Monday 3 September 2012

Do Your Loved Ones Support You as an Entrepreneur?

No matter what your career is, it will have an effect on the people who are close to you. If you are an entrepreneur, that effect can be amplified tremendously.

Having your spouse (or significant other) on  board with what you are doing is imperative if you want success in both business and life.

If you are an entrepreneur, you know that your time and finances can be very unpredictable at times. You may have a month of 14 hour days followed by weeks of inactivity with the financial repercussions of that following close behind. That is something that you accept as part of the territory, especially in the early stages of a business. But what about those who are close to you?

Do your spouse and children feel good with this part of the territory?
Do they understand that your busy times lead to financial gain?
Do they know that you will have times of elation and times of deep worry?
Do they want to walk with you through the good and the bad?
Do they know that you want them there through it all?

We entrepreneurs plan out our businesses to the tiniest of details, but we often forget to look at how it will effect those we love. Knowing the answers to the questions above will be a good start towards ensuring your business will nor damage your relationships.

If you are fortunate, you already have a supportive family who understand what you are trying to build with your business. If that is the case, make sure they know that you appreciate them. Show them every day that they are important to you and that you need them as you move forward.

If your family is not that supportive, then it is up to you to discover why. Do they not buy into what you are doing? Are they worried for you? Do they simply not enjoy the life of entrepreneurship? Ask them! Show them that they are important to you and that you want them to walk with you on your journey, not just stand on the sidelines and accept the consequences that fall from your actions and decisions.

You will probably find that, if you make your loved ones feel like they are a part of what you are doing, they will support you. Allow them to be involved in the process of living an entrepreneurial way of life. This could mean that they are a part of your actual business, or that they understand the emotional support you need from them, or that they help you set goals and remind you of your vision. Each family is different and you will have to find what works for yours. The important thing is that they feel involved.

If you can find a way to have them feel like an important part of what you are doing, great! Move ahead as a team. If that bond doesn't seem to exist then you need to face a very serious question. Which is more important to you? Your business or your loved ones? Are you willing to lose one to have the other?

Success in business and life means paying attention to both. If your loved ones do not support your life as an entrepreneur, you are destined to fail in at least one of those areas.

In almost all cases, you will be able to find a way to mold your family into a supportive team where everyone feels important and rewarded. Be creative, make sure everyone has a voice and find that bond. This will lead you all toward success and happiness.

Heaven forbid, if those you truly love and truly love you back just can't be a part of what your goals are; chose your loved ones.

Your family and friends are an important part of your success. They all want to see you thrive and be happy. Let them be a part of what you do and express to them how much you appreciate them. Give yourself to making them happy as well, supporting them in their goals through the good and the bad as they do for you. This will strengthen all of you and set you on a path toward true success enjoyed in a warm bond of happiness and fulfillment.

No comments:

Post a Comment