Bare “Footnotes” :: Are You in the RIGHT Business? (Part 1)
This may be a little controversial today, and that’s okay. My purpose is to get you to REALLY think about what you’re doing as your life’s work and what your satisfaction level is.
- Do you love getting up in the morning, ready to dive into your workday?
- Are you excited by new ideas and challenges that pose themselves in your business?
- Are you passionate about your product or service or opportunity?
- Does your business fit your current lifestyle?
- Does your business fit the lifestyle that you want to design for yourself?
- Do you like your associates? Your clients? The corporation you represent?
- Are you able to work within your strengths and gifts? (your “sweet spot”)
- Is your paycheck (now or potentially) consistent with your needs & dreams?
- Can you see yourself doing this long-term?
If any of the answers above are “no” — and especially if several of them are “no” — then you need to revisit the question, “Is this the right business for me?”
Yes, we need to pay the bills. Yes, sometimes we have to sacrifice short term to benefit long term. But all-in-all…if your business model is conflicting with your desires, values, lifestyle and goals…then it will not be something you are satisfied with and your success will be limited in many ways.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What are your strengths on the job? With your family? In social settings?
- What are some natural talents and gifts you have?
- What do you LOVE in your business (or your job)?
- What do you tend to postpone, neglect or procrastinate about?
- When you feel the most confident, most successful?
Now … these are just to make you think! If you can focus for a MOMENT on the things you neglect, postpone or procrastinate on…that doesn’t mean you are in the wrong business…just that there are PARTS of your business you do not enjoy!
So … can you delegate some of those? Can you assign those to your children? Your spouse? A parent? (yes, your parents have skills too 
You will be surprised at how you learn to love your business again if you free yourself up from some of the “handcuffs” you’ve placed on yourself!
Let me give you an example … in a previous business I owned, I tried to do it all. The marketing, the appointments, the inventory, the books, the bills, all of it. I was not as successful as I could have been. My books were a disaster. I got myself into a huge financial crisis. And because I wasn’t paying attention … I eventually despaired, threw in the towel and declared myself a failure as a business owner.
I then realized that perhaps I was trying to do too many things (duh) and I went at it from a different angle.
In my next business, I was very frank with my husband (who has an accounting degree and an MBA). I told him that I hated doing the books. I disliked dealing with budgets, money, keeping up with receipts, bills, etc. and that if he would do that…I would not pay him…but the benefits would be a happy wife with a thriving business! He was thrilled to help. (he wanted to help before, but I was too proud and wanted to do it myself.) As a result…my books are in order. My bills are paid. He can tell me where I’m spending too much and where I’m making the most. It is a huge relief to me to know that these details are handled and it makes business fun again!
I have assembled a “team” in my businesses based on their strengths and mine. They are, quite honestly, glad not to have to do what I do…and I’m thrilled to delegate to them as well!
Virtual Assistants are a real life-saver for this! They are not underfoot or on your equipment and they are a money-saver too! Whew! I’m not sure how I’d function without my “VA’s!”
So … take a few minutes for you — think about your business. What drew you to it? (NEWSFLASH: the money is often not a big enough reason for us to love something.) Perhaps you’re still in love with your business, but just disenchanted with a few parts of it. GREAT!!! SO FIX IT!
Perhaps you cannot find anything about your business right now that you like anymore.
Next week, we’ll talk about some ways to figure out EXACTLY what you should be doing and some ways to increase your satisfaction in what you already ARE doing!
Have an amazing week! I appreciate you!
Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive ™
© 2007 — you are welcome to reprint any of our articles if you include author credit and reference our website www.Barefoot-Executive.com
My first dog was a mini schnauzer and he lived almost 16 years!
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