Don't Be Afraid To Walk a Lonely Path To Success According to Jeffrey Santulan, successful people are seldom daunted by the idea of being the lone rangers

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Handout

According to Jeffrey Santulan, enough evidence can be garnered from the life stories of innumerable successful people to suggest that solitude and success are hands in glove with each other. This is precisely what Plato meant when he said, "When a true seeker does find the way, he treads a lonely path, and others are contented in their comfort zones."

Throughout human history, people who have achieved extraordinary things have often had to tread an eerily lonely path to reach the pinnacles of their success. But, Santulan says, successful people are seldom daunted by the idea of being the lone rangers; in fact, they more often than not relish plowing their own furrow.

It Is Often Uncrowded At the Top

Human beings are social animals, and Santulan finds the idea of someone enjoying the thought of bleak loneliness quite hard to imagine. Having said that, he cautions us against confusing loneliness with being alone. While solitude may help someone to work toward achieving their goals with complete concentration and unwavering focus, feeling lonely can be very daunting and unpleasant for most people.

Hard To Find Someone Who Shares Your Passion

When you are trudging along on the less traveled path, it can prove to be quite a challenge to find people interested in or trying to understand your vision. With no one to safely bounce off knowledge, experience and ideas, it can be a very lonely journey sometimes; but worth the heartburn and loneliness once you achieve what you had initially set out to.

Do Not Let the Voices of Naysayers Affect You

Santulan advises you to learn to make the distinction between voices and noises. While listening keenly to your own inner voice, try to shut out and ignore all the external noises that might affect your decision-making or judgment.

Apart from affecting your decision-making, the load of expectations from other people can have an adverse effect on your performance when you are trying to focus hard on the relentless and single-minded pursuit of your goals, whether in your personal or professional life.
Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business Ideas

Want to Build Your Business Faster? This Neuroscientist Has a Strategy: You Must "Learn in Public"

It's a great way to get early feedback, increase your creativity, and build your network.

Business News

AI Agents Can Help Businesses Be '10 Times More Productive,' According to a Nvidia VP. Here's What They Are and How Much They Cost.

In a new interview with Entrepreneur, Nvidia's Vice President of AI Software, Kari Briski, explains how AI agents will "transform" the way we work — and sooner than you think.

Business News

MBA Graduates From Top Schools Including Harvard, Northwestern, and Stanford Are Having Trouble Finding Jobs, According to a New Report

Graduates from some of the best schools in the country are being hired at lower rates than a few years ago.

Starting a Business

This Self-Made Millionaire Who Lived in a Trailer Park Before Starting a Business at 19 Reveals Her 'Superpower' — and 1 Quality That Sets Successful People Apart

Candy Valentino, a serial founder and investor, shares how she got her start — and advice for other women in business.