Here Are 15 Quotes That Are Supposed to Be Motivating for People in Business but Are Actually Lies.
Aluxers, you’re expecting us to always be truthful to you and say things the way they actually are. We’re going to shed some light onto those quotes you see every day.
Let’s cut through the bull and face a few hard truths in 15 Lies Entrepreneurs Tell You.
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1
It’s All about Hard Work
This is the most untruthful thing floating around, because if it was purely hard work, then most people would be millionaires!
A cleaner works hard every single day, a stay-at-home-mom is certainly not sitting idle and the people who collect your trash are also not mucking about.
With that example, it’s evident that hard work does not equal success. It takes determination, a support system, a healthy body and mind, and even a little luck – which we’ll expand on shortly.
2
Fake It till You Make It
From Forbes to Time, the advice of “faking it till you make it” is rubbish.
Even if you fake it on paper, your body language will scream otherwise. The way you speak, the way you stand, even your general vibe is not going to display that confidence you’re so hoping to pull off. Rather be honest, humble and learn as you go. It beats lying day in and day out.
3
You Miss 100% Of the Shots You Don’t Take
If you’re listening to someone give a motivational speech about their success and they feed you this line, it’s ok to up and leave.
It’s along the same lines as “We’re all in the same boat,” that’s been getting it’s 15-minutes of fame since Covid.
No, we’re not all in the same boat – some are on multi-million-dollar yachts, while others are on a home-made floating device without a life vest.
Everyone’s circumstances are different – so don’t feel bad when you’re not able to take every shot. And while we’re on that note…
4
Everyone Can Do It
This is a lie and not everyone can do everything in business.
Did your mom or dad ever tell you that you could be anything you wanted to be. And you so badly wanted to be a ballet dancer or a pilot, but your eyesight is sh*t and your demi-plié makes you look like you’re about to … well…
Yea – the truth is – not everyone can do it.
5
If I Can Do It, So Can You
Umm, no Sarah, that’s not how it works. It’s possible that you came from a fairly privileged background, went to a good school, got a car when you turned 16, had parents with a stable income, a home where both parents had an active interest in their children… you get where we’re going with this.
So, slow clap for Sarah.
6
There Is No Such Thing as Luck
In our first point we said that it takes more than hard work to be successful, it includes determination, a support system, a healthy body and mind, and a little luck.
And while some might say there is not such thing as luck, there is, if you look out for it.
As Chris Myers, a former contributor to Forbes explains, “I think that luck is just a lazy term for being able to attract, identify, and take advantage of the opportunities that come your way.”
So, call it luck or call it opportunity – they’re the same thing at the end of the day.
7
If You Believe It, You Can Achieve It
Aluxers, before you think we’re being anti-motivational, we’re not. You can believe all you want, but that’s not going to get you anywhere unless it’s teamed up with good old fashioned, action.
Like French poet, Anatole France said, “To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe.”
8
Don’t Stop When You’re Tired, Stop When You’re Done
Credited to Wesley Snipes, you’re probably familiar with the ending being slightly different… stop when you’re dead. But that’s the problem with this type of motivational / entreprenial BS… because becoming a successful anything requires a lot of rest as well.
As eu-start-ups.com state in their article, Why rest is essential to achieve entrepreneurial success and happiness, “Being super busy all the time actually can create emotional distress which can lead to difficulties regarding focus and concentration.”
So, rest up Aluxers, it’s just as important.
9
You Need to Set a Goal
You know how life goes Aluxers… one minute you’re making rhinestone collars for spoilt pooches and the next you’re bottling preserves from your grandmother’s garden.
Our goal posts change all the time, so this advice is tricky and those of you who enrolled in our Goal Mastery course know this very well.
The thing is, people set goals every 2 minutes, and they leave it like that. It can feel very powerful to set a goal and that’s the trap. We want to say and hear things that make us feel good.
Saying “my goal is …” makes you feel like you’re already halfway there, half of the work is done already, you can take a break now.
It’s also very easy to sell goals, but very hard to sell execution, which is the thing that actually matters.
10
Winners Never Quit, and Quitters Never WIn
This old saying from Vince Lombardi has seen itself immortalized on wooden décor around the world, but it’s actually a lie and not something you need to take heed of in your business.
It takes a lot of courage to quit and like Entrepreneur Steven Bartlett highlighted, “Contrary to popular opinion, quitting is for winners. Knowing when to quit, change direction, leave a toxic situation, demand more from life, give up on something that wasn’t working and move on, is a very important skill that people who win at life all seem to have.”
Bartlett is officially the youngest investor on Dragon’s Den, as confirmed in May 2021.
He’s got a 5-star rated audio book available on Audible called, “Happy Sexy Millionaire, Unexpected Truths About Fulfilment, Love and Success and we’ve got it for free download for you at alux.com/freebook.
11
It Takes 10 Years to Become an Overnight Success
This is one that’s meant to help us be patient, you know, good things come to those who wait sort of thing. But it’s incorrect.
Of course, there are some people that took 10-years to find their success, and there are others that found success much quicker.
You are on your own journey. Keep looking ahead and don’t compare where you are in your journey to someone else;s timeline.
12
Do What You Love, and the Money Will Follow
Steve JObs famously said, ““Your work is going to fill a large part of your life,” he admonished, “and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
Problem is, we’re not all super-smart, and we don’t all know our passions. This lie was busted by Canadian Business, “It’s doubtful the thousands of Chinese factory workers who made Jobs’ success possible, for example, were doing what they love. Most people do what they do for reasons lower down on Maslow’s pyramid.”
And Aluxers, just ask any artist if their art is truly making them a decent living? Ask a baker, a seamstress, a teacher, a dancer, a nail technician, a hairdresser… right, in any industry there will be those making great money, but for the majority, they’re just getting by… if they’re lucky.
13
Go Big or Go Home
Unless it’s a welcome wild night out with the guys, then go big or go home does not apply to entrepreneurs.
The problem with this advice is that it almost gives a person permission to go out and do something dumb, unplanned, impulsive – which is not great advice at all.
It’s ok to take baby steps, small movements in the right direction and in your own time.
Take the time to understand the industry, your strengths, your weaknesses, your competitors, your customers… all of these are part of growth. And there’s no lie is it that even when you’re in the thick of your business, taking a year off to just sustain the business and learn new skills or information, is brilliant too.
If you want to take baby steps to make your life better, check out 15 Realistic Micro-Habits to Live Better Every Day.
14
If You Want Something Done Right, Do It Yourself
If you’re going to follow this advice, then you’re going to be exhausted, stressed, overwhelmed and irritable.
You alone can only achieve so much.
It’s no lie that there needs to come a time in your business where you’re going to need to rely on others. Hiring a social media manager, for example, may be a scary decision to make – but just imagine how much time that will free up for you to focus on other aspects of your business.
As we mentioned in our video, 15 Productivity Habits to Win Back Your Time & Life, “If you’re trying to be productive but your taxes are a drain on your time, then outsource them. At least you’ll have peace of mind knowing they’re being done properly, and you’ve got time and energy to focus elsewhere.”
Like Peter Luis Venero commented on that video, “Great value! I love outsourcing b.s. tasks, especially meal prep & laundry!”
15
Don’t Reinvent the Wheel
Well, this lie is one way to kill your creativity in business and elsewhere. Think about how many times the wheel has been reinvented… sure, the basics are the same – but change is inevitable.
Just because others are afraid to make changes, doesn’t mean you have to be afraid too.
And those Aluxers, are just some of the lies you’re fed by entrepreneurs… and although most of them are said with good intent, they’re not the kind of pearls of wisdom that are going to get you motivated.
For that, we recommend Alux. We hope you enjoyed today’s article. Please do give us a like, subscribe and hit that bell notification.
Question:
What lies can you add to our list? We’d love your feedback.
