Overcoming Instant Gratification

I've been sharing more about my entrepreneurial journey as it is what's occupying my life these days. Actually, I feel like I have no social life at all, I mean, anything unrelated to business. Every time I go out, I always consider it just another opportunity to promote or talk about my business. Sometimes I feel like I'm being too pushy and unnatural. When I was working for other big companies back in the day, I used to do the same. However, it is just different now as I feel more energetic and excited about promoting something that I've created. Something I can call my own. For the first time in my life, I feel empowered.

I can imagine how it would be a breeze if anyone with an idea could just walk into a bank and get some loan or attract an angel investor. That is just a dream, entrepreneurs without investors have to jump-start their business anyway. Even if I don't have a big capital at first, I'll learn soon that a slow and steady process of building something may be the best thing after all.

At the moment, I know that I just need to invest more time in my business. I need to rely on my own skills before paying others to help my business grow. I think that I make better decisions by being forced to take my time with things. However, the need for instant gratification is quite inevitable. I'm just human after all.

Like yesterday, I wrote about trying Facebook/Instagram Ads for the first time. At first, I was surprised by the number of 'people reached' and the likes I am getting on a single promotional photo. I admit that I was quite happy after getting an immediate result. But then, Instagram makes me puke and it is nothing compared to Steemit. Despite Steemit's own issues, it is still way more sophisticated, I'm a fangirl I know. I realized that the numbers are nothing. The attention was paid (out of my free FB ad credit) and the likes were obtained inorganically. Pretty useless actually, and apparently, that's how Facebook gets richer and richer. Anything achieved easily just won't give you a sense of fulfillment. It works the same for the guy/girl you are trying to get.

I remember that I used to believe in the old adage "slowly but surely", but then I'm also a firm believer in "life is meant to be enjoyed" for I only I live once. It's hard to be in between as I tend to lean on the extreme side of things. Right now, I'm considering my future too. From my own experience, I know very well that living a too present-focused life can be stressful. I am learning how to see beyond the moment. Sure, life is meant to be enjoyed but perhaps not wasted.

I used to travel a lot. I used to hitchhike, crash other people's homes and all that hippie travel lifestyle. I moved from one country to another, finding another job and another place to live. It was fun alright but it was also very difficult. My life was disordered and had no purpose at all. Don't get me wrong, I still love to travel spontaneously and I surely don't want to come back to my old 9-5 hamster life. I just don't know if I can put up with the whole stress that comes with long-term travel, and the people in it too. Mind you, it took me quite a while to climb out of that life.

My journey was not all that bad though, it surely gave me a purpose. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing now if it wasn't for my travel. It's funny how living a life of instant gratification gave way to living a life of delaying gratification.

In this new life, I'm all for simplicity and conscious living. I'm staying in one place now. I have all the basic things that I need and a cat that I love dearly. I learned about Steemit and cryptocurrencies that somehow help me live life on my own terms. Learning to cope with the urge to be instantly gratified gave me a chance to slowly rebuild my life.

I might crave for instant success in my entrepreneurial journey but I must remind myself that anything worthwhile takes time. And that every decision should be made consciously instead of just gratifying my desires. I can still enjoy the moment because life is really meant to be enjoyed. If I just take my time, enjoy every little thing that I do and be consumed by my own passion, then perhaps, there's something great in store for me too.