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An entrepreneur is frequently lonely. Not that he or she has no friends but because there are few who truely understand what he is going through. The thoughts, struggles, aspirations, fears, the reasons for even wanting to do it.

If that is the case, then an entrepreneur, alone in another land, must be the zenith of loneiness.

Sometimes I wonder why I venture so far, to a city that is so foreign to start a venture. What was it that attracts? The ZaoBao article reported that it was a combination of the low cost, the ‘can do’ attitude of the people and that businesses are more receptive of entrepreneurial activities. And in exchange for these? Exile in another land.

An entrepreneur is very much like a long distance runner - the mental loneiness, the gruelling distance and the grit and determination to reach the end.

I’m not a particularly good runner though when younger and freer, I ran quite a bit. The furthest I had ran was a half-marathon. Not really long by any standard, just long enough that I to have to focus hard on bringing the body to the finishing point.

Going on a long distance run is a very person decision. With an understanding of the body, one judge how fast, how far and the route to take. Too fast, one get tired before the run, and it’s a long trek back. Too far, the body is not able to handle and the run cut short regardless. If one give up along the way no one else really bothers, except maybe one’s innerself. If one finishes, not many cheered, but the delight within brings out a grin.

Any idea what people do during a run? Some listen to music, some look all serious, some just smile. For me, I think. Think about anything. Particularly, I often use the run to motivate myself, to refocus, to put things into perspectives, to remind myself that no matter how far and strenous, the end gets nearer with each step.

Now as an entrepreneur I find the mental process strikingly similar to going for a run. The process is a long-drawn one, no one else really know the thoughts and the motivation going on within while doing it.

Keep on running, keep on entreprising.