It’s funny, isn’t it? That you’d rather work 80 hours for yourself than punch a time close for 40 hours for anyone else. But if we’re really getting honest, being an entrepreneur isn’t half as beautiful/glamorous/picture perfect as we are led to believe it is on social media. We scroll and see these brightly lit office spaces (furnished with the latest Restoration Hardware desks), the midday lunches complete with mimosas, and the posts of people “casually working” from a cafe in Paris with a perfectly dripped latte and a chocolate croissant to boot…

…And suddenly, our life isn’t enough.

We look down at yesterday’s tee shirt (with ketchup stains), our lack of a bra, the desk that is covered with to-do lists (that don’t seem to be getting done) and coffee rings from yesterday’s coffee with the last few drops staining the bottom of the mug that needs to be cleaned. Sound familiar? Or am I just talking about myself right now… either way, you might be able to relate. It doesn’t mean you aren’t good enough or talented enough, it doesn’t mean that you’re not perfect enough or you’re lacking – in fact, behind those Instagram photos, chances are our lives all look pretty similar.

The Life Cycle of an Entrepreneur

You wake up, so excited that if you reeeealllly wanted to, you could hit the “snooze!” BUT, you don’t because you’ve got crap to get done and lot’s of it. The fact that if you really need a nap (you can take it) helps you roll out of bed and into the office – funny, your office is just steps away from the spot you sleep. Convenient? Sure. Does it suck you in sometimes, YES. You’re excited, inspired, and waiting for your inbox (and caffeine) to load. When that screen pops up and you see that little number next to the word “inbox” your breath is taken away and you go into survival mode.

That to-do list? Forget about it – you’re putting out inbox fires left and right and you’re questioning everything (and wishing you could just delete and pretend they didn’t land there.) You finally can breathe again, you’re ready to actually start to tackle those items that you wanted to accomplish today when you realize it’s already 2PM. What happened to lunch? (Or even breakfast.) I mean, who needs food? A lean cuisine and some Doritos will have to do.

The afternoon rolls around and you’re hating the word “girlboss…”

and catching yourself day dreaming about that windowless office you couldn’t wait to get out of… I mean, punching a time clock sounds great right about now (because you honestly haven’t crossed off a single thing on that list that needs to get done!) You doubt everything, absolutely everything, and start scrolling Instagram praying that with every swipe of your thumb, you’ll find something that lights a fire under your bum. You resort to laying out a mug, a planner (that you quick jot things down in, so it looks like you’re actually organized enough to keep a planner) and your Warby Parker glasses (because all real entrepreneurs wear those, duh!) You snap a pic and post something whimsical so that everyone else might think that you’re rocking this whole thing.

Suddenly, the “likes” start rolling in and you’re on top of the world. Is this what Rose felt like on the Titanic when she outstretched her arms and pointed her face to the sun? Yes, yes it is. You ride that high and start pumping out content. You hit “publish” on a blog post, post a photo to Facebook, and actually start crossing things off of the mental to-do list (that looks like an internet browser with a million tabs open!) How could you ever question your worth? You are AMAZING, inspired, and THE best at what you do! You close the office door with a feeling of pure triumph and a little tear squeaks out of your eyeball as you question how you could ever imagine doing anything else with this one sweet life you’ve been given…

Can you relate? Tell us about being an entrepreneur!