What Kind of Business Should You Pursue?
If you find yourself feeling disenchanted with your business, know that you are not alone. We’ve all been there on occasion. You will typically snap out of it after a few hours.....but
If you find yourself feeling disenchanted with your business, know that you are not alone. We’ve all been there on occasion. You will typically snap out of it after a few hours, a couple days, or a good night’s rest.
However, when you feel overwhelmed or exceptionally bored with the overhead of being an entrepreneur for days at a time, and it reaches a point where you can’t summon the enthusiasm to serve your clients, be what your business requires of you, and grow your enterprise … We have a problem.
When I witness these feelings in established, beta-tested entrepreneurs, or when I discover an inability or lack of willingness in a new entrepreneur to invest the necessary energies to launch their venture, it usually boils down to an incongruence between a person’s core focus and the work.
We all understand on a base level what it feels like to be doing meaningful work that fills us with satisfaction, versus the drudgery of toiling at something that doesn’t energize or motivate us. The challenge is that most entrepreneurs haven’t taken the time to identify what really matters to them! Most of us are spending mental energy attempting to be, move, attire, and adorn ourselves in the expectations of others.
Overcoming Fear & Conformity
Many of us do this because we are scared. It takes real courage to live a life of personal satisfaction. The degree to which we live truly happy, fulfilling lives shrinks or expands in relationship to our willingness to live in our values and truths. And very few of us have taken the time to define what we truly value.
Nice watches, cars, shoes, or fierce competition may be your thing. You may enjoy helping people and the altruistic desire to help others achieve may drive you. You may want to end world hunger or water scarcity. The pursuit of knowledge, skill, and power may empower you. Or you simply desire that every day be an extended vacation in Maui, having fun, sipping wine, and listening to the waves. Do YOU.
Putting in the Mental Work
The other challenge: It’s tiring. Your brain only comprises 2% of your human body weight but spends 25% of your energy. And very similar to a muscle, the harder you work it the more fatigued, agitated, or frustrated many of us become. Defining your values and your why is a skilled trade and it is a process. Don’t run complexity.
Guiding Questions
However, here are a couple of questions to help you with your journey:
#1. What do you value?
Below are some examples. Brainstorm a list, and choose only 3 top values:
I’m committed to God and country
I’m an excellent parent
I believe in education
I exemplify excellence and professionalism
I’m committed to financial independence and prosperity
I believe community service is how you pay for the blessing of living bountiful society
I value freedom, choice, and agency
I value enjoying life and having fun
I value the earth’s environment
I love dancing and being sunshine to others
#2. What is one thing you could do that would have the greatest impact on others?
#3. What are the top 3 things you could personally do that would make the greatest impact in your life?
#4. What kind of person do you want to be? And by extension, what kind of business do you want to build?
#5. What activities have you most enjoyed doing in your professional life?
#6. What are the skills, knowledge, or talents that you possess? What do people say you’re highly effective at?
#7. What is your core focus or the focus of your business? Why does your business exist beyond being profitable?
Below are some examples. Brainstorm a list, and choose only 3 reasons:
To help people live lives of satisfaction through entrepreneurship
To help women overcome financial, relationship, & emotional distress
To help men adopt & sustain a healthy mindset
To serve the best, most smacking waffles ever known
To help people achieve optimal physical performance
To use my art to make people smile and forget their worries
To help people learn how to forgive and progress through trauma.
The answers to these questions are where your power, your energy, and the best use of your focus and time lie. As you answer these questions you’ll begin to see the same themes, ideas, activities, and subjects emerge.
Remember, answering these questions is a process and people who’ve already performed this exercise numerous times already will need at least a couple of hours to complete it. You may need to seek feedback or converse with a business consultant to help you navigate this process.
The world around us wasn’t built by the exceptional. It was built by everyday people who were willing to do exceptional things. Go build something.
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