"You limit yourself from going after your dreams": When Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec commented on the "trap of making excuses"

Shark Tank investor Robert Herjavec once stated that entrepreneurs should embrace their nature of work and put in the effort rather than making excuses to avoid it.

In a LinkedIn Pulse article from November 3, 2015, Robert shared that he wasn't embarrassed to admit that he started his first business out of necessity. Although he was fired and had a mortgage to take care of he still felt that he needed to find the courage, out of necessity, to be his own boss.

Robert pointed out that behind every small business people see and interact with in their day-to-day lives was a person who made a courageous decision for the businesses to exist—whether to prove a point, pursue a dream, or do something else entirely. Regardless of the reason, he believed that having the courage to strike out on one’s own is always worth celebrating.

The Shark Tank star also revealed that, like most people, he was afraid of failure, had little guidance, and had no prior experience as an entrepreneur. He noted that many people make excuses for not starting their own businesses, but falling into that trap only limits them from chasing their dreams.

"There are plenty of reasons why people make excuses not to start their own business — I’ve heard them all. When you fall into the trap of making excuses, you limit yourself from going after your dreams," he wrote.

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Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec shares the three excuses that he had heard from "would-be entrepreneurs"

Further in the LinkedIn Pulse article, Shark Tank star Robert Herjavec shared that he has heard countless excuses from people hesitant to start their own businesses. He noted that saying “I can’t” is often just a lie people tell themselves to avoid trying or putting in the necessary effort.

Robert went on to share the top three excuses that he has heard from "would-be entrepreneurs" so that his readers could recognize their own fear and find the courage to face it.

1. Now isn't the right time

Robert pointed out that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg didn’t create the concept of social media, he added his own thing and now was among the top 100 wealthiest and most influential people in the world.

The Shark Tank star explained that people don't need to wait for the right time to start or wish to be first to the table. He pointed out that when sometimes someone puts off their work, their “later” becomes “never” and it never feels like the “right” time.

"Nothing is ever perfect, and you’ll always feel like you’re too busy and you don’t have the time. The bottom line? We all have 24 hours in a day; it’s up to you what you do with it," he added.

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2. You don’t feel prepared to run a business

Robert stated that not knowing the right people, and not having the money or the required skills for the tasks were legitimate concerns for an individual who wants to start a business. However, he noted that to achieve the required skills, connections, and money to start their business, people would have to earn them.

The Shark Tank star urged these aspiring entrepreneurs to find a mentor, get a part-time job, search the web, reach out on social media, look into loans, and do everything they can to pursue their dreams.

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3. You’re afraid to fail

Robert believes that everyone has some advice to give, however, he noted that no one knows what it takes and what a person has to go through to start, grow, and scale a business until they experience that themselves.

The Herjavec Group founder shared that he has been through that process himself and understands that the fear of failure is very real. He compared business to life, emphasizing that both require a series of trials and errors to move forward and succeed.

"If you suppress your fear of failure and are open to the lessons, you can learn each time you make a mistake you will be stronger for it. Failure can be embarrassing, but if you never try, all you will end up with is regret," he concluded.

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Robert Herjavec urges entrepreneurs to focus on execution

In another LinkedIn Pulse article, published on November 14, 2017, Robert shared that he received hundreds of emails regularly from entrepreneurs pitching the "next big thing."

However, when he asks them what they had done with those ideas in terms of execution, he starts seeing the difference between individuals who just talk and others who are ready to make the real change.

In the Pulse article, the Shark Tank star acknowledged that taking the first step can be challenging. However, he emphasized that even a world-changing idea is meaningless without action—without execution, it remains just an idea.

Robert urged aspiring entrepreneurs to stop making excuses and push out of their boundaries, as he believed that it was the only way to advance.

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New episodes of Shark Tank season 16 air every Friday on ABC.