Are You Getting What You Want From Your Business?

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We all started our businesses for different reasons.  Part of my reason for wanting to have my own business was to have a more flexible lifestyle.  I’ve wanted to have the opportunity to take my job with me.  And, I wanted to be able to be home with my kid(s).  I also wanted to take lots of vacations whenever I wanted.

The reality has turned to be different from what I envisioned.  I think I envisioned some sort of Brangelina lifestyle.  Needless to say, I’m shy a few million dollars and have yet to birth/adopt the next 5 children.  And, while I seem to jet back and forth between CA and WA with a few fun trips interspersed, they really are not very glamorous.  I do get to be home with Lili on some hours of some days… but, truth be told, the minute she learned how to crawl I knew that my “work while taking care of children” fantasy was short-lived.

Needless to say business ownership is different than the fantasy I had dreams of in 2004.

So, the big question here is…What did you envision your life to be like?  What are the personal reasons that you started your business?  And, are those personal needs being met?

The reason I ask this is because I see so many business owners who are not living the life they wanted for themselves.  They wanted to create a life for themselves… an unconventional life maybe, a flexible life perhaps… but 5 or 10 years later they may realize, “this is not what I signed up for.”  They’ve lost sight of the dreams they had for themselves.  They give everything to their business and lose themselves in the process.

It’s important to keep personal goals and dreams in mind when you are making business plans.  After all, we are on this earth to live life to the fullest, not to work ourselves to the bone.

So, let’s get back to basics… Spend some time this week working on your PERSONAL DREAMS.  What are those goals and aspirations that you want for living (not doing)?  What do you want your business to enable you to do?

As for me, even though I had a different vision 5 years ago from what my life is like now, I do love my life.  I’ve learned that flexibility has its price, it isn’t perfect, and it has its tradeoffs.  I didn’t get much of a maternity leave, but my husband and I have both been able to be very present with Lili on a daily basis.  I may not have the jetset lifestyle but I’ve been able to move around the country twice and live in wonderful places: Hollywood, Seattle, and now Miami.

So, while I envisioned one thing and got another, my lifestyle is still A-OK with me!  It is a sort of “unconventional life” and I like that.

And with that… I’m off to define my dreams and write up my lifestyle goals for the next 10 years!