The Bor-e-Gaged Trap

Bor-e-gaged…what in the world does that mean? I look at the entrepreneurial attention span as a short continuum that stretches from bored to engaged. My made-up word for being stuck smack in the middle, or vacillating frequently from left to right in the middle zone, is “bor-e-gaged”—a little of each.

It’s an uncomfortable place to be. You’re not engaged enough to truly focus on the business you’re operating, and you’re not mind-numbingly bored enough to cut the cord and move on. In the middle zone, you’re not putting the effort into something new yet—but you’re thinking about it, and your current company is suffering from your lack of engagement.

This is a state that many life-long entrepreneurs deal with, they start getting into bor-e-gaged territory and begin looking into new ventures, meanwhile, their initial business still needs attention and support. It’s a real thing, and many of us get trapped in it – I know I have. What’s so difficult about it is you still feel very proud and invested in your current business, but you miss the excitement of the start-up thrill.

I’ve recently posted a LinkedIn article that delves into this state of being a bit more – specifically addressing how this “virus” affects a number of CEO personalities differently. You can read more about how bor-e-gagement manifests itself for the following four CEO types: Urgent/Reactive, Ever Optimistic, Reflexively Pessimistic, and Steady/Proactive.

Some may be hit with the effects harder than others, but don’t be fooled: it has the ability to affect all.

The struggle becomes: remembering the qualified entrepreneur we’ve pledged to be and having the discipline to maintain that promise. It may not always be the most exciting option; but, choosing to stay engaged with the existing enterprise, taking focus and willpower—and yes, strength—is what will ultimately help your business venture(s) succeed.

Learn more about this topic and get information on my book, The Second Decision.

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Randy H. Nelson

Author and Serial Entrepreneur at The Decision Center

• has a long history of entrepreneurial leadership, stemming from his educational, military and business backgrounds. He has founded and built three successful businesses over the past 30+ years. He has written three best-selling books on entrepreneurship and leadership, and now seeks to help entrepreneurs and CEO’s everywhere through his coaching and growth advisory practice at The Decision Center in Garner, NC.

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