also earned my ticket for IFR/Comercial and pressurized cabin. At the end of my second year of intensive flying, I flew to Europe and back. Quite an adventure - and my then 18-year-old son was with me. You can’t put an entry in the ledger that accounts for the profits I realized.

Have you ever had an experience more precious than black ink?

[[Well I’m in a dip right now… but I can see the other side…and this time it looks like the place I want to go…so I’m confident I’ll make it.]]

You equated believing in your goal (a place you want to go) with getting there (so I’m confident I’ll make it). It’s your use of the word “so” that’s the problem.

Belief, motivation, desire etc is necessary BUT NOT SUFFICIENT to achieving your goal - or getting through the dip.

How not sufficient it is depends on the specifics. Very few of us have the genes to make it as an NBA player (let alone a star) no matter how much we desire it. On the other hand, almost anyone in the United States (almost) can succeed at making a decent living for their family if they are willing to do everything else that the goal demands.

In my experience with entrepreneurs, too many believe that dedication and desire is all it takes to succeed. In reality, business is a dance between the business and the customer. If there aren’t enough customers who want to buy what you’re dedicated to providing, or it’s too hard or too costly to find them, then you won’t succeed.

Bill Gates would not be the success he is if he’d been selling buggy whips - or even computer hardware or consulting services.