Whether you’re a new entrepreneur or you’ve owned and operated a business for a while, you probably have an idea of what success looks like to you. Maybe it’s buried deep inside you and only peeks out on rare occasions when you allow yourself to dream, but it’s there, and it’s important.
If you don’t know what success looks like – how will you know when you get there? How do you know what to plan for? How do you know if you’re making progress or simply treading water?
You don’t.
So, if your definition of success is buried deep inside you, sit down for a while and pull it out. What does it look like?
How will you know when you’re successful?
Now, be careful here. Success can be quickly defined as, “I’m making a million dollars a year,” and set aside. However, monetary goals are only a part of being successful and for some they’re not part of the definition at all.
What does your life look like when you’re successful? Are you traveling around the country or sitting at home in your beautifully appointed home office working quietly?
Do you live on the ocean, in the city or perhaps nestled in the mountains?
Do you work 40 hours a week or are you a fan of the 4 hour work week, ala Tim Ferris?
What are you doing? Are you writing? Are you planning? Are you on the phone talking to people? Giving workshops? Are you creating? Building? What are you doing when you’re successful? How do you spend both your work time and your free time?
Finally, assuming you’re able to write out everything that you see when you visualize success, what are your monetary goals? Now note that monetary goals are important, however they’re not the only aspects of success. Each person defines success differently – don’t let Donald Trump or your next-door neighbor define it for you. What does success mean to you?
Creating The Life You Deserve
The internet has made it possible for you to share your passions, skills and knowledge with the world. It has made it possible to create the life you deserve which means:
- Creating personal wealth
- Sharing your valuable knowledge and skills with people who need it
- Communicating with like minded individuals
- Partnering with like minded individuals
- Spending time on your passions
- Helping others
- Enjoying your life
- Learning from others
And it means much more.
The internet has made it possible for you to create a business which supports your goals, whatever they may be. Many people like their day jobs. Maybe they like what they do, whom they work with and certainly the benefits that go along with the traditional 9-5.
An internet business helps them create the life they deserve by providing additional income for vacations, early retirement, travel or perhaps just to afford those extra luxuries.
For others, an internet business can become their day job. It can become their sole source of income and afford them to live the life they desire.
So how do you go from wanting to start an internet business to actually having the life you desire? To actually achieving your definition of success?