Culture makes it tempting (and easy) to insulate ourselves from reality. Credit card debt is an invisible burden, until it’s not. Ignoring the changes in our climate makes our days easier, but not our years. We can avoid the bank balance, not work on the annual budget and ignore the results of that ad we just ran. It’s tempting because the reality we create for ourselves can provide a sort of shock absorber, allowing us to focus on how we’d like things to be, as opposed to how they are. The reporter of symptoms isn’t the cause of the symptoms, and avoiding the report doesn’t improve your status. This is one of many reasons why entrepreneurs are drawn to the magical thinking that often goes with external funding. After all, if you’re focused on a story that gets you an investment, you can avoid the reality of a P&L, at least for now. The problem with this avoidance is that we’re always concerned about reality butting in when we least expect it. The Ponzi scheme operator is constantly wondering when the plan will go bust. Reality is your enemy. On the other hand, a cash-flow, profitable business doesn’t need to worry about what private investors think. If your blood pressure is okay, you don’t have to avoid going to the doctor to have it checked.
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