Success – by definition “the favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the accomplishment of one’s goals.” In reality, as anyone who has ever attained or attempted to attain success knows, the definition is very fluid indeed. Success, in my mind, is defined by the goals it is tied to, so how then will you know if and when you are successful?That question is why it is so vitally important for individuals, whether they be entrepreneurs or not, to realize this journey, this path is indeed THEIR path, defined by them, refined by them, with the end goal determined by them.
So what is your goal in this life – financial independence (and what dollar amount per annum would that be for you?); the freedom of self-determination in the form of being your own boss; the ability to set your own hours; the offering of a service or product as of yet unavailable in your area or region or perhaps it is more defined by a level of happiness, a level of fitness, or the ability to provide for your family? What are your goals?
Be as specific as you can with your goals, for goals without clear definition rob you of the ability to achieve them. Is heading south good enough, or do you want to land in Florida? Is making money running your business good enough, or do you want to be able to quit that full-time job and still be able to send your kids to university? What would make you happy?
A well-defined goal can get you through many a storm. Here at Traditionally Speaking .ca Speaker’s Network we see that reality play out every single day. Carrianne Agawa, one of our amazing speakers, used her goal of a future with her children to get past a terminal cancer diagnosis. How? By focusing on healthy living, exercise, and a positive, empowering soul. Jackie Fletcher, another amazing speaker, has taken poverty and a lifetime of challenges and used them as the signposts that guided her to empowering herself and others. Richard Wagamese used a lifetime of abuse and neglect and addictions to become not only an award-winning author and journalist but an amazing speaker and he too is one of our own one of the many empowered First Nations peoples we now see finding success and strength in these modern times.
As stated, once goals are defined, you have the roadmap. It is then time to look for the road signs, commonly known as “the teachers” and in this day and age they are everywhere! You can learn how to develop a business plan or how to access financing through any number of local entrepreneurial agencies and supports. You can learn marketing (whether traditional or online, and the advantages/ disadvantages of both) via a local college course or even online, through a multitude of training opportunities. Finding a mentor is always an excellent idea for they will save you time and effort by advising you of common pitfalls in your industry. The teachers are everywhere and their wisdom is endless but the goals must remain yours so tread carefully my friend. Never forget – this is YOUR journey!
So you walk or you run, and sometimes you might even have to crawl. No matter, just keep going. Learn all you can, but do not mimic … refine instead. Remember your goals, remember your visions, adopt a mindset of life-long learning and then take all those puzzle pieces and go for it!
As an entrepreneur 6-years in, I can honestly say I am constantly learning, constantly improving, constantly adapting, while remaining true to my vision and my goals. They may be different from those of a colleague but that is what makes them MINE. Yet success is neve individually achieved. It comes thanks to the support, advice, and mentorship of many so build your team. Start today.
Am I successful, you may wonder? Absolutely … simply by the fact that I am 6-years in.
You’ve got this! Live, love, learn!
Sandi Boucher
Author, Entrepreneur, Activist
Owner/Founder of Traditionally Speaking .ca Speaker’s Network
Do you know Who said: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”
A man that lived many failures before becoming the great leader that inspired our grand-parents to fight the forces of fascism — Winston Churchill