How Badly Do You Want It? by @nskbelanger

by Nicole Belanger  | Featured Contributor

Have you ever heard the saying “if you want something you’ve never had, you must be willing to do something you’ve never done”?

I’m a big fan of that quote. In fact, it’s become an excuse-busting tool for me.

I often repeat it to myself when I’m up late working and all I want to do it go to bed, or when I have to deal with accounting paperwork that I’ve been dreading. Over the years, it’s become one of many personal mantras that guide me on my entrepreneurial journey.

It is a reminder that if you really, truly want something, you have to work to make it happen.

That quote also comes to mind when I hear would-be entrepreneurs saying things like “I really do want to start my business, I just don’t have any time”, or “I would launch my idea, but I don’t have any money to build a website.” Or when someone claims to place a great deal of importance on their entrepreneurial ambitions — but invests little to no time in making those dreams a reality.

You can tell me that you want a business, or that you want to work full-time on your venture until you’re blue in the face, but if you aren’t making time to do the necessary legwork, I won’t believe you.

“As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”

– Andrew Carnegie

There are a million and one excuses that we can come up with to justify fear, laziness, procrastination, and hesitation. But at the end of the day, you need to decide how badly you want it. How much you are willing to give in order to reach your goals. And, if need be, what you are willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of your dreams.

Yes, you might be a little broke for a bit, you might be a little busier than usual, and you’ll probably have to accept delayed gratification for a while, that’s just what it takes.

What will set you apart is your willingness to walk the entrepreneurial walk.

Hey, if it was easy…everyone would be doing it.

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Nicole Belanger – Women’s Leadership Advocate – Ottawa, Canada

Nicole Belanger is on a mission to help you live a full and intentional life. The opportunity to connect someone to their highest potential is what gets her out of bed (early) in the morning!

She is an Ottawa, Canada-based writer, blogger, entrepreneur, and community organizer. A passionate advocate for women’s leadership, Nicole’s life revolves around finding new ways to support emerging women leaders in her community.

Nicole is the founder of the Ottawa Chapter of Ladies Learning Code, a women-run non-profit offering beginner-friendly technology education, as well as the National Sponsorships and Partnerships Manager for the organization.

She is also actively involved in the startup community, and is a former organizer of Startup Weekend Ottawa.

Nicole’s writings on personal development, leadership, and entrepreneurship have been published in Levo League, Business Insider, Intern Queen, and Urban Native Magazine, among others.

In her spare time, you can find Nicole reading, making gratitude lists, enjoying a glass of cab sauv, meditating, going on roadtrips, and learning to golf!

Nicole loves nothing more than hearing from amazing women doing amazing things…so please say hello!

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Nicole Belanger