Stress for entrepreneurship? Marilyn Monroe can help you
"If it made you happy, it doesn't count as a mistake."
Starting a business involves challenging a series of preconceptions of our friends, family, colleagues and even ourselves and if anyone knew about prejudices it was Marilyn Monroe , of whom film critics came to say, that the problem was that everyone saw her as a "dumb blonde" (and it was neither).
What can we learn from this iconic film figure?
You are not work
Starting a project from scratch takes a lot of energy and it is very difficult not to end up confusing the business with our own personality. In Marilyn's case, one of the most common comments is that you never knew where Norma Jean ended - her real name - and where Marilyn began, which represented a high personal cost to her. For entrepreneurs, this confusion also entails important costs such as difficulty in putting into operation key sales, purchase and collection processes, limits with customers and suppliers or delegating because "nobody is going to do it like us" (spoiler alert: it is correct and that is also positive).
Generosity with others is as important as the one you have with yourself
Empathy and solidarity multiply as they are shared. At the height of segregation, Marilyn Monroe supported the talent of Ella Fitzgerald, and arranged for her to perform at the renowned Mocambo club in Los Angeles, allowing her career and subsequent consecration to take off. The consensus around Marilyn Monroe is unanimous: her name was associated with a star that made the studios, producers and a wide circle around her win ... except Marilyn Monroe, who faced various labor problems, including lower wages than those of their peers.
Image: Depositphotos.com
Try new things
Although Marilyn's most memorable performances are in comedy, she did work in several dramas, including her latest, "The Misfits," where she was known for her acting skills. We are used to being told: "leave your comfort zone behind", but who would want to get out of there? On the other hand, if we allow ourselves to try new things, then we can develop new capacities and tools to expand our scenarios, both personal as professionals.
Starting a business is very artistic
We put a large part of ourselves and we dedicate our best effort to it. The natural thing is to want everything to go well, so it is worth remembering that there are always setbacks and challenges, even in fully consolidated businesses. When in doubt, we can also make Marilyn's words our own: "If it made you happy, it doesn't count as a mistake."
