Almost everyone gets into business to experience success. And to do that, they are thinking of something along the lines of. “If I DO this, I will HAVE that and then I will BE successful.” And they jump on the hamster wheel and off they go.
They get so busy doing:
- The sales
- The bookkeeping
- The delivery
- The marketing
- The administration
- Etc.
They forget to step back and ask how they are feeling. Successful? Happy? It is this period of reflection that moves small businesspeople from a job that they own into a business that supports them.
Most owners are running from one accomplishment to the next, without stopping to celebrate their success. It’s: “I got that done now, what is next?” When it could be, “look at that successful task and the impact it had on my clients/customers.’ Or, “look at how that employee stepped up and took care of a customer.”
I fought this model for years. How can you BE anything if you are not DOING anything? I’ve learned it’s a bit like the Yin-Yang symbol. They go together. When I slow down and recognize and celebrate the little wins, I realize I am already experiencing success. This allows me to be more confident, more proactive, and to step into action to do the work. And that in turn leads to having even more success, and the cycle starts again.
One of the most valuable actions you can take as a business leader is to stop and reflect on the question – “Who do I have to BE in order to experience the results that I want?” I have seen too many businesses get stuck when the owner cannot become an owner and escape the employee trap. And as a result, they end up with a job that they own versus a business that supports them.
