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So, you think that being an entrepreneur is for you? You may want to rethink that after reading this.

Not the cheerleading headline you were hoping for? Let me explain. Being an entrepreneur is hard, probably one of the hardest professional paths you can take. You can’t just want to be an entrepreneur and play at it; you have to go all in. It has to be in your DNA. Here’s a more direct statement: you either have what it takes and get to work, or you don’t.

The hustling entrepreneur has been over-glamorized and oversimplified. Social media has allowed people to access just enough motivational quotes and pictures of a jet-set lifestyle to make them think they have what it takes… and maybe you do, but more than likely, you don’t.

The truth is, when you realize you are an entrepreneur, it’s not just a wish—it’s ingrained in your personality. It’s how you think; it’s how you see the world. It consumes you.

There are two realities that most entrepreneurs realize very quickly:

Firstly, that you have to be someone who takes action. I remember clearly going to a startup networking meeting years ago when I was starting out and listening to the “big plans” that the other guys in the room had. I marveled at it and thought, “Wow, these guys are amazing; they speak so passionately about where they are going!” Fast forward several months, and I am back in the same room with the same guys, hearing the same conversations, and they are in exactly the same place. At that point, I realized that they were stuck in fell good mode, not go mode. Remember: You can’t drive a parked car.

Secondly, if you’re holding down a full-time job, you’re not an entrepreneur. True entrepreneurs can’t handle a regular job. They are almost unemployable. If you’re not out there making things happen and running a business, you’re just someone with “entrepreneurial tendencies.” Be clear on the difference between a “side gig” and a “side hustle.” One of them is a bit of extra cash; the other has a big vision and an undying commitment to seeing it through, and so working for someone else just isn’t an option.

You’re probably feeling like you got kicked in the gut at this point in reading. Don’t worry; that’s the point. If you’ve read what’s above and feel overwhelmed, you may not be cut out for entrepreneurship. If you’re still with me, then keep reading.

If I had to do it all over again, I’d be out there hustling in every way possible. I’d seek out mentors and work for free if necessary, but only for people who can teach me the “how to” and be there when I need guidance. I’d shadow and emulate. I’d focus on putting myself in a position to win. Books are great, podcasts are amazing (this blog is awesome!), but none of them will make you an entrepreneur. The only way to become one is to be one, always taking action.

These are the simple truths. I don’t care if you’re an aspiring artist, writer, chef, or gardener. Want to be an artist? Start making art. Make a mess, do the thing, just stop talking about it, and be about it. Stop waiting for a big break to fall out of the sky. There is no perfect scenario. Just do the work.

Go all in, make it happen, fail fast and fail often, learn, rebuild, and be the one that can change your family’s future.