3 Qualities Every Successful Entrepreneur Must Have in Order to Thrive in Life.
I was never a winner, never won any competition in school. The one time I was third in a race, it was disqualified, and we had to run again … no surprises, little old me was super tired and lost the chance to win a bronze medal.
Success, on the other hand, I have had a plenty. Mainly because I have my definition of success, and I also have one for wealth.
Success is the attainment of a state of contentment. You are successful when you are content with the effort you have put into achieving a specific goal. The outcomes really do not matter as long as you have the right attitude and the tenacity to keep at it until you accomplish your objective.
Success is the attainment of a state of contentment.
I am a success either way because I will have achieved my goal or learned a better way to achieve it. Winner!
Entrepreneurship and parenting go together like bread and butter …so good! Especially when eaten fresh from the oven and the butter melts into the bread. I digress.
A good friend once told me over Starbucks coffee,’ I am an entrepreneur because I am a parent.’ And that, to me, sums up why you and I are on this journey of entrepreneurship. It is because we value our role as parents.
I am an entrepreneur because I am a parent.
This article will discuss three strategies that you can apply to help you navigate this “Parents who Biz” journey. You will learn how to take care of your well-being, establish a daily exercise routine and finally set up boundaries so that you can become a present parent who succeeds in business.
'I am an entrepreneur because I am a parent.'
Develop A Morning Routine to Get You Grounded and Ready to Face the Day.
I have always been an early riser. It is a habit I picked up from the strong women in my life, my mom and Grandma, both early risers.
Mornings are magical! It is the only time in the day I am guaranteed that I have the house all to myself.
Mornings are magical!
I wake up and take a shower, and put on my running clothes (prepping myself for a run later in the morning).
Once in my kitchen, I usually get a warm glass of water. I brew my coffee, light a candle, and then I start reflecting and journaling.
Mornings can be your perfect time to plan for all your life and business goals. If you are an early riser, and really, we all can be early risers. In his book, ‘Personality isn’t Permanent.’, Dr Ben Hardy encourages us to use our mornings wisely as they are the best time for creativity and planning.
Mornings can be your perfect time to plan for all your life and business goals.
I would recommend that you wake up before the whole household is awake and use that time to strengthen your resolve to win and succeed as a parent and entrepreneur.
Use the morning to fill yourself with content that prepares you to face the day, sit down and write (pen and paper) about your life, goals, dreams, current history, habits you are working on etc.
You will notice that up to this point. I have not mentioned the words email, news or social media and you should not consult these until you are done with your routine. Be intentional in consuming content that builds you and writing down your dreams.
Mornings can be your perfect time to plan for all your life and business goals.
The Importance of Establishing a Daily Exercise Routine and Sticking to It
Once you have taken care of your spiritual/ mental well-being, your next step is to take care of the body that carries your inner being.
Look for an exercise and commit to doing it daily. You will be surprised by the ripple effect exercise will have in other areas of your life.
You will be surprised by the ripple effect exercise will have in other areas of your life.
You will not only become stronger physically, but the increased blood flow will give you a new perspective on life. You will, unbeknown to you, transfer your physical discipline to your food choices, content consumption and even start to question your financial management.
It is no surprise that you start succeeding in your business because you have a heightened awareness of your personal and business environment.
Do not be surprised when you start to pay more attention to words, phrases said by your children. You pick on the tiny yet meaningful things they do for you (giving you their stickers, making a drawing for you).
Honestly, a whole new world opens up for you. You experience a paradigm shift …wait for it… your children also feed into your life. Success in parenting is also about receiving the sheer joy of intention and presence.
You start seeing opportunities for expanding and growing your business that were not perceptible before.
You start seeing opportunities for expanding and growing your business that were not perceptible before.
You will also find that with renewed energy, you will be more creative. Winning over your dream customers with the manner in which you serve.
Your new attitude and outlook mean that you take responsibility and look for solutions to problems. Your Kids need an ancient civilisation costume for school, no problem, you get an old bedsheet and a belt. Problem solved.
Your new attitude and outlook mean that you take responsibility and look for solutions to problems.
Do your customers keep asking the same question on social media comments? You can now serve them with a quick guide to solve the problem.
You win at business because you solve problems for your customers and succeed at parenting because you are all in. Is this because of doing your daily exercise? You be the judge.
Set Boundaries by Allocating Your Time and Effort to What Matters Most to You.
If you do not take control of your time, someone or something else will.
I encourage you to set boundaries for your personal and your professional life. As a parent, you’re constantly pulled in different and conflicting directions. It can get overwhelming, often causing you to lose focus and effectiveness.
If you do not take control of your time, someone or something else will.
I know you want to be an attentive parent, and, at the same time, you want to create a flourishing business. You desire a lifestyle that affords you the freedom to do both. And I want the same thing for you.
To help you set up your boundaries, it would be a good idea to list some things that align with your values and principles. Your time with your family, your time to work on your business, exercise, and daily routines.
Clarify and define what you will and will not allow in your personal and business life. In J. Richardson’s biography ‘A life of Picasso’, he explains that Picasso was notorious for sucking the energy out of the people he met. Here is the curious thing in J. Richardson’s biography; he explains that everyone was delighted to be in Picasso’s presence but would be exhausted at the end of the day. Picasso would return to the studio and work all night.
Clarify and define what you will and will not allow in your personal and business life
Decide on a work schedule that blends well into your family obligations. As Entrepreneurs and parents, this can be tricky, mainly because we work online and from our homes. The line between working and time off can be very blurry.
You need to be intentional about your time and set your boundaries.
Plan every hour of your day. Schedule in time you will exercise, prepare lunches, drive the kids to school, prepare the evening meal, work on your online business. Plan everything.
A plan is good because it points you in the right direction. Will you consistently achieve your dreams? No! Will you progressively become better as a person? Yes! 100% Because unbeknown to you, you have started in s subtle way adjusting the coordinates of your final destination.
You will also find that you focus more on your business because you know what you will work on for the day.
Parkinson’s law: The adage that work expands to fill the time available for its completion. You work more effectively when you allocate a specific time to do a task.
Olympic champions, make time to prepare to master their sports. By prioritizing and setting your boundaries you are also preparing to win and succeed.
If you do not take control of your time, someone or something else will.
Final thoughts on the Qualities Every Successful Entrepreneur Needs toThrive .
Embrace the two roles that you are privileged to play, that of parenthood and entrepreneurship.
I want you to make time for your well-being, your self-care, and your loved ones. I do not think we can find a perfect work-life integration. But I know that if we are intentional about scheduling time, then we can make progress.
Embrace the two roles that you are privileged to play, that of parenthood and entrepreneurship.
Remember that you are the only one who can define the parent-entrepreneur amalgamation that will work for you.
Give yourself grace! You’ve got this!
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PS: Send this link to someone who needs to start winning in business and succeeding as a parent. It is a free download of the Hippos to Horses Marketing Ultimate Kickstart guide to getting you started on your dream online business so that you can have the freedom to do life!