A lion's no is not necessarily a defeat.

by Thomas Kückenrath

It's a lot of work, this "Lion's Den". Especially when the cameras are off. In an interview with the media magazine DWDL.de, entrepreneur Jochen Schweizer talks about sustainable business practices, self-confidence, the insights gained from his TV presence, and the Lions. Mr. Schweizer, as an entrepreneur, motivational trainer, and Lion, what do you find worse: when people are too self-assured or when they fail to recognize their potential? Both are not good, but in doubt, the extroverted showman who may be a bit too self-assured ends up more successful than the introverted one who lacks self-belief. Believing in oneself is crucial. If one doesn't believe in themselves from the start, they don't give luck a chance. But luck alone doesn't guarantee success. Of course not. It requires momentum, willpower, skills, and energy. When this momentum meets the right timing, success follows. Ideally, this happens when someone presents themselves in front of you and the other Lions. That could be such a situation. Someone may have been building momentum for years, but the right moment was missing. That moment could be in the Lion's Den. Does it bother you when this opportunity is not seized and poorly presented? I am quite rational and rarely get annoyed. It's a conscious decision because it only drains energy. I am now in my 60th year of life and have been an entrepreneur for over 40 years. During this time, I have sailed over many seas. An experienced sailor recognizes good helmsmen. We live in a media world that tells us: "You can become anything, you just have to believe." Taking this too literally can make one forget the importance of skill over sheer will... Even before the media overload, there were plenty of books preaching the same message and trying to convey: Don't worry, be happy! Or: The Secret. Ultimately, it's about self-conditioning. Personally, I believe that one can project a goal in their thoughts. The more precisely I can envision it, the more it subconsciously influences my actions. Simply imagining "I want to become a successful entrepreneur" is not enough; it's too vague. The goal image must be as specific as possible. Just like young people who want to do "something with media"? Exactly. Only those who know exactly where they want to go will achieve their goals. It requires a concrete vision. And if one has that, success is possible. I believe in this because then one makes decisions largely unconsciously and instinctively that help fulfill that vision. It's about the unconscious visualization of the set goal. Even decisions that may initially seem like mistakes, in retrospect, become important experiences that contributed to achieving that goal. It may sound a bit esoteric, but I firmly believe in it. It seems to me that the ability for self-reflection is often lacking nowadays. I also discuss this in my book "The Perfect Moment." The first question one should ask is why am I the way I am. What has shaped me into who I am? Understanding this makes the path to a successful life easier. For example, I have a strong desire for freedom, and everyone who knows me is aware of that. That's why I am my own boss. I know that about myself. But why am I like this? Reflecting on this and understanding it helps one get to know and accept oneself. This allows one to understand their own abilities and weaknesses and embrace themselves as they are. That doesn't mean you shouldn't constantly work on yourself. I have always focused my energy on improving my strengths rather than trying to fix my weaknesses. If I had concentrated my energy on my weaknesses, I would have only become mediocre in that area at best. By focusing the same energy on my strengths, I can excel in that field. You mentioned: Being an entrepreneur means having freedoms. But responsibility can also limit freedom, right? That's a self-chosen decision. If I choose to fly freely as an entrepreneur, I must also be willing to take the risk of crashing. If I want to prevent that, I have to take good care of the company and myself. Exactly, but that doesn't always work out. I am familiar with that situation. Then one suffers... ...from their "freedom". No, from the self-chosen decision. It can be very uncomfortable at times and may mean being temporarily controlled by the constraints of the company or the situation. Buddha said: Pain generates knowledge. Under such pains - when not only the job but the entire existence as an entrepreneur is at risk - one can suffer terribly. I have experienced this myself. In such situations, you wake up at 4 a.m. searching for a way out, even though you know you might not find one at that time. Motivational books and trainers tend to encourage by nature. How important is it to also learn to say no? With some business ideas presented to you on "Die Höhle der Löwen", I wonder: Has no one ever told them before: "Your idea is nonsense"? Often, a business idea may not be suitable for investment, but I still feel: Something could develop from this. A rejection from the Lions is not automatically a defeat for the business idea. Sometimes you have to protect people from themselves and say: Stop! There are simply laws that should be respected. I survived twenty years as a stuntman because I respected the laws of physics. And as an entrepreneur, one must respect the laws of the market. Those cannot be circumvented. Is "Die Höhle der Löwen" educational television? Yes, it teaches a lot. I could imagine that a large part of the audience more or less concretely pursues the dream of becoming self-employed and implementing their own ideas. However, many people, psychologically speaking, are not the type to take risks but rather seek security. For the majority of people, being an employee is the best option because they can thrive very well under the protection of a good employer. "The long shooting days are more exhausting than they seem. Listening attentively and acting wisely costs an incredible amount of energy." Our socialization in Germany is different from the Anglo-American context... That's true, but Americans have no other choice: If you only get ten days of vacation in the US, sometimes unpaid, and have to take on two jobs just to make ends meet, then compared to that, we live in paradise in Germany. We even have insolvency insurance for employees. The level of security for employees in Germany is so high that one must carefully consider whether they want to become self-employed. In the US, on the other hand, you have nothing to lose. If "Die Höhle der Löwen" is educational television, then let's ask the reverse question: What have you learned from the show? (ponders) I have learned a lot about television and how it works. Does it work differently than you thought? I have learned that it's extremely hard work. When I agreed to the first season, I thought you stroll in, sit down, talk a bit, and leave. But that's not the case. The long shooting days are more exhausting than they seem. Listening attentively and acting wisely costs an incredible amount of energy. Each Lion has their own goals. I am not there for fun, but because I want to invest in young founders. Read the second part of the interview tomorrow.   For more information on our Top100 entrepreneur Jochen Schweizer and "Die Höhle des Löwen," visit HERE: http://www.excellente-unternehmer.de/redner/jochen-schweizer-erlebnisexperte-unternehmer.html