• Mon. Nov 20th, 2023

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“Old Walt” by Langston Hughes and 3 Lessons for Entrepreneurs

Elderly African American man"Old Walt by Langston Hughes and 3 Lessons for Entrepreneurs"

Today we are examining “Old Walt” by Langston Hughes and Its 3 Lessons for Entrepreneurs. Langston.  Poetry is a great way to learn lessons in a more relaxed way than traditional learning methods.


Let’s start by checking out the poem.

Old Walt

Old Walt Whitman
Went finding and seeking,
Finding less than sought
Seeking more than found,
Every detail minding
Of the seeking or the finding.

Pleasured equally
In seeking as in finding,
Each detail minding,
Old Walt went seeking
And finding.

 

As stated above, this great poem has 3 lessons for entrepreneurs. These lessons are:

  1. You don’t always get what you want.
  2.  Joy can be found in work.
  3. If you want things you must work for them.

 

You don’t always get what you want.

In the poem, Old Walt went looking for things but he always found less than he sought. He always looked for more than he found. The poem highlights the fact that people don’t always get what they want. We see this in the lines:

Went finding and seeking,
Finding less than sought
Seeking more than found,

 

It is important for entrepreneurs to understand that they cannot always get what they want. Think about it. Most entrepreneurs want to run successful businesses. They want to have great and loyal employees. Additionally, they want repeat customers who are a great source of referrals. Then reality steps in and the entrepreneurs struggle in business. They have employees who are fair to middling. They find themselves with customers who are more nuisance than joy.

It is not possible, to get everything you want.  Sometimes, what an entrepreneur wants is not attainable. When an entrepreneur does not get what she wants she has a few options. She can:

  • complain and keep going in the same manner
  • adjust her plans and accept the reality in which she finds herself
  • change the way she does things in order to reach her goals

The path that one takes depends on the entrepreneur’s personality.

 


If you want to read more about lessons for entrepreneurs, check out:

3 Lessons From People Who Refuse to Take Action Now

There are 3 lessons I have learned from people who refuse to TAN aka Take Action Now. A smart entrepreneur can learn something new every day if she tries. There are some people who take action now and get things done. Click here to read more.

and

“The Harder They Fall” and 3 Excellent Lessons for Entrepreneurs

Recently, I watched the Netflix movie, “The Harder They Fall” and it had three lessons for entrepreneurs. These lessons are: sometimes things are hard, you cannot sit around waiting for destiny, loyalty doesn’t last forever for everyone. Click here to read more.

Also, check out our Confidence Tip of the Day YouTube channel for hundreds of videos on creating the confidence you need to succeed.

 


 

Joy can be found in work.

Pleasured equally
In seeking as in finding,

Entrepreneurs can find joy in the work they do. In the poem, we are told that there was equal joy found in seeking and finding. In other words, there was joy in the journey and the destination. We see this in the lines:

 

Pleasured equally
In seeking as in finding,

 

Work is often hard and lacking in reward. At the same time, there is joy to be found in work. Entrepreneurs who look for ways to find joy in the work they do are more likely to be successful.

 

If you want things you must work for them.

The final lesson for entrepreneurs in the poem is that if you want things, you must work for them. We see this idea in the lines:

 

Old Walt went seeking
And finding.

 

 

It is important for entrepreneurs to understand that entrepreneurship is more than an ego boost. Entrepreneurship comes with a responsibility to employees, clients, and oneself.  It is not enough for employees to work, entrepreneurs must actually work in order to achieve things.

 

[Tweet “Find a way to take pleasure in work and in the work you do.”]

 

As stated above, the poem “Old Walt” by Langston Hughes has at least 3 lessons for entrepreneurs. These lessons are: you don’t always get what you want, joy can be found in work, and if you want things you must work for them. So, the question for you this terrific day is what lesson if any do you take from this poem?