Entrepreneurs: Take The Red Pill
Entrepreneurs: Take The Red Pill
How can entrepreneurs create a unique path to success?
From the age of five, I realized I was more interested in observing the world myself than simply accepting what others taught me. I believe this is a common trait among entrepreneurs. I've been thinking a lot about the creative processes of artists and the mindset of scientists. The next generation of entrepreneurs has a huge opportunity ahead because we're at a pivotal moment in entrepreneurship. I believe 2024 is a turning point. Those who will thrive are the ones who embrace their uniqueness and avoid copying others.
With the Red Pill Pathway, I tell people not to copy me. Instead, they should discover themselves and understand how things work for them. I call this the "entrepreneurial reality system." It’s about understanding the system but finding your unique path within it—that's where real success lies.
How can entrepreneurs master growth and make bold decisions?
There are phases in entrepreneurship, with predictable patterns that can be understood and leveraged to our advantage. If we look at some of the most successful people in the world—like Roy Disney, Steve Jobs, Rockefeller, Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, and Jim Rohn—they created something new because, during key moments, they made bold decisions to trust themselves.
Reaching this level of success requires preparation. It involves mastering the struggle of being an entrepreneur, making effort feel effortless, and being ready for any challenge. Learning how to do this is essential. For some, there is a phase of copying others to build foundational skills. While this wasn't necessary for me because I have a natural talent for it, I understand that for many, learning the basics through imitation can be crucial.
Why must entrepreneurs embrace failure for growth?
There's an interesting dynamic around moving beyond that "training ground" phase in entrepreneurship. This phase isn’t about age; it could happen in your fifties or at any time. It's about the individual. There's a point where you feel exhausted, sensing that something is missing, that things aren’t quite right. You start thinking, "I’m here for something bigger and better." If you follow the stories of successful people, there’s often a significant collapse or failure. That's where the real opportunity lies.
Some are ready for this challenge; these are moments of courage. Reflecting on my own journey, I've faced many of these moments. I remember running a business when my top salesperson quit, and our most insignificant but consistent income product line dropped us because I stood my ground on an issue. I created this crisis, leading to her resignation. One night, I was in my office, overwhelmed by the P&L, wondering what to do. I knew I could make it work, but I didn’t want to anymore.
At that moment of surrender, answers started coming. I stopped trying to figure it all out and quickly took intuitive action, doing things I had never done before. It was a radical shift in my decisions and actions. I had the courage to leap into something new. This is the entrepreneurial adventure: moments when we must leave behind what we think we know.
What strategies help entrepreneurs trust their instincts?
I believe there are only two core emotional states—not to be confused with feelings, which are different. In terms of emotion, there’s only "feels right" and "doesn't feel right." These are electrical signals sent to us, with one of those signals being fear, which represents "doesn't feel right." The other signal, "feels right," varies by individual but often feels like accelerated openness—an inner knowing that a thought, action, or impact is right, even if you're trying to talk yourself out of it.
Over a couple of years, starting in November 2022, I learned to master this regulator system of tuning into "feels right" and "doesn't feel right" and distinguishing it from a feeling state. These emotional indicators provide inner guidance on what is right for you to achieve what you truly want. The challenge is that no one else can give you these answers—you are the only one who can decide.
Why should entrepreneurs trust their inner voice?
My decision came from a sense of consequences I didn't want to face. I realized that if I didn’t fully commit, I wouldn’t succeed because I could no longer rely on the methods that had worked for me in the past. Those approaches wouldn't work anymore, and I knew it. Much of society was telling me I was wrong, which led to an internal struggle of listening to myself.
Over time, by listening to yourself, you realize that you are constantly teaching yourself. It's not an external voice or influence—it's an inner dialogue where you connect with yourself. This dialogue is a relationship, and when you maintain it consistently, it provides all the answers you need.
We already know the answers; we are just unfolding what we inherently know is possible. Often, we ignore this potential because we are chasing what someone else did, believing that is what we want. It’s straightforward but opposite to what most people do.
*This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.*
