“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.” — Oscar Wilde.
How often do we follow the crowd? It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that someone else’s blueprint for failure—or success—is the one we should adopt. But Oscar Wilde’s quote reminds us that most people live by someone else’s script. They mimic others’ opinions, follow conventional wisdom, and chase trends that don’t serve their true passions. But your path to success? It’s yours to define.
We’ve all heard it before—learn from others’ mistakes. But here’s the truth: their mistakes aren’t yours. When you follow someone else’s missteps, you’re only learning what not to do. But is that really enough? Does avoiding failure automatically lead to success? Not quite. Mistakes are fine, but learning from your own success—that’s where the real magic happens. Success teaches you the next step, not what to avoid.
Failure isn’t a prerequisite for success.
So why not make your rules instead?
The Premature Growth Trap: Why Bigger Isn’t Always Better
Growth is a good thing, right? Well, not always. Ever seen a company bloat beyond recognition? Premature growth is a death trap. Small businesses often dream of becoming big, but big companies? They dream of agility. Here’s the paradox: the bigger you get, the more complex you become. Soon, you’re hiring people to solve problems caused by…hiring too many people.
Grow because it feels right, not because you can.
Control your growth, or it will control you.
Would Your Customers Miss You?
Be the business your customers would miss if you disappeared tomorrow. Build things you’d use yourself. Scratching your own itch makes the process meaningful. When you solve your own problems, you can create the best solutions for your customers. The secret to success? Make sure your product is something the world needs but doesn’t have yet. And more importantly, make it so good that the world wouldn’t want to live without it.
Build a business people can’t imagine living without.
Keep Control: Don’t Let the Investors Take Over
Once you start taking other people’s money, you start taking their orders, too. Investors can be helpful, but giving up too much control is a slippery slope. The more investors you have, the more conditions you need to meet. You’re not building for customers anymore—you’re building for boardrooms. The result? Wasted time, unnecessary meetings, and red tape.
Money can be a trap. Don’t let it run your company.
Focus on What You Have: Constraints Fuel Creativity
Constraints aren’t a burden—they’re an advantage. Startups often operate with limited resources, but those limitations force creativity. Instead of always looking for more, ask yourself: if you stripped away everything else, would your product still exist? If the answer’s yes, make that your focus. Nail the basics before you sweat the small stuff.
Start small. Build big later.
After all, you can always upgrade “good enough” to “great.”
Cut the Noise: Create Uninterrupted Time
Interruptions are the enemy of productivity. It’s no coincidence that many people work best when the world sleeps. When was the last time you had uninterrupted hours to focus? Try it. Create space where nothing pulls you away—no emails, no pings, no chatter. Give yourself the luxury of deep focus and watch your productivity skyrocket.
Protect your work hours. They’re more valuable than you think.
Own It: Take Responsibility and Stay True to Yourself
No business is perfect. Customers will always point out your flaws. And when they do? Own it. Quickly. The highest-ranking person should take responsibility and resolve it. But here’s the kicker—don’t chase every trend or meet every demand just to keep up with the competition. Stay true to the vision that made you start in the first place. Authenticity isn’t about being flawless; it’s about being real.
Be authentic. Don’t follow; lead.
The Tijarah Perspective
At Tijarah Consulting, we believe that business isn’t a series of cookie-cutter lessons learned from others. It’s a journey. It’s about owning your path, learning from what you do well, and knowing when to break the rules. Growth doesn’t come from blindly following—it comes from daring to carve your own way.
Ready to take control of your business journey? Let’s talk.