企业家内部网络是美国的一个在线社区，一些美国创业界最睿智、最有影响力的创业大咖在这里及时回答与创业和职业有关的问题。今天的问题是：“有哪些事是你希望自己在创业前就知道的？”SheWorx公司的联合创始人丽莎·王给出了她的答案。

成功创业者的形象通常都自带某种光环，比如冒险、自由、办公室里都放着午睡椅和乒乓球台。不过当我创办第一家公司时，我很快意识到，每名创业者对成功的定义都不尽相同。对有些人来说，成功意味着能决定自己的日程安排；对有些人来说，成功意味着拉到大量融资；而在另外一些人看来，成功仅仅是创办一个能够给自己带来一份稳定收入来源的生意。我在打工时代曾经习惯了那种对成功的严格定义，但是在创业之后，成功实际上可以是我所追求的任何东西，我可以用任何我认为对自己、以及对公司很重要的标准去衡量它。这种自由既是一种幸福，也是一种诅咒。作为一名创业者，我的创业之路一直起伏不定，我时常陷入自我怀疑和不安之中，时常给自己打鸡血，熬过了一个个失眠的夜晚。

当我回忆起过去一年里走过的路——成立公司，建立团队，寻找产品和市场的契合点，招聘和炒掉第一名员工，寻找投资人，无休止地建立人脉，强迫自己面对极为令人不安的局面，在我不愿意推销的时候还要去推销，想方设法获得和一些人说话的机会。我意识到，成功真的在于你怎样理解它，以及你用哪些价值、哪些人和经验来构建起自己的生活。以下就是我在过去一年里学到的一些信条：

找到你真正关心的东西

成功就是要喜欢你所做的事情，喜欢你在做这件事时的自己，喜欢你做这件事的方法。做自己不关心的事情，是很难取得成功的。所以你要找到自己关心的东西——甚至是自己感到有些好奇的东西，让它成为你的指引。

少期待，多做事

这个信条可能与创业界流行的“大梦想”信条不符，但两者其实并行不悖。所谓的“大梦想”是指，要有意识地给自己树立一个高标杆，这样就算在最艰难的时候，它也能推着你往前走。但是，拥有这个梦想只是第一步。失败往往发生在你对自己、对别人和对自己无法掌控的局势有太多期待的时候。我一向认为创业者应该不惜一切代价以获得成功，但务必要确保你的期望值不要太高。

全力以赴，做到极限

如果你不做事，没有任何人会做。在我们对产品进行内测的时候，我曾经骑着一辆自行车，背着一大包汉堡、饺子和顾客点的其它餐品，一直送货到凌晨三点。那天以前，我从来没有在纽约市骑过自行车。我强迫自己不放过任何一个推销的机会，虽然我曾经非常鄙视公开演说，但我在去年做了很多次演讲——其实我现在喜欢做这种事。置身不舒服的环境下，大胆去做，你就会成长起来。

先做重要的事，不要让小事妨碍你

你今天最大的目标是什么？这星期、这个月、这一年，甚至这辈子最大的目标呢？你为自己设立的宏大目标会带来水滴石穿的效应，也能够让你对每天的工作进行重要性排序。你的一天、一个月、一年过得是不是很有效率，其关键可能就在于是否树立了这样的目标。如果出现了让你分心的事，你可以问问自己，它们和你的目标是否一致。如果答案是否定的，不妨不去想它们。如果你犯了错误，就总结教训，继续前进。

了解你的优势

我经常是自己最严厉的批评者。在一些最艰难的日子里，我经常会给自己灌输很深的负能量——直到我自己发现不能这样下去。我时常思考，究竟是哪些优点让我取得了到目前为止的成功，这样做有助于我抵消那些负面的想法。什么能给我带来快乐？人们经常表扬我有哪些优点？我擅长什么？如果花点时间把这些东西写出来，总结成一段短短的精华，那么即便你从事一份你觉得自己不能胜任的职务，它也会给你带来自信。

明白自己就是身边人的映像

如果有一天能让有害的人离开你的生活，这一天最好是昨天。否则的话，现在就去做，而且不要回头。围绕在你身边的人应该是能够引领你向上的人，而不是给你拖后腿的人。我曾经有过一些“朋友”——当你成功时，他们带着吝啬而伪善的笑容，半真半假地祝贺你。我曾经以为成功是一个零和游戏，以为友谊建立在竞争的基础之上。但等我放弃了这些所谓的“朋友”，认识了一些在我成功时会由衷地、友好地、真诚地为我感到高兴的朋友，曾经的那种看法自然而然地消失了。生活中的外部条件总会影响你的内在信念，要确保这些信念能让你感到骄傲。

正直

正直的重要性自不待言，但很多人并没有真正展示或践行这一美德。这或许是由于我们觉得正直的行为在长期看来未必能有好报，又或许是由于这个社会正在变得越来越自私和功利，受社交媒体的影响越来越大。总之，说到的事要做到，不要让别人失望。要学会尊重别人，做错了事要道歉。

不要拿自己和别人比

这又回到了我们之前说的那个话题：成功的定义并不是单一的。人们会把最好而不是最坏的自己展现到别人面前，你永远不知道他们光鲜的外表下隐藏着哪些痛苦。因此不要妄下评判，尽量避免拿自己和别人比较。嫉妒是一种最隐藏得最深的情绪，但除了伤害你自己和别人之外，它做不了任何事。

直白坦率地沟通

直到我自己开始管理一个小团队时，我才意识到这一点的重要性。我说的、做的每一件事，甚至我的说话方式，都会对团队产生影响。在大多数情况下，围绕着一个令人不舒服的话题隔靴搔痒，是没有任何意义的。创业和在大企业打工不一样，没有空间让大家酝酿矛盾。看似很小的矛盾会进一步激化，如果不直接解决，随着时间的推移，必然会演变成大问题。

培养亲密的友谊，并且倍加珍视

过去的一年，如果没有这群能够容忍我的工作狂、情绪波动、爱长篇大论等坏习惯的好朋友，我恐怕很难挺过一切都高度不确定的这一年。而在这个过程中，我也乐于向朋友们提供帮助，表达我的感激之情，并且愿意把我在创业中学到的一切经验与他们分享。

勇敢

总有一些人会批评、否定、怀疑或讨厌你，不要在意他们。要记住，你心目中的成功究竟是什么？制定自己的目标，坚守你的价值，积蓄你的力量，让好人围绕在你的周围，带着力量和坚韧勇往直前，把你的梦想变成现实。舍此之外，一切都只是噪音而已。（财富中文网）

本文作者丽莎·王是女性企业家和变革引领者团体SheWorx的联合创始人。此外她还在纽约市创办了一家名叫Fooze的夜间餐饮快递公司。另外她还进入了美国体操名人堂，曾经三次获得全美体操冠军，并曾从事过对冲基金分析师工作。她还是耶鲁大学的毕业生。

译者：朴成奎

审校：任文科

The Entrepreneur Insider network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in America’s startup scene contribute answers to timely questions about entrepreneurship and careers. Today’s answer to the question “What’s something you wish you knew before starting your business?” is written by Lisa Wang, cofounder of SheWorx.

The image of a successful entrepreneur often brings with it a glamorous sheen of adventure, freedom, office nap pods, and Ping-Pong tables. But when I founded my first startup, I quickly realized that every entrepreneur has vastly different notions of what success means. For some, it means the ability to dictate their own schedules, for others it means raising massive funding rounds, and for many it simply means creating sustainable lifestyle businesses they can call their own. In contrast to the strictly measured success I was used to in a corporate environment, success suddenly became, in effect, whatever I wanted it to be, measured in whatever metrics I deemed important to me and my business. This freedom was both a blessing and a curse, and as a founder, my path constantly spiraled back and forth, mired in self-doubt, insecurity, forced positivity, and sleepless nights.

As I reflect on what I’ve navigated over the course of the past year—launching my first company, building up a team, finding product-market fit, hiring and firing my first employee, pitching investors, networking to no end, forcing myself into intensely uncomfortable situations, selling when I didn’t want to sell, and reaching out for conversations—I realize that success is really what you make of it, along with the values, people, and lessons you construct your life upon. Here are a few of the beliefs I have learned to construct mine upon this year:

Figure out what it is you care about

Success is liking what you do, who you are when you do it, and how you do it. It is extremely hard to succeed in something that you don’t care about. Figure out what you care about—or even what you are slightly curious about—and let that be your guide.

Expect less, but do more

This is seemingly at odds with the “dream big” mantra, but both can exist together. To dream big is to set a purposely high bar for yourself, something that will push you forward during even the lowest times. However, formulating that dream is only the first step. The downfall often comes when you expect too much from yourself, from other people, and from situations out of your control. I always advocate for doing whatever it takes to succeed, but make sure you temper your expectations along the way.

Push your limits and do whatever it takes

If you don’t do it, nobody will. For our beta tests, I rode around downtown Manhattan on a bike with a backpack full of burgers and dumplings and personally delivered food to customers until 3 a.m. I had never ridden a bike in New York City before that day. I forced myself to apply to every single pitch opportunity even though I’ve always despised public speaking. I’ve pitched so many times in the past year that I actually enjoy it now. Put yourself in uncomfortable situations. Just do it and you will grow.

Prioritize and don’t let little things get to you

What are your big goals for today? For this week? For this month? For this year? For your life? The visions you set for yourself will have a trickle–down effect and allow you to prioritize your days accordingly. Having this focus is often the difference between having or not having a productive day/month/year. As distractions come up, ask yourself if they’re in line with your vision. If not, letthem go and don’t dwell. If you make a mistake, learn, and move on. This, too, shall pass.

Know what you bring to the table

I am often my own harshest critic, and on the lowest days, I manage to talk myself into a deep hole of negativity—until I catch myself. I counteract negative internal dialogue by reinforcing the traits that have helped me succeed thus far. What brings me joy? What do people always compliment me on? What am I good at? Actually taking the time to write these things out and distilling them into a short pitch can bring you confidence even when you’re sitting at a table where you feel unqualified.

Know you’re the reflection of the people you surround yourself with

If there was any day to let go of toxic people in your life, it was yesterday. Do it now and don’t look back. The people you surround yourself with should be bringing you up—not holding you back. I used to have “friends” who, with tight, fake smiles, half-heartedly congratulated me when I succeeded. As a result, I learned that success was a zero-sum game, and believed friendship was built upon competition. That belief was shattered when I finally let those people go and discovered friends who showed me empathy, kindness, and genuine delight when I did well. The outer conditions of your life will always affect your inner beliefs. Make sure you’re proud of those beliefs.

Have integrity

It goes without saying, but too many people do not actually show or practice this. Maybe it’s because we think our actions don’t have long–term effects, ormaybe it’s because we are an increasingly self-absorbed, social-media driven society. Whatever it is, it’s still no excuse. Do what you say you’re going to do, don’t leave people hanging, be respectful, and apologize if you did something wrong.

Stop comparing yourself to other people

This goes back to the idea that there is not a singular definition of success. People will project their best selves—not their worst selves—in public, and you’ll never really know what others are struggling with underneath their shiny images. Refrain from judging and avoid comparing. Jealousy is the most insidious emotion and does nothing but harm yourself and others.

Be direct and communicate clearly

Never has this been so apparent until I began running a small team. Everything I did, everything I said, and even how I said things affected the team. Most of the time, there’s really no point in dancing around an uncomfortable subject. Unlike the corporate world, there is simply no room for simmering grudges. Seemingly small annoyances only get worse, and if not addressed head on, become major problems over time.

Nurture your close friendships and value them above all else

I could not have gotten through this uncertain maze of a year if I didn’t have my closest friends who took all of my obsessive work habits, emotional turbulences, and philosophical tirades in stride. Throughout it all, I made sure I was open about my availability (or lack thereof), expressed my appreciation, and shared whatever lessons I was learning along the way.

Be bold

There will always be critics, naysayers, doubters, and haters. Pay them no mind. What does success look and feel like to you? Formulate your vision, stick to your values, own your strengths, surround yourself with good people, and charge forward with all of the energy and tenacity required to turn your dreams into reality. The rest is simply noise.

Lisa Wang is the cofounder of SheWorx, a collective of ambitious female entrepreneurs and changemakers redefining a new wave of leadership. She also founded Fooze, a late-night food delivery startup in NYC. She is a U.S. Hall of Fame Gymnast,3x US National Champion Gymnast, former hedge fund analyst, and a graduate of Yale University.