Achieving the big reward
August 4th, 2008
I just had a meeting with a woman who is starting her own business — slowly. She saved money, then quit her job to start her own company. She’s distracted by her freedom, making time to do errands, clean the house and work-out.
And that’s fine. If she’s just taking a vacation.
But, if her success vision is not the most important priority she’s got, she will fail. She’ll fail knowing that success wasn’t important enough for her to make the commitment that comes only with hard, difficult work and sometimes torturous learning.
I am surprised that I so easily found the self-discipline to work at home and be self-employed. I quit my job as a journalist to write my first book and encountered every possible obstacle that delayed my success for years and made me wonder what would become of me. There were so many obstacles that, upon driving through the toll booth on a local bridge, I wondered if I could find employment as a toll-taker.
The one thing I knew was that I was doing everything I possibly could to ensure my success. I worked so hard. I bounced back every time my book was rejected, every time something else told me to just give up and find a job. It was the hardest challenge of my life, and the most valuable learning experience.
What I learned is that you have to run strong and hard and with so much determination that you believe you will combat your obstacles and win — regardless. There is no room for self-doubt. There is also no room for distraction, procrastination or laziness. From the time you start your own business, the clock is ticking until you either succeed or run out of resources. You can’t waste a single minute.
I was able to make it work by starting every Monday knowing exactly what I would accomplish that week that would push me closer to achieving my goal. I knew what I’d have to accomplish every single day. If I had to work a 20-hour day, I had to work it.
I walked away with the big prize. Freedom. My reward is the ability set my own hours and be in charge of my own destiny doing work that is meaningful and challenging for me.
But, freedom is a privilege. It is absolutely earned. Success will not come to you. You won’t achieve anything significant or lasting if there is the tiniest crack in your commitment. You can’t be in this challenge part-way, because if you are, you will fail.
If you are in it to win, make yourself win. If you are just taking a temporary powder from your career, that’s fine. Book a cruise, enjoy the heck out of it, then go find a job.
Fawn Germer is the best-selling author of four books and speaks to corporations and organizations about courages and creative leadership strategies.
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