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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Shift reality and chase your dream

Editor's note: This is the last column in a six-column series giving advice to beginning entrepreneurs. For more information about Weisburd, the founder of Indy Tickets Express LLC and the vice president of Young Entrepreneurs Association, visit www.DavidWeisburd.com.\n \nConfucius once said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Thousands of years later, this quote still rings true. Nothing worthwhile in this world has been achieved without persistence and a little vision into the future.\nThere's a debate in the academic world about whether or not entrepreneurship can be taught. In my opinion, entrepreneurship skills can be developed, but not taught because a lot of aspects of entrepreneurship are engraved naturally in a person. \nWhen I was 12 years old, I decided I was going to run my own business. I was very excited about my goal of becoming an entrepreneur. I told my family and friends about my new ventures but was shocked to see I had very little support from them. People who I thought were looking out for my future constantly patronized me.\nI believe some of my relatives discouraged my ambitions because of something I've dubbed the "safest common multiple." This is what grandparents and parents dream about when talking about their sons and daughters. The safest common multiple is what others view as the most secure route to the maximization of personal success. It's the reason so many parents want their sons and daughters to be lawyers and doctors -- these positions are honorable and prestigious positions in society. At the same time, they are very reachable positions that can be achieved by traditional means: hard work and dedication.\nFor many years I fought to get other people's approval. No matter what I did and how hard I tried, it didn't work. One day I came across an article on the Internet about "self-proclamation." It brought up the fact that everyone looked for outside opinions to bring justification to their actions. \nThe article stated one of the most powerful actions a person can take is proclaiming himself or herself to be something. The day I learned about this technique I called my dad and told him I was proclaiming myself to be a future successful entrepreneur. This has been a very powerful weapon for me. There is literally no limit for a person who believes in his own proclamations.\nMany people misinterpret me and believe I expect everyone to become an entrepreneur. The truth about entrepreneurship is it's not for everyone. What I do recommend is for everyone to take control of their own destinies, which means putting everything on the line for the chance to live out your dream.\nWhen I would tell my friends and family about my goals, I knew they didn't view them as possible. I have since learned that when a person says, "you can't do that," they really mean, "I can't do it." It's important to understand that unless the person is saying this out of spite, in the other person's reality, this is simply not a possibility. The great thing about the overall reality in the world is that it's just a culmination of individual realities. These culminations can be very powerful, but they can be broken by individuals or groups of individuals who have a stronger reality.\nLet's take, for example, the existence of "white only" bathrooms which were commonly accepted in the United States half a century ago. In fact, they were such a powerful part of society that it seemed like they were part of a natural order. People in the United States who considered themselves not to be racist believed there was nothing wrong with this system. Most could not envision it any other way. That is, until Martin Luther King Jr., together with other civil rights activists, shared his vision of an ideal society. \nIn modern days, individuals would be shocked to see a white- only bathroom. Imagine the media uproar if someone opened a white- only bathroom in the United States now. Powerful visionaries and leaders have the ability to change realities and the realm of possibility.\nIf people could change something as powerful as racial bias, why is it that so many people cannot change their views of themselves? One of these problems stems from people's struggle with failure. It's much safer to believe that you can't do something. It's much easier to complain about your circumstances in life rather than to take responsibility for your own destiny.\nAs I was slugging through my entrepreneurial career I came across many failures. In fact, at one time I consecutively failed at several businesses. All I wanted from someone was a pat on the back and a little respect for giving everything I had to chase my dream.\nEven the fact that you strive for something great sets you apart from 99 percent of the population. At least you have the gumption to do what everyone else just wishes they could do. You can't imagine how much respect I have for someone who goes after their dreams despite everything working against them. There are always hundreds of reasons not to do something and only one good reason to do it. When faced with these obstacles, everyone responds in different ways. It is in times like these when we really find out what we're truly made of.

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