What are you getting out of this?
When you started out on your entrepreneurial journey, what were you looking for?
If you are like most people, you’ll answer some mix of, “I wanted to be your own boss,” have more control or freedom, try something new, and make more money.
Also, if you’re like most people, you aren’t feeling as free or as wealthy as you thought you’d be at this point!
The business journey isn’t a destination; you don’t “make it” one day. I’ve never seen a client wake up one day and say, “Ah-ha! Now I’m free. This is great!”
Destinations are boring.
I love this quote from Joesph Campbell:
“People say that what we’re all seeking is a meaning for life. I don’t think that’s what we’re really seeking. I think that what we’re seeking is an experience of being alive, so that our life experiences on the purely physical plane will have resonances with our own innermost being and reality, so that we actually feel the rapture of being alive.”
When I look back at the decision to start my own business I did want more control; I wanted to live by my wits, earn based on my performance, get out from “under” the decisions of others.
But mostly, I wanted to feel a deeper connection between my work, my values – the things that are important to me.
So I dove in.
It has taken me a long time to find the “freedom,” but all along the way, I’ve felt the resonances growing stronger.
Being on a journey of my own choosing and one that resonates with my values and purpose in life has made me happier and more capable of living the rest of my life with vitality, energy, and purpose.
Are you focused on a “destination,” or is the journey satisfying for you?
I’m curious; I’d love to hear where you land on this!