Friday Focus - Work-Life Balance
Often times in the corporate world we hear the phrase work-life balance. It’s where an employee looks to have a balance or put more plainly, a separation between their work and leisure.
A fair question to ask in a job interview or when searching for a new 9-5, an arrangement where one can shut their computer at work when their shift ends forget work and cut loose to focus on the things they enjoy doing.
There is nothing wrong with wanting to have the privilege of not bringing your work home or not having to take work calls outside normal business hours, however that type of schedule or arrangement is not the reality of a successful entrepreneur.
Entrepreneurship and running your own business is a non-stop commitment. Your work is your life, and deeply rooted in your day to day routine. Business owners are creators, inventors, and pioneers in their chosen field, running a business is part of their identity and therefore responsibilities and commitments tied to it are a constant.
I get asked often what makes a business successful and not. Is it the idea? The product? Market? Location? The answer: none of the above. The reason a business is unable to reach its full potential falls on the shoulders of the business owner. It comes down to their vision, effort and willingness to persevere, adapt and overcome obstacles they will ultimately face throughout the life of their business.
Growth does not occur in comfort. Those that seek the free weekends or the hard cutoff of work at 5pm do not possess the ability scale or successfully establish a profitable business. By contrast it’s the person who relishes in the opportunity to work on their craft, perfect and refine the details of their business or brand as often and consistently as they can.
It’s not to say it’s just about the lack of available hours worked that hinder growth, while this is a factor, it’s more about the mindset. If one is getting into entrepreneurship because they are chasing the ability to work less as a priority or their aim is in not working for someone else, they will find out that what business ownership provides the complete opposite.
The entrepreneur with the correct mindset truly enjoys what they do. And if you have that passion, working on your business a majority of the time should not feel like work, all of it should be motivating, empowering and inspiring.
How do you know if you are on the right path and have that mindset? Take a step back and ask yourself why you started down this path? Was it for a passion in what you do or maybe glamor and external validation? The pursuit of quick money or was it the ability to make a lasting impact? And finally, when you wake up in the morning, do you dread the thought of going to work to build or run your new business? Answer these questions honestly.
Take an inventory of your thoughts, entrepreneurship is a lifelong career and an overall mindset. It’s not for everyone, but as the old saying goes; if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life. Build a career where your work becomes a life you enjoy.
To gain personalized guidance for your business on this topic and others contact us.
- Vince Calace
Founder - Venture Business Development