Entrepreneurship is nothing like what I expected.
Coming into this game, I figured two things:
1️⃣ It would be reasonably straightforward—you build a business, work hard, and make money.
2️⃣ It would require extraordinary effort—you hustle, grind, and put in the hours.
Given this, I set my expectations to max effort mode.
🚀 70+ hour workweeks? No problem.
💯 Giving it my all for as long as it takes? Count me in.
But here’s what nobody tells you: The hardest part isn’t working hard. The hardest part is knowing what to work on.
The Puzzle Game of Entrepreneurship
Let’s imagine building a business is like solving a massive puzzle.
The first step? Picking the puzzle.
Beginners: The Overthinkers
They walk into the puzzle store and lose their minds.
🧐 They analyze every single box.
🔄 They compare designs, colors, and packaging.
📊 They create elaborate spreadsheets ranking puzzles by difficulty.
📞 They call their friends, ask for advice, and then get more opinions.
Weeks go by, and they finally pick a puzzle.
But here’s the thing…
💡 The real pros know that “picking the puzzle” is important—but wasting too much time deciding is the real mistake.
Moderate Players: The Overreactors
These guys have been burned before.
They spent too long overthinking, so now they’re in full-action mode.
👉 They run into the store, grab the first puzzle that looks decent, and check out.
👉 An hour later, they’re already at home, dumping the pieces on the table.
At first, this seems like a better approach—after all, they’re taking action.
But here’s the problem…
💡 Just because you’re moving doesn’t mean you’re moving in the right direction.
They often pick the wrong puzzle, waste time, and have to start over.
The Advanced Players: The Strategists
These people know that picking the right puzzle is crucial, but they also know they can’t afford to get stuck overthinking.
They come into the store with strict criteria:
✅ Over 1,000 pieces
✅ 3D, not square
✅ Must fit their strategy
They time-box their research. 10 minutes and they decide.
Then they grab their puzzle and get to work immediately.
🔑 They don’t just work harder—they work on the right things.
Opening the Puzzle Box: Reality Sets In
You finally open the box, and surprise—it’s a mess.
👉 Some pieces don’t even belong in this puzzle.
👉 Some are damaged or wet.
👉 Wait… why is there elbow pasta in here?!
This is exactly what happens when you start a business.
👉 The ad platform changes.
👎 Your first idea flops.
🔄 The market shifts.
How you handle this moment determines whether you win or quit.
Beginners Sort Pieces, Advanced Players Start the Border
🔵 Beginners sort everything. They categorize by color, shape, and size. They build an inventory list. They create a plan.
But they don’t actually start.
🟢 Advanced players? They grab the corner and edge pieces and just start building.
They assume they’ll figure out the middle pieces as they go.
💡 Momentum beats perfection.
The Three Stages of Entrepreneurship
After going through this process (a few times over), I realized that every entrepreneur cycles through three modes:
- Overthinking – Walking in circles. You’re analyzing too much, making lists, consuming information, but not moving. (Beginners)
- Overreacting – Walking with your eyes closed. You’re taking action, but you’re chasing everything instead of focusing on the right things. (Moderates)
- Optimal Execution – Walking with your eyes open. You know where you’re going, you’re strategic, and you cut distractions ruthlessly. (Advanced Players)
Most of us start in Overthinking Mode (this was most of my 20s).
Then, we jump into Overreacting Mode—believing that more action equals more success.
Finally, we realize the truth:
🔑 It’s not about how hard you work—it’s about what you work on.
How This Applies to Network Marketing (The NetWave Approach)
Most people fail in network marketing because they get stuck in the first two modes.
🔴 Beginners: They spend months watching training videos, reading scripts, and making elaborate plans… but they never actually recruit anyone.
🟡 Moderates: They go all-in on action. They cold-message 200 people a day, jump into every opportunity, and burn out fast.
🟢 NetWave Leaders? We take a different approach.
1️⃣ We don’t chase everyone. We build systems that bring people to us.
2️⃣ We use guerrilla marketing instead of outdated tactics.
3️⃣ We only focus on high-value actions—no busywork, no wasted effort.
💡 We play the game like advanced players.
What’s the Key Takeaway?
If you’re building a business (or growing your network marketing team), stop asking:
❌ “How do I work harder?”
✅ “What’s actually worth working on?”
🚀 The faster you figure this out, the faster you’ll escape the grind and build real momentum.
Want to know exactly how we do this at NetWave?
🔗 Click here to learn how to play the game like an advanced player.