Business By Hormozi #255: Harder Than Expected – Why Success Always Takes More Than You Think

The Truth About Things Being Harder Than Expected

We’ve all heard the phrase, “It’s always harder, takes longer, and costs more than you think it will.” It’s a reality that every entrepreneur faces at some point in their journey. Harder than expected is not just a phrase—it’s a truth that often hits harder when you’re in the thick of building something meaningful.

This is the story of Luke and Emily, two entrepreneurs who set out to build their dream businesses, only to find that the road to success was much more challenging than they ever imagined.

Luke’s Overconfidence

Luke was an optimist. He had a brilliant idea for a startup and was ready to take the world by storm. He figured that with the right amount of effort, his business would grow quickly. He calculated the time it would take, set a budget, and made plans to launch his product. Everything seemed straightforward. After all, how hard could it be?

But as the days went on, Luke quickly realized that things were taking longer than anticipated. Every step in the process—from product development to marketing and sales—was more difficult than he thought. What he expected to be a quick launch turned into a prolonged and complex process. And it wasn’t just the time that was an issue; it was the costs as well.

Unexpected expenses piled up, and his budget quickly evaporated. The journey was harder than expected, and Luke began to feel the weight of it. His enthusiasm started to wane as he realized that success wasn’t coming as easily as he’d hoped.

Emily’s Preparation and Patience

Emily, on the other hand, took a more measured approach. She had the same dreams of success, but she knew better than to underestimate the challenges. She planned for the worst while hoping for the best. Emily understood that the journey would be harder than expected, so she built extra time and resources into her plans to account for unforeseen obstacles.

When challenges arose—and they always did—Emily didn’t panic. She expected delays, budget overruns, and unexpected difficulties. She made adjustments to her plan and kept moving forward, knowing that persistence and adaptability were key.

Though Emily’s journey was also filled with setbacks, she didn’t feel as defeated as Luke did because she had prepared herself mentally for the difficulties. She embraced the reality that success would take longer, cost more, and require more effort than she originally thought.

The Reality of the Harder Than Expected Journey

Both Luke and Emily came to understand the same thing: building a successful business is always harder than expected. Whether it’s managing time, finances, or unexpected challenges, the road to success is never as smooth as it seems. In fact, the most successful entrepreneurs are often the ones who have embraced the truth that their journey will be more difficult and costly than anticipated.

Luke learned the hard way that optimism alone isn’t enough to succeed. He realized that his business needed more than just a good idea—it needed patience, resources, and a deep understanding of the challenges ahead. Emily, on the other hand, had already accounted for these difficulties, and her business was able to weather the storm of setbacks more effectively.

Conclusion

Entrepreneurship is rarely the quick and easy road we hope it will be. The reality is that things are always harder than expected—they take longer, cost more, and require more effort than we originally imagined. But the key is not to be discouraged by these challenges. Instead, embrace them, plan for them, and understand that they are part of the process. Success is not about avoiding difficulty; it’s about navigating through it with resilience and determination.

Moral: "It’s always harder, takes longer, and costs more than you think it will."