What Makes You Happy?
I talk a lot about creating a business that makes you happy, but what does happiness look like to you?
For me, happiness is having enough money and time to do the things I enjoy. I don't want to have to say "no" to going on holiday, or to having lunch with a friend, or to visiting family because money is tight or I have too much work on.
So I have to find the balance between earning enough to give me the life I want, but not having to work so hard that I never have time for anything else.
But happiness is also about doing work I enjoy.
I didn't enjoy spending my days writing copy for other people. That's why I don't offer copywriting services any more. Instead, I focus on the training, mentoring, and consulting side of my business - the stuff I love doing.
Just because you can do something doesn't mean you have to (or that you should).
What does your happy ever after look like?
I'm not building a business I can sell, so I'll probably keep working for myself until I retire. But I don't want to spend the next 20 years doing stuff that makes me miserable, so I don't take on work that doesn't interest me or work with people I don't like.
If you want a business that makes you happy, you need to figure out what happiness looks like for you.
And if you're struggling with that, here are some questions/prompts you might want to consider:
- I want to retire in ___ years
- I do/don't want to employ people
- The work I enjoy most is____
- The most important things to me are___
- I will consider myself successful when___
Decide what you want out of life and build a business that supports it.
But be realistic. If you want to retire in five years, you will probably need to make some sacrifices now. And it might mean working longer hours than you'd like or taking on projects you don't love to fund your growth.
On the other hand, if you're happy working for the next thirty years, it's important to let go of some of the stuff you don't enjoy. You'll only burn yourself out if you're working 80 hours a week on stuff you hate doing.
Stay focused on what matters to you
Once you have a clearer idea of what you want your life and business to look like, don't get pulled off course.
It's too easy to compare yourself to other people.
They're making more money.
They're winning more clients.
They're building a bigger team.
They've got a bigger office.
They're growing faster than me.
But you don't know what their goals are. You don't know what success looks like to them. You don't know if they are happy.
Maybe they are making more money, but work hundred-hour weeks.
Maybe that bigger team or office means they're drowning in debt.
Maybe they are growing fast, but on the verge of burning out.
Maybe they're winning more clients because they're charging low prices, or subcontracting the work out, or doing a crappy job.
Maybe their clients are horrible to work with.
There could be so many things going on behind the scenes that you don't know about.
It's not your concern.
Your focus should be on what's happening in your business. Is it heading in the right direction? Is it making you happy?
And if it's not, let me help you fix it.
Lisa Slater
