Luckily, my definition of success has changed over the years. And although I’m always striving to grow myself and my business, what I understand success to be has led me to be okay with where I am today. If you’d asked me a few years ago, I’d say success would be determined by the amount of money I earn. Today, that isn’t the case. Now, success means a feeling of autonomy in my life – a sense of control.
Getting to make all of these decisions on a daily basis, albeit daunting at times, has made me feel successful. If you had told the past, numbers-focused me that success would look like emailing clients between bites of cereal in bed some mornings, she might have looked at you like you’re crazy. But being an entrepreneur is hardly glamorous 24/7, nor does it mean having to work out of your parents’ basement just to make ends meet.
I like to consider myself the in-between entrepreneur. I make a nice living, support myself and have a steady client list. In the words of the wise Tim Gunn, I make it work. And if you’re someone who’s thinking of taking the leap to start your own business, I think that’s the most important thing to hear: there’s something in the middle of the spectrum of success, and that’s a pretty alright place to be.
There have been a lot of shifts in not only the way I think about success, but how I operate within my business that has led me to a greater peace of mind. For one, I’ve learned how to work smarter, not harder. Don’t get me wrong – I work hard – but I’ve learned how not to work myself into the ground. After running my own business for 7 years, I think this may be the biggest change I’ve made in my mentality, and one of the most important.
Another thing I’ve learned is that comparing myself to others helps nothing. If you tell yourself that you don’t do that, well, chances are you’re lying to yourself a bit. It’s a very human thing to do, and we’ve only made it easier with social media, where everyone can be a Mark Zuckerberg if they curate their profiles well enough. I can feel really confident and be having a good day, only to ruin it by going down a social media black hole. The shift in mental state can be subtle, but it happens often. Social media isn’t inherently evil, but just be wary of the negative effects it can have on you. Everyone’s success is relative, and it is important to remember that. My definition of success may not match yours, and that’s okay. In fact, that’s all the more reason not to try to compare yourself to others. When you can stop doing this, it will be a lot easier to know what success means to you. And that’s huge.
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