Some business owners approach their business like a hobby: they start the business because they are passionate about their products or services, but soon after the business opens its doors, they tire of the work involved and significantly cut back the time in which they are at the place of business. They might go to their business location for a few hours each day or for a few hours each week. But they don’t devote as much time to the business as they need in order to lift it off the ground.

While this kind of lifestyle might seem carefree and fun, it can’t sustain you and your family. To combat these foolish tendencies and establish business patterns that are more likely to lead to success, you should work at least as hard for yourself (on your business) as you would if you were accountable to an employer—and probably even harder (especially at the beginning of the business)! Hence, the recommendation to work at least ten hours a day and 51⁄2 days a week.

A popular saying in the field of entrepreneurship states, “If you will work for five years like no one else will, you can live the rest of your life like no one else can.” The meaning of this piece of advice is quite simple—hard work in the beginning of a new endeavor always pays off in the end. In order for you to establish good business habits and allow yourself the time to really get the business up and running, you should have a set schedule, work about 51⁄2 days per week, work a full ten hours a day, and be constantly striving to increase business. You can grow your business by being at work, talking to customers and employees about the business, establishing good partnerships with suppliers and customers, and so forth.