I recently watched a video by Ben Bader that completely flipped my understanding of entrepreneurial success on its head. While most influencers preach the gospel of 18-hour workdays and extreme hustle culture, Bader offered a refreshing perspective: if you’re constantly grinding without seeing results getting easier, you’re doing something fundamentally wrong.
This resonated with me deeply. Having built several successful businesses, I’ve observed the same pattern in my own journey. True success isn’t about perpetual struggle—it’s about building systems that eventually make wealth generation feel almost effortless.
The Natural Progression of Mastery
Think about anything you’ve mastered in life—driving, sports, or even public speaking. At first, every movement requires conscious thought. You overthink each step. But eventually, these actions become second nature.
Bader describes his basketball experience, where he initially had to consciously think about every aspect of dribbling and shooting. Business follows the same pattern. The early stages feel awkward and difficult not because success requires superhuman effort, but because we’re learning fundamentals.
In my experience working with hundreds of entrepreneurs, those who struggle perpetually often fall into one of two categories:
- They’re constantly switching between business models (the “shiny object syndrome”)
- They’ve chosen the wrong vehicle for their skills and market conditions
The Strategic Pivot That Changes Everything
What struck me most about Bader’s story was his strategic pivot. After building an agency to $20K monthly revenue, he hit a ceiling. Despite having valuable skills, he was stuck in a business model that limited his growth potential.
His breakthrough came when he asked: “Where is the money flowing most abundantly?” Rather than continuing to grind in his current model, he applied his existing skills to a more lucrative vertical—working with course creators and coaches instead of local businesses.
“I didn’t learn a lot of new skills or was even better than I was before. It was just, okay, I have my foundation built… Let’s move to a different lane that’ll reward me further for the existing skill set that I have.”
This single decision took him from $20K to $100K per month. The lesson is clear: work smarter, not harder. There’s no nobility in taking the difficult path when a more strategic route exists.
Building Your Foundation First
Many entrepreneurs I mentor want to skip the foundation-building phase. They chase shortcuts to six figures without developing the necessary skills and mindset. This approach inevitably fails.
The truth is that entrepreneurship requires unlearning many behaviors taught by traditional education:
- Taking orders instead of initiative
- Seeking external validation rather than self-conviction
- Avoiding risk instead of calculating it
- Expecting linear progress instead of breakthrough moments
Your first six months to a year in business often involves reprogramming these mental patterns. This period feels uncomfortable because you’re not just learning business—you’re rewiring your brain.
The Game of Attrition
Business success is ultimately a game of attrition. Those who stay in the game long enough to build proper foundations eventually reach a tipping point where everything becomes easier.
I’ve seen this pattern repeat with virtually every successful entrepreneur I know. The early days are confusing and difficult. The middle period requires strategic thinking and positioning. But once you’ve built momentum in the right vehicle, success compounds rapidly.
This isn’t just motivational talk—it’s the reality of how business mastery works. Just as a professional athlete makes their sport look effortless through years of practice, a skilled entrepreneur eventually creates systems where “money flows abundantly.”
Finding Your Strategic Lane
The most important takeaway from Bader’s story is the importance of strategic positioning. Your success isn’t determined solely by how hard you work, but by where you direct your energy.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What skills have I already developed?
- Where are these skills most valued in the market?
- Which business models allow for exponential rather than linear growth?
- Am I positioning myself where money flows most abundantly?
Sometimes a small pivot—applying your existing skills to a more lucrative market—can create exponential results without requiring significantly more work.
The path to entrepreneurial success isn’t about working yourself to exhaustion. It’s about strategic positioning, skill development, and staying in the game long enough for your efforts to compound. When you approach business this way, success eventually feels almost effortless—not because it is, but because you’ve built the right foundation and positioned yourself in the right lane.
