Steve Morris
Founder & CEO of YoungBiz

I've found that being an entrepreneur is exciting, but it is not always glamorous. It's a lot of hard work and there are often many obstacles to overcome. The fun part is when you first get the idea for your business. You're charged with excitement. You can't wait to tell people about your product. You know success is on the way.

Sooner or later, however, you're going to run into someone who does not believe in your idea. It's happened to just about every entrepreneur that ever lived, including me. Someone you care about is going to tell you that your dream won't work. They may even say your idea is dumb.

When I was a college student playing tennis, I learned an important lesson about success. As a tennis player, my job is to manage my side of the court and hit the ball back over the net. If I worry about the weather or the crowd or what my opponent is doing, I'm going to mess up. To do my job, I have to keep my eye on the ball.

As an entrepreneur, it is important not to let other people's negative opinions cause you to miss the ball. Concentrate on the idea that first inspired you. Don't be distracted. Don't listen to razing by your competitors.

Your job is to take the necessary steps to make your dream come true. Just keep on consistently hitting the ball back over the net. Sooner or later, you're going to overcome the obstacles and win the game!