Your 2ndChance at a First Impression: We Wear The Mask...The Entrepreneur's Coverup

Paul Laurence Dunbar (1872-1906)

We Wear the Mask

WE wear the mask that grins and lies,

It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,—

This debt we pay to human guile;

With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,

And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be over-wise,

In counting all our tears and sighs?

Nay, let them only see us, while

We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries

To thee from tortured souls arise.

We sing, but oh the clay is vile

Beneath our feet, and long the mile;

But let the world dream otherwise,

We wear the mask!

As an entrepreneur we have to show No Fear. We must be risk takers, rule makers and smile fakers. We can not go to our employees to share the burden of a crisis. We can not show weakness to our competitors. We must protect the bottom line and our relationships with investors. We must wear the mask.

Being an entrepreneur sometimes feels like you've started a cross country trek. Many will be amazed but few if any will take the journey with you. They'll like your Facebook posts but will question why you would start this endeavor. They will envy your success but never consider following in your footsteps. They will laugh at your foibles and in failure they will whisper that everyone knew that it couldn't be done so your failure is really just life putting you back in your place.

They will continue to exist but for you, oh glorious entrepreneur, "existence is futile." We can not be a part of The Collective. We have mountains to climb, Lands to explore and Accomplishments to Meet.

Cherish the challenges that bring you to this place of EXCELLENCE. Drop the pretense and masks. Amongst those that you are shielding your life from you might find support. But even if you find negativity then congratulations because now you've found the truth.

Let that truth lead you to surround yourself with the right people. For every entrepreneur we must have a SAFE PLACE to come out of our silos and commiserate, recreate and celebrate. Find your place because there there is no need for a mask.

Be bold. Be Brave and Be Free.

***Yes this is my favorite poem and Yes, those are Star Trek references (live long and prosper)