Establishing your own business and retiring early is a dream shared by many – but there is a reason why we don’t see everyone doing it, at least not successfully. What a large number of people seem to fail to realize is that having a good business idea is only part of the equation – and a relatively small one, too.

Everyone has various ideas that may or may not work on the market, but what really matters is the ability to transform those ideas into a viable business plan, and to stick it out when things get tough.

Education Matters – a Lot

Many people underestimate the value of higher education in running a business. There’s this common misconception that education is only for those who want to work under someone else, while leaders should just… well, lead. That’s very far from the truth, and a good business degree can really set you apart from everyone else trying the same thing. That degree can be in a variety of fields – from finances to management and technology, many fields can provide valuable information when it matters most. It’s up to you to pick the one that matches your targeted path most closely – check out https://www.marianuniversity.edu/ for some examples of what’s available.

You Have to Fail to Learn

Running a business is not a smooth ordeal for anyone. Even when they don’t show it, successful entrepreneurs have inevitably gone through a large number of problems and near-failures before they’ve gotten where they are. Everyone fails here and there, but what separates the winners from everyone else is how they deal with those failures. Doubling down on your mistakes is rarely a good approach, but if you’re able to turn things around and learn something from the whole experience that you can put to good use in the future, this can change a lot.

Be Prepared to Handle Growth

Starting out is a difficult phase in the existence of a business, but the challenges don’t stop when things have calmed down – not at all. Remaining stable is pretty much impossible in most business fields, and you have to be constantly striving for expansion or risk going under. Many people find themselves feeling troubled when things get to that point though. The investments go up in value, you talk to more people (and more serious ones), you suddenly start seeing your company’s name in new places… these things can be quite stressful, even if they are a sign of success. Having a solid long-term plan is important, but also remember that it’s highly likely you’ll have to make adjustments to that plan sooner or later.

A lot more goes into creating and maintaining a successful business than most realize, and there is no one “secret” to success. It’s a culmination of multiple factors, and often involves a stroke of luck as well. After all, sometimes even the best ideas fail just because they landed on the market at the wrong time. And conversely, you can probably think of a few examples of successful ideas that should have never logically gotten so big.