Business and Getting Back to Basics

Have you ever noticed that after being on the road for a couple of weeks, it’s funny how luxurious the comforts of home feel when you return?

There’s something about being somewhere else, without all the trappings of your usual surroundings that makes you see things in a more streamlined and simple way.

When you quit your job and start a business, you can really fall in love with your new life. It’s a wonderful thing, and that’s why I so enjoy helping people make this transition.

Here are some “back to basics” lessons that you can use to reconnect and regroup once in a while to make sure you’re building the right business for you.

Stop Comparing!

One of the challenges I see for many business owners is that they often get caught up in what everyone else is doing and using that as their yardstick. If you find yourself constantly comparing to your competition and trying to keep up with Joan or Joe, it is quite possible to make a good income and even an astronomical income. But if it isn’t the right fit for you, it will soon feel like a chore instead of a source of joy and satisfaction.

If you’re running hard to keep up with everyone else, you’re going too fast to enjoy the journey. You’re so bent on getting to a mirage destination that you’re often not seeing the opportunities that are truly yours and in front of you, and not someone else’s in the distance.

If this sounds like you, take the time to get back to basics. Remember why you wanted to start a business in the first place, and if the reason still holds, make your decisions with this as your measure.

Stop Counting!

In North America we tend to use financial success and material things as our signs of success. So when we carry over into a business we often think we have to work hard, constantly make more money, grow and expand our businesses.

The focus of many internet business resources is six and seven figure businesses. I know that not everyone truly wants or needs this. This is why the first focus of discussion with my clients is about what they really want for a rich and extraordinary life rather than what income level they wish to attain.

Of course, you need to make money, so you can’t ignore the numbers. But you don’t have to be a six figure business owner to be so happy you can’t believe you’re getting paid to do what you love. The key is setting up your business to more than cover your financial needs and to allow for sustainable income and cash flow. Whether your financial watermark is $10,000 a year, or $500,000 a year is completely up to you. Don’t get distracted by gurus telling you this is your inner self tricking you into settling or any other hype. If you are truly not settling out of fear and simply have lesser income goals, that’s ok! Just like in the corporate world, there are many big bucks business owners who are unhealthy, unhappy and unfulfilled. Create the business and life that you want.

Stop Working So Hard!

Another area of self examination is your attitude toward work and success. This is my personal cross to bear and something I have to constantly check myself on. I grew up with the Prairie ethic that to succeed you had to sacrifice and work very hard – usually physically -  to succeed. I am no stranger to hard work, but I have learned that it IS possible to work smarter and not harder,to succeed even more. However, I need to remind myself of this often. Having a coach of my own and participating in masterminds is a great way to keep myself straight.

So if you feel like you have to push and grind away to get it all done, you’re probably working too hard and taking too much on. If you have a solid plan, know what you need to get done, and set your bar appropriately high, you will have to work, yes, but it shouldn’t feel like walking an elephant on a leash everywhere you go. Working without ever taking a break, never taking holidays or weekends, is a sure sign that you have bought into the mindset that is has to be hard to be a serious business. I take a lot of holidays and I rarely work on a weekend.  But beware – this comes in many forms.  Loving what you do and therefore working all of the time can be the “work is hard” limiting belief in disguise. Work is the healthy and socially acceptable addiction, right?

If you use these check points as you develop and build your business, you’ll be able to get the level of extraordinary business that is a custom fit for you.

Want to use this article? You can as long as you include this footer: Sherri Garrity is the Chief Corporate Fugitive and creator of the Five Keys Success System^TM for ex-corporate employees and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to break free from the confines of their corporate experience and  live outside of the ordinary. The Corporate Fugitive system demystifies the business of setting up, managing, marketing and growing a successful and extraordinary business. Visit www.corporatefugitive.com for information and step-by-step resources to take you from overwhelmed employee to extraordinary entrepreneur.