Why You Can Build Your Own Business: For Burned-Out, Comparison-Stressed Business Owners
May 31, 2016
Note: This is something that’s really on my heart to share this week. I hope this challenges you while comforting you at the same time. If you’d like to chat more about this, let’s chat over email (hello@kaylahollatz.com).
I had a conversation with my dad a few nights back about modern-day, online entrepreneurship, a topic he was especially intrigued by after listening to the Rich Dad, Poor Dad audiobook during his recent vacation with my mom.
The book set the stage for the traditional view of entrepreneurship. You know the one. Create a product, get investors, mass produce it, build a massive team of people who are strong where you weak, invest most of your money, and retire ridiculously early so you can spend every day with sand between your toes and a fruity cocktail in hand.
This vision, while grand, is not what I desire.
“Well, if you aren’t after the financial gain, what are you after?”
I suddenly got quiet, only letting a few words escape.
“Something deeper.”
I explained that while money is crucial to making a living, it’s not going to make or break my life. It’s not what fuels me to hustle. It never has been. There’s a bigger purpose, a bigger mission involved here.
When launching a passion project or business out into the world, we’re taught from the very beginning that success looks a certain way. This often means 6-figure launch success stories, the elusive 4-hour workweek, and let’s not forget those sponsored luxury hotel stays and getaways.
While all of this sounds dreamy, is it right for all of us to be chasing after this? Is this the only way we can be successful in growing our business?
I don’t think so.
I dream of creative retreats with people from my thriving community. I dream of morning journaling, midday grocery shopping, afternoon hikes, and evening content creation. I dream of quality time with family, celebrating friends on their accomplishments, and real, deep relationships.
I dream of a simplified life that feels so good.
I’ve realized that what I’m striving for is a fulfilling lifestyle in which my business effortlessly fits into. Financial freedom is a tool that will help me along the way, sure, but it isn’t my end game and it doesn’t have to be your end game either.
To help you find what motivates your hustle and what you’re working toward, here are a few things to keep in mind.
Trust your own process
In my niche, making a multi-figure pre-sale launch is the ultimate accomplishment, the mountaintop moment, yet I’m launching my first course next week and not pre-selling it. To me, there was no need to pre-sell it if I already knew I wanted to create all of the content and I wanted my students to dive right into all of the material to set their own pace.
You have to embrace your own natural process and trust your intuitions. If I would’ve told myself pre-selling is the only way I can market my course, it would have created a lot of tension throughout the creative process.
Remember, you can admire the way someone else builds their business without having to build yours the same way. Go your own way!
Understand your core values
What do you value in business, in passion projects, in life? The more you’re in tune with your values, the more focused you’ll be in working for them. This leads to a more fulfilling life because you’re chasing after what you desire.
If you need help in understanding what your values are, try Danielle LaPorte’s Core Desired Feelings (or CDFs for short) worksheet activity. It will unearth your deepest desires for how you want to feel in your everyday life, which will lead you to your values. My CDFs are encouraged, rhythm, ease, and light. Share yours with me in the comments!
Know your motivations for working
Have you ever taken a second to really think about what motivates you to create? We may think we know what our biggest motivations are but sometimes it takes getting them down on paper to really see what our vision truly is.
I journal every day, and it’s essential to my creative process. I recently created a journal prompt to help me focus on where my motivation comes from the previous conversation with my dad. It really helped me in seeing on paper what really fuels me in my business and life.
I’m sharing this journal prompt and others I’ve created all throughout the summer, starting on the week on June 13th! Sign up below for access to all of my vision journal prompts.
