Today we are examining the Maya Angelou quote “I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.” This quote has 3 lessons for entrepreneurs that are worth pointing out.
As stated above, this quote has 3 lessons for entrepreneurs. These lessons are:
- The life you are living is someone else’s dream.
- You are living a life built on work done by your ancestors
- You can get better and get bigger.
The life you are living is someone else’s dream.
Check out – “Phenomenal Woman” by Maya Angelou and 3 Lessons for Entrepreneurs
The life you are living is someone else’s dream.
The quote shared here is from Maya Angelou’s poem, “Still I Rise.” It is an amazing poem that talks about how someone can rise even though they are dealing with some incredible circumstances. The narrator in that poem rises even though those around her do not understand how she can do it. The lines shared here state that the narrator is living a life that her ancestors dreamed and hoped they would be able to live. These words remind me of a legacy that has been given to us and the responsibility to build a legacy for those who come after us.
As an entrepreneur, it is important to remember there are others around you who dream of entrepreneurship. Every day there are people who go to work wishing they could run their own businesses. No matter how small your business, it is someone else’s dream. Even if your business is in trouble, it is someone else’s dream. Like it or not, this gives you an obligation. It obligates you to appreciate your business. You are obligated to give your business your best efforts. You are obligated to treat your business like the unique treasure it is. It is disrespectful and unappreciative to do otherwise.
You are living a life built on work done by your ancestors.
Almost everyone has heard the expression “there is nothing new under the sun.” The idea behind that saying is that everything is based on or copied from something else in some way. In other words, things are built upon what came before. That is the notion in this poem. When the narrator says that she is the “dream and hope” of the slave she is giving a nod to her past. She is acknowledging that the ground she walks upon was built by those who came before her. It is a statement of acknowledgment. It is a statement of respect. Appreciation can also be found in those words.
As an entrepreneur, it is important to recognize that your business didn’t just pop up from nothing. Even if you invented a whole new technology or a whole new industry, you are building on ground already laid. You are not the first business to exist. Because business exists, it makes it possible for your business to exist. There are things crucial to business success like computers, monitors, desks, and chairs, that were created before your business. This means even if you created something new, your business owes a debt to other businesses that existed before your business.
Check out – Entrepreneur Be Thankful for Your Business – It Provides Jobs
You can get better and get bigger.
The last lines of the poem, quoted here are, “I rise, I rise, I rise.” The words tell you in the simplest way possible that things are going up. The narrator emphatically states that she rises. She does not stay stagnant. She is not going down hill. She is a woman on the rise and that is a powerful position to be in.
As an entrepreneur, it is important to realize that you can always improve, rise up, and be better. It is easy to think that when your business is doing poorly that you are a bad business person or lacking in some way. The good news is that even if that is true, you can rise, you can get better, you can be better personally and as an entrepreneur.
The fact that you can rise, means there is always hope. There is always a reason to be happy about the future. Hope is a big and powerful thing. It can sustain you when things are hard. Hope can be rewards when things turn up again. Your business can grow as much as you want it to if you are willing to put in the work to make it happen.
If you want to read more about lessons for entrepreneurs, check out:
3 Lessons From People Who Refuse to Take Action Now
There are 3 lessons I have learned from people who refuse to TAN aka Take Action Now. A smart entrepreneur can learn something new every day if she tries. There are some people who take action now and get things done. Click here to read more.
and
“The Harder They Fall” and 3 Excellent Lessons for Entrepreneurs
Recently, I watched the Netflix movie, “The Harder They Fall” and it had three lessons for entrepreneurs. These lessons are: sometimes things are hard, you cannot sit around waiting for destiny, loyalty doesn’t last forever for everyone. Click here to read more.
Also, check out our Confidence Tip of the Day YouTube channel for hundreds of videos on creating the confidence you need to succeed.
The Maya Angelou quote “I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.” has 3 lessons for entrepreneurs These lessons include – the life you are living is someone else’s dream, you are living a life built on work done by your ancestors, and you can get better and get bigger. Take a moment now to reflect on these lessons. How can you put them into play in your business? Be sure to share your ideas in the comment section. You may help someone find a breakthrough.
It’s so true how someone can rise even though they are dealing with some incredible circumstances. It only makes it better when you don’t give up.