Too hard to start a business, you say? Think again.

Does it take sustained effort and discipline to start your own business?

Absolutely.

Are you capable of exerting yourself that much?

Certainly. In fact, you've probably done it lots of times.

You remember in school how you had to work for hours, days and even weeks on a single assignment?

And for what? A good grade that would contribute to your overall evaluation at the end of the term?

That's nice, but has it netted you anything?

Maybe you went on to college and even graduate school...

Talk about sustained effort and discipline!

It goes something like this...

You spend hours doing research in order to complete a project in order to get a good grade on that assignment in order to get a passing grade in the class in order to complete the semester successfully in order to finally get a degree in order to have to then start looking for a way to earn a living.

Whew!!!

Am I anti-education? No, I truly am not.

I do, believe, however, that much of our effort is simply "jumping through hoops" that yield little if any profitable returns.

So why is it that many people manage to jump through all of these hoops in order to make it through school, but not nearly so many succeed in operating their own home business?

SUPPORT is the key.

In school, you have professors, advisors, peers, counselors, etc. who are there dangling the tantalizing carrots in front of you each step of the way.

At your job, your boss, manager or supervisor does the dangling. Or more likely threatens to withhold the carrot (your paycheck) unless you continue to perform.

And so you DO perform, on time, come rain or shine, whether you feel like it or not, etc.

If you're a "solo-preneur" as so many of us are, you have to find a way to either dangle your own carrots or pay a mentor who will.

People balk at the idea of investing money in such a seemingly "unnecessary" expense. But IS it unnecessary?

If you're capable of generating your own motivation by being accountable to your subscribers or by motivating other people, or by being a regular contributor at forums, or by reading and digesting a regular motivational newsletter or two, maybe you don't have to spend the money for outside help.

But what happens when you fall down, as you undoubtedly will from time to time? (This is a good thing, by the way. It teaches you better than any roadmap where the potholes are.)

If you're able to get back up, dust yourself off, stand proud, and most importantly, GET BACK IN THE GAME, then you are definitely on the right track.

Remember one thing, though. We don't get very far all on our own. Any millionaire will tell you that she or he didn't do it alone.

You can choose to tap into other people's knowledge and motivation through their products, services, newsletters, seminars, forums or mastermind groups. With such a wide array available, there's something that's bound to appeal to every personality type and budget.

Any money invested in yourself, for either your personal or professional gain, is money invested in the very best asset you will ever have, your own remarkable self.

So is it too hard to succeed as an entrepreneur?

Only if you try to go at it alone. Fortunately, you are not alone. With a little help from your friends, present and future, you DO, indeed, have what it takes to succeed.

Keep on truckin', Friend.