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Do you feel like a failure when you don’t get the feedback or success you’re looking for? A few words from entrepreneur Evan Carmichael on how getting caught up in the numbers game can distract you from what matters—personal growth.
I think there’s a real danger in judging the success of your work only by the results that it gets you.
We’ve talked a lot about this on the channel, that it’s not just about the outcome, it’s not just about the goal, it’s about the process. That how you get there is way more important than the fact that you got there. And I think, again, a lot of people think that because they put a lot of work into something, but it doesn’t get that success that they’re looking for, that it was a failure.
If I look at myself as an example, my goals have an impact. I want you guys to watch these videos and, more importantly, I want you guys to take action on them. I want you to feel touched and moved and inspired by something that’s been said in one of these videos and go and do something about it. Make the world better in some small or big way, because of watching these videos.
That’s my goal all the time. And so, yes, I look at the numbers. And, yes, I want to hit a million subscribers, and yes, I want every video to take off and be amazing, but if it doesn’t, it doesn’t take away from the value and appreciation and love that I put into each video that I make.
So, as an example, the Tyrese Gibson top ten video that I made recently. I did a good chunk of that video myself. It’s the most that I’ve ever put into a top ten video, and I’ve talked about that before on the channel, the most work that I’ve personally ever put in to a top ten video, and I badly wanted it to do well. Right? I mean, here it is, I put all this work in, I hope you guys love it. It sucks to feel like I put this out there, and you guys don’t appreciate it, doesn’t have its mark. I felt deeply moved by it, and I was hoping you guys would be as well.
It turns out the video has done well, and that’s great. But even if the video didn’t do well, even if people didn’t like it, even if it only had five views on the video, I would be sad, but also at the same time, I would know that I put a lot of love into it. And it’s still a really valuable video, and that I learned in the process of making this video, I grew as a human being and as an entrepreneur.
And I’m still deeply proud of the video that I made, regardless of how well it went on for you guys, people that watch and see success with. And so I think there’s a real danger in just chasing the numbers, in just being obsessed with reaching a goal, and not caring about the process. Or, in fact, the process is way, way, way, way, way more important.
If you do not love the process of what you’re doing, you won’t get to those numbers. If you focus only on the numbers, you’re never going to get there. You have to love the doing and be proud of your work.
Toronto-based Evan Carmichael #Believes in entrepreneurs. At 19, he built then sold a biotech software company. At 22, he was a VC helping raise $500k to $15mil. He now runs EvanCarmichael.com, a popular website for entrepreneurs. He has set two world records, uses a stand-up desk, rides a Vespa, raises funds for Kiva, wears five-toe shoes and created Entrepreneur trading cards. He loves being married, his son, salsa dancing, DJing, League of Legends, and the Toronto Blue Jays.
Are you deeply, insanely proud of the work that you’re doing right now in your company? We’d love to hear from you! Be honest. Leave it down in the comments below.