Henry Swieca to Thomas Edison: The Path to Success Differs

As CEO of a PR Agency, it takes constant focus and non-stop dedication, it’s always hard work and there is always something else to be done. As an entrepreneur, there are never enough hours in a day, and the to-do list only grows longer. Scattered around my office are quotes from and about entrepreneurs — of which, below, are some of my favorite quotes about the nature of entrepreneurial success:

• If you want to be an entrepreneur, it’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle. It defines you. Forget about vacations, about going home at 6 pm – last thing at night you’ll send emails, first thing in the morning you’ll read emails, and you’ll wake up in the middle of the night. But it’s hugely rewarding as you’re fulfilling something for yourself. — Niklas Zennstrom

• Nothing ever comes to one that is worth having, except as a result of hard work. — Booker T. Washington

• I don’t pity any man who does hard work worth doing. I admire him. I pity the creature who does not work, at whichever end of the social scale he may regard himself as being. — Theodore Roosevelt

• There is no substitute for hard work. — Thomas A. Edison

• “Be sure to ‘notice’ ideas when you have them. Stop. Take the time to consider them seriously. And if your gut tells you they’re compelling, be fearless in their pursuit.” Tim Westergren

• “If you aren’t getting rejected on a daily basis, your goals aren’t ambitious enough.” Chris Dixon

• “I regard every defeat as an opportunity.” Jean Monnet

• “As a startup CEO, I slept like a baby. I woke up every two hours & cried.” Ben Horowitz

• “The vast majority of successful people were also huge failures at one point in their lives: Walt Disney went bankrupt, Benjamin Franklin dropped out of school at age 10 and Theodor Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) had his first book rejected by 27 publishers. Success comes from hard work, resilience and determination.” Entrepreneur.com

• “Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.” Gordon B. Hinckley

• “You will make mistakes, and you will fail. So keep practicing, learning, accepting rejection and trying again.” Adam Toren

• “Don’t stop pushing until you win and achieve more, more, more.” BK Boreyko, Vemma

• “Successful entrepreneurs stay very focused on solving problems, and they assiduously avoid distractions from side issues. They face challenges head on, often reveling in the challenge of making game-changing decisions.” Carol Frank

• “Work hard but never forget where you came from!” Christopher Burch

• “Behind every overnight success lie years of hard work and sweat. People with luck will tell you there’s no easy way to achieve success–and that luck comes to those who work hard. Successful entrepreneurs always give 100% of their efforts to everything they do.” Inc.com

• “There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.” Colin Powell

• “Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance.” Samuel Johnson

• “An entrepreneur assumes the risk and is dedicated and committed to the success of whatever he or she undertakes.” Victor Kiam

About Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is the Founder and CEO of 5W Public Relations. He is an experienced leader in the public relations industry with over 20 years of experience. Ronn Torossian has been named as Public Relations executive of the year by the American Business Awards, and has run countless award-winning Public Relations programs.