Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is. And you must bend to its power or live a lie. – Miyamoto Musashi

Miyamoto Musashi, also known as Shinmen Takezō, Miyamoto Bennosuke or Niten Dōraku, was a Japanese swordsman, philosopher, strategist, writer and rōnin, who became renowned through stories of his unique double-bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 61 duels.

Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is. And you must bend to its power or live a lie.

– Miyamoto Musashi

Truth is not something you can control or shape to match your desires or beliefs. Instead, truth is a reflection of reality, and it exists independently of what anyone wishes it to be.

This quote can be applied in many aspects of life. It must be applied in politics given the amount of lies, politicians spit. However, in the context of our entrepreneurship blog, we will only focus on the business and startups aspect.

Truth is not what you want it to be; it is what it is.

In business, you might have a vision, preferences or expectations about how things should go, but the reality might not always align with your desires. Facts and data often show you a clear picture of your business’s performance, market conditions, or customer feedback, and you can’t change these facts just by wanting them to be different.

And you must bend to its power or live a lie.

To succeed in business, you must adapt to the reality you face. If your sales are declining, for example, you must adjust your strategies or products accordingly. Ignoring the truth or pretending your business is doing better than it actually is (living a lie) can lead to poor decisions and eventual failure.

For Startups:

As a startup founder, you surely have a vision or an idealized version of how you want your business to grow and succeed. However, this vision often doesn’t match the real-world circumstances or market conditions. A lot of founders, instead of looking at data, choose to persist with an unrealistic vision or refuse to acknowledge problems.

To thrive in the highly dynamic and competitive world of startups, you must adapt to the realities you face. If you’re startup is not gaining as much traction as you’d hoped, you should pivot or adjust your strategy.