Why Friction Creates Freedom For Entrepreneurs
What you’ll learn from this Multiplier Mindset blog post:
- The relationship between friction and freedom for entrepreneurs.
- How to transform friction into freedom.
- The dangers of avoiding friction.
“Friction is the raw material for freedom.” Dan Sullivan
By definition, friction stops or slows down progress when you want to move forward. For entrepreneurs, it’s the emotional experience of being stuck or hindered, and it can often happen at the beginning of the year when opportunities and possibilities are aplenty. Unlike obstacles, which exist externally, friction is internal—a deeply personal and emotional struggle that includes frustration, anger, or discomfort that arises when you feel trapped or unable to perform at your best.
So, all that being said, how can friction give you the freedom you desire in 2025 and beyond?
The Relationship Between Friction And Freedom For Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs are particularly prone to friction. You constantly push boundaries and create new things. Your endeavors are exciting and new but also bring resistance and friction as you grow, expand, learn, and act on what is required to bring your ideas to life.
When you recognize friction as a signal of where you can grow and evolve, you can transform it into something that propels you toward (not further away from) freedom.
At Strategic Coach, we’ve identified four core freedoms that entrepreneurs strive for:
- Freedom of Time: The ability to control how and where you spend your time.
- Freedom of Money: The financial resources to support your vision and lifestyle.
- Freedom of Relationship: Building meaningful connections internally with your team and externally with clients and collaborators.
- Freedom of Purpose: The alignment of your work with a deeper sense of meaning and contribution.
On your entrepreneurial path, friction exists in all these areas. For example, you might feel friction in your schedule (time), cash flow (money), team dynamics (relationship), or goal setting (purpose). These frictions could happen all at once or with greater intensity in different areas, depending on where you are on your journey.
Addressing frictions in each category is essential if you want to expand your freedom as an entrepreneur.
How To Transform Friction Into Freedom
Dealing with friction starts with a shift in perspective. Instead of viewing friction as a problem, see it as the raw material for growth. Friction communicates precisely where you have the opportunity to level up. Without it, you’d stagnate and never have the chance to innovate and progress.
The process of transforming friction into freedom involves three critical steps:
- Identify The Friction: Reflect on where you’re experiencing resistance. Recognize that these feelings of frustration are clues to areas needing attention.
- Transform The Friction: Use tools and teamwork to transform the root cause of your friction. Our 4 C’s Formula transforms friction through 4 C’s: Commitment, Courage, Capability, and Confidence. The cycle begins with committing to the transformation, then growing courage, then building the capabilities you need to make the transformation, which leads to gaining more confidence to do it again and again.
- Reap The Rewards Of Freedom: Every time friction is addressed, it results in greater freedom. And more freedom means the opportunity to create more value.
As an entrepreneur, you need to tackle friction head-on. And chances are, you already have!
Reflect on your past successes and note how you’ve already transformed friction:
- When was a time you turned a challenge into a win?
- How did you do it?
- How can you take a current point of friction and map out actionable steps to address it?
- How can you enlist the help of others inspired by how you’ve done it in the past?
We mentioned teamwork above, but it’s worth mentioning again because friction is rarely solved alone. If you attempt to do everything yourself, you’ll remain stuck in a hamster wheel, bound by your own limitations. To overcome friction more effectively, surround yourself with people with complementary abilities.
Once you’ve identified your frictions, ask yourself, “Who can help me remove this friction?” Build a team that shares your vision and brings diverse skills to the table so you can focus on what you do best while others handle the rest.
The Price Of Freedom
Avoiding friction leads to stagnation and boredom while tackling it head-on fosters innovation and progress. Don’t allow yourself to be lured in by comfort and convenience; true freedom comes from overcoming challenges, not sidestepping them.
The lesson is clear: friction is unavoidable yet transformative.
It’s the price of admission for a life of freedom.
As Dan Sullivan says, “The outcome of transforming friction is always freedom.”
So, transform your frustrations into freedom with the right mindset, tools, and team, and watch friction become a catalyst on your journey toward your powered-up future.
