As the year comes to a close and we get all festive and reflective, I often ponder the question “how do you know when you’re successful?” The reason I ponder this is because I get asked it so often. Perhaps more so, I get people asking me in frustration “when I am ever going to make it?”
I see so many business owners who work ridiculously hard, they do wonderful things in their community, they employ people, they make great products and services, yet because they struggle financially they feel like failures. This breaks my heart and it takes a lot of the satisfaction and joy away from the business owner.
To me having a successful business is about so much more than having a pile of money in your bank account. Sure it’s always nice, but if that is the only way that you measure your success you’re bound to be disappointed.
Unfortunately when you’re struggling to make ends meet, it’s hard to jump up and down and get all happy about all of the good things you are doing, but in reality that is exactly what you should do.
As business owners I think we all need to look at the big picture. Think about the people whose life you have an impact on every day. Ponder the local charities and those in need who you help. Think about the things you sell and the impact that they have on your customers.
Somehow, it all seems so much more worthwhile when you get the big picture and you can settle into bed at night, maybe not rich but hopefully content that you have made the world somehow better today.
The nicest part of this is that I have noticed that those businesses with this kind of attitude, tend to be the ones that do end up being financially successful at some stage, simply because they are doing it for the right reasons.
Have a wonderful Christmas. I will be in touch early in 2009.
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