Many successful entrepreneurs have experienced failures on their path to success. Companies like Airbnb, Netflix, and Amazon have faced setbacks but have managed to adapt and thrive. Airbnb started as a simple service of inflatable mattresses and breakfast but adapted to the market and became a global housing rental platform. Netflix began as a DVD rental service by mail but adapted to the shift in consumer demand towards online content. Amazon started selling books but has become an e-commerce giant due to its ability to adapt and expand into new product and service categories.

From You Are Not a Failure, chapter 2: Starting up among ruins

Closely related to self-efficacy, a crucial doctrine and a vital mindset to foster resilience is optimism. This disposition involves always expecting the best possible outcome, assessing each circumstance favorably, even in contexts that may seem adverse. An optimistic approach is fundamental for overcoming challenges and finding creative solutions to problems. However, optimism is often confused with a naïve view of reality.

From You Are Not a Failure, chapter 3: Resilience: The muscle of the soul

Fifteen per cent more of 2.2 per cent. So what does a push actually buy? Put the two studies next to each other and they do not agree about size at all, and they are not even counting the same door, since one measures entry into self-employment and the other measures entry into entrepreneurship. Sweden's closures produce something its own summary calls almost a doubling. America's bad graduating years produce a nudge. What the two agree on is direction and timing, because in both of them the entries show up in the year after the event.

From I Want to Start a Business but I Never Actually Start, chapter 9: Nobody chooses the day they start

These passages come straight from the books. So, if one of them speaks to you, read the full chapter. It goes further, and it ends with a practical exercise.

In addition, these titles look at entrepreneur mindset from different angles. Each one opens with a passage from the book. Then, pick the one closest to your situation.

• The Employed Entrepreneur: How to Test a Business Without Losing Your Job
• Find Out Which Fears Are Telling the Truth: I Want to Start a Business but I'm a Coward
• I Want to Start a Business but I'm a Coward: Find Out Which of Your Fears Are Telling the Truth
• I Want to Start a Business but I'm a Coward: Eleven Fears, Checked Against the Evidence
• I Want to Start a Business but I'm a Coward: Eleven Chapters, Eleven Fears, One Evening Each
• I Want to Start a Business: Eleven Fears, Eleven Exercises, One Evening Each
• When the Coward Is Right: I Want to Start a Business, and Eleven Fears to Check First
• I Want to Start a Business but I Never Actually Start: Eleven Exercises, Each One Done in a Single Sitting

Write the smallest step that would move your business forward, then give it five minutes. The timer only removes the excuse; the starting is yours.

My smallest next step.

5:00

Start 5 minutes.

Nothing you type leaves this page.

Finally, You Are Not a Failure goes deeper into entrepreneur mindset. Therefore, it is the natural next step. You can read it or listen to it in the stores below. It is also available in 11 languages.

Go to the book page. All topics.

• How to start a business.Diego Segura's books begin somewhere else: with a small test you can run this week, a first paying customer, and costs kept close to zero.
• Business ideas.Lists of business ideas are everywhere, but a list can't tell you which idea fits you.
• Online business ideas.Online business ideas look easy because the tools are cheap.
• Low risk business ideas.These passages show how to limit the downside, so that fear doesn't decide for you.