You’ve heard it before, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Think small. Think about today’s step. Then with each step you take, work on growing and getting better. In due time, you will look up and realize you’re much further along than you could have even seen over the horizon from where you first started.

It’s natural to feel excited about your possibilities and potential, but don’t get carried away. Remember, most entrepreneurs fail not because of market or economic factors, but because of emotional factors. Prepare yourself for what’s ahead on your roller coaster ride, including the negative voices of the people in your life.

You started your business because of your great product idea. You are passionate about your product. You have spent countless hours working on it to make it excellent—the best there is. The unfortunate reality is the quality of your product doesn’t matter (that much) to the success of your business.

Adages become adages because they are true. “It takes money to make money” is a perfect example. In growing your business, there are a thousand ways to spend your money, but there are three that matter most: people, marketing, and personal growth (learning).

And repeating the leadership sins of the past.

And trying to do it all.

And avoiding failure.

And not seeking the help you need. Michael Jordan didn’t win a single NBA championship (seven seasons straight) until Phil Jackson was the head coach. Then he won three in a row. Kobe Bryant spent four years trying to win a championship to no avail. Then Phil Jackson became the head coach and Kobe won three in a row. Phil Jackson amassed an unprecedented 11 NBA championships. The difference wasn’t the player—it was the coach.

Success Media insider and personal advisor to thousands of global CEOs and business leaders. Darren leverages his unique access to top thought leaders, futurists, and industry titans to synthesize the insights and strategies most critical for business builders and organizational leaders to safely navigate today’s unprecedented challenges and identify unique opportunities to make their big positive impact on our world.