Why Understanding What You Want and What You Have is the Key to Success
If you want to make money as an entrepreneur, there’s one thing you absolutely must understand: what you truly want and what you already have.
“But I don’t have any money or skills!”
You have more than you think; you don’t realize it yet.
Let’s break it down.
Step 1: What Does “The Older You Want”?
The first question I always ask founders is simple: what do YOU want?
This isn’t about what your business wants. It’s not about what you think is the “right” answer. Strip all that away. What do you, as a person, honestly want?
This is your Dream Outcome in life.
Here’s the thing: most people get stuck obsessing over what could go wrong.
What if you fail?
What if things don’t work out?
But here’s the better question: What if you succeed?
Your Dream Outcome is a vision of your dream life, far outside the boundaries of your current reality. It might feel impossible at first because you’re bogged down by the present: bills, kids, a job you hate, or even a broken car.
But this step is critical. If you’re not honest about what success looks like for you, you might end up building a life you are not happy with, which can make any human unhappy and cynical.
Humans are simple. We love to do what we love to do. And we hate to do what we hate to do.
So, the moment we do things misaligned with our core and who we are as humans, we get depressed and bitter.
And no one wants to live a bitter life…
So, without delay, let’s dig into your DO. Start by asking yourself:
What does your ideal day look like?
How many hours do you want to work?
Do you want to manage a team or work alone?
What kind of impact do you want to have?
It’s okay if your answer is ambitious—maybe you want to change the world or create a billion-dollar business. It’s also okay if your answer is straightforward. The key is to be honest.
Pick a life you’re willing to commit to, not one that sounds good but doesn’t feel right.
Here are a few examples:
A solo consultancy or agency
Hours: ~40/week
Employees: None
Revenue: 6-7 figures
A boutique business with a small team
Hours: 40-50/week
Employees: 1-10
Revenue: 6-7 figures
A mid to large-size business in CPG, retail, tech, etc.
Hours: 50-65/week
Employees: 20-100+
Revenue: 7-11 figures
Each option has trade-offs. More scale often means more complexity and time—but the correct answer depends entirely on you.
Bigger isn’t always better if YOU DON'T WANT IT and it is misaligned with your core.
Step 2: What Do You Have?
Once you know what you want, the next question is: what do you already have?
Many people think they’re starting from nothing. But most of the time, they’re wrong. Take a closer look.
Do you have no money, or could you pull together $10,000 if you got creative? Think about assets you can leverage, like:
A car you could sell.
Savings or contributions from family.
Friends or partners who might support you.
Credit cards (if you’re comfortable with risk).
You might have more resources than you think—start identifying them.
And remember, resources don’t need to be limited to money. It can be anything.
Are you the most knowledgeable person when it comes to Pokemon cards?
Did you go to school with a famous person, and are still in touch with them? Think about what doors they can open.
Did your parents work in an industry ripe for disruption? Pick their brain.
You are more knowledgeable than you give yourself credit for.
Think profoundly and deeply about your unique background, environment, upbringing, and network.
Then, think deeply and hard about exploiting it to identify unique and unfair advantages for yourself.
Step 3: What Are You Willing to Do?
Look, a lot of people can do a lot of things.
Humans have tremendous talent. The question is often not “What can a person do?” but rather “Will they do it or not?”
That is the fundamental difference between people who do and wish to do.
And that is precisely what you must ask yourself as well.
What will you do to make your Dream Outcome a reality?
How much time are you ready to commit—100 hours a week or 20?
And how much energy are you prepared to spend tackling complex, unfamiliar challenges?
Naval Ravikant has a famous saying: A person running a restaurant works as hard as a Tech CEO. The only difference is that tech CEOs use their time more efficiently to create revenue and growth.
That doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with running a restaurant.
It is about knowing what you can do best and being realistic about the outcome you can expect from your efforts.
Because, at the end of the day, no one knows everything.
An introverted SAAS founder has to get over themselves and learn how to network and sell.
A salesperson wanting to build an apparel brand must learn about the garment industry.
Did you catch my drift yet?
The key is to recognize where things come naturally to you and where they require more effort.
Think about what feels “free” for you.
Do you love editing videos? Start a video editing agency.
Enjoy writing? Start ghostwriting.
Are you passionate about makeup? Launch a brand or blog.
Are you an excellent salesperson? Start a teaching business where you train sales agents.
Skilled at coding? Build websites or software.
The process becomes smoother and more sustainable when you lean into what comes naturally.
The Bottom Line
Success starts with clarity. Understand what you want, take stock of what you already have, and be honest about what you’re willing to do.
The next step?
Use your unique strengths to create something that aligns with your Dream Outcome.
If you have a friend who’s also chasing a dream, forward this to them—it’s always better to build together.
