(Sponsored Post – I am a Spark2Sparkle Affiliate)
“Is not life a hundred times too short for us to bore ourselves?”
— Friedrich Nietzsche
The single, biggest, most important piece of advice you will ever hear is to follow your heart.
The single, biggest, most important thing you can do is to follow that advice.
Easier said than done I know. From our earliest memories we are taught to please others, to fit in , to conform from people who love us and want what’s best for us. The problem is that often that means that we are steered into studies, exam routes, jobs and then careers that do not really make our souls sing.
When deciding to start working for yourself you have an amazing opportunity to break that cycle and do something you really want to do. The upside of that is that usually if you love doing it it’s because you are actually good at it. If you are good at it you can make it a success.
If you love what you are doing you are also more likely to actually stick at it. Working for yourself is hard work. If you are choosing to enter self-employment because you want to spend more time with your children then you will find striking the balance will result in many late nights and early starts as you strive to fit everything in. This will become your life so choose carefully.
In my new online training programme I explore the SPARKLES acronym first developed for my best selling book Mum Ultrapreneur. Each and every mumpreneur I interviewed ( and with my second book Mums Mean Business almost done – that number is around 50 successful business mums and counting) yes, each and every one was extremely passionate about their business.
They love what they do. They enjoy their work. They have PASSION.
Passion is the second letter of the SPARKLES acronym but is probably the most important.
Without passion it doesn’t really matter how good your business idea is or how much research you do etc. because eventually you will grow bored and tired of the whole process and when an obstacle appears you will give up. The idea maybe wonderful but for someone else not for you. Only passion will keep you going through the rough patches. With passion anything is possible.
You may have a passion for making money or business itself. Serial entrepreneurs love investing in or developing new ventures that is their passion. Equally your overriding passion may be to spend more time with your children and you have a background, skill or contacts in a particular area so it logically follows that you would develop a business in that area keeping your children needs to the forefront as you do.
Keeping that passion alive is the key. Passion is a hot flame that burns brightly but like any fierce heat it needs oxygen to survive. You need to continually fan the flames. This can become a chore. A chore is often something we deem boring or pointless and so procrastination sets in.
This situation will mean death for your business.
Just as in your relationships maintaining passion is vital and you need to give this side of your business attention. Like a “date night” make time to fan your flames.
Talking to others about your business, feeling that sparkle in the back of your eyes as you talk, allowing yourself to enthuse about how wonderful your ideas are rather than moaning about VAT returns, the filing, cash flow and health and safety risk assessments etc. will prove to be a great tonic.
Recall when you first fell in love– with your partner or your business or your child? They are all you can talk about and you talk about them with increased energy and animation. You feel the passion with every word. Rekindle the passion but making yourself talk about them again at networking events, conferences, exhibitions – sell your business to others and you sell it afresh to yourself.
Enjoy your business; life is too short to do it any other way.
Susan Odev, author of Mum Ultrapreneur is currently recruiting to her exciting new online training programme. The 10 week programme Spark 2 Sparkles has a special early bird discount that ends on 23rd September and there are several packages to suit all budgets. The Gold Sparkler programme offers exceptional value for money and includes an exclusive weekend workshop with accommodation and dinner included in the price so you can relax and focus on taking your inner spark and creating a life that sparkles.
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