Don’t Let This Hold You Back…

When my business partner, Chris, and I started our first business together in 1999...

We didn't have any money.

All we had was $12,000 that we earned from painting the stripes on parking lots...

Which we had to spend on a year of rent upfront for our first retail store, because we had no credit...

...and we had no proof that we could even afford it.

That forced us to max out our credit cards to finance the inventory, shelving, and counter for the store.

We spent a lot of time living in the back of that first store, sleeping on a couch and a piss-stained mattress from the salvation army.

I was embarrassed...

Chris was embarrassed...

But had we been too afraid to look broke...

Or too afraid to look embarrassed...

We wouldn't be where we're at today.

I want you to take that as a lesson.

What I see that’s holding back so many people … is their pride and ego.

Too much pride to be embarrassed...

Too much pride to admit that you're in the beginning stages of your journey...

Too much pride to admit that you aren't where you want to be yet...

Which scares you away from ever even trying.

You have to understand something...

There's no shame in admitting that you’re just getting started…

There's no shame in admitting you don't know shit...

Because the truth is...

The hard times are where you learn the most about yourself.

But to get anywhere in life ... you have to actually start.

Get your hands dirty...

Go out and do the best that you can every single day…

...and don't be afraid to get knocked down every now and then.

It happens.

What really matters is that you get back up, learn from it and keep it moving.