If you know anything about me, you know I'm all in. On music memorabilia. On people. On my work. On whatever's in front of me.

I don't know another speed. I've never been great at "halfway." I either care enough to give something everything I've got, or I don't touch it at all. For me, that's the essence of entrepreneurship. You can't dabble your way into building something meaningful. You have to decide. You're either in or out.

That's why, when I meet founders, I'll usually ask them one simple question: "What would make you quit?" If they pause or start listing reasons, I already know they're not there yet. But when someone looks me straight in the eye and says, "Nothing," that's when I know I'm talking to someone who's built for this. That answer tells me they've already done the hard part — mentally closing every exit door before they even walk in.

Being all in doesn't mean they're fearless. It means they've already accepted the rollercoaster that comes with the territory. They've decided in advance that no rejection, no slow month, no investor passing on them is going to be the thing that takes them out.

Related: Want a Promotion? Start Saying This

For me, going all in has never felt like a strategy. It's felt like survival.........

© Entrepreneur