Hello, I'm a Millennial
If you would have asked me a few months ago what does it take to be successful I would have told you hard work, dedication and passion. And the funny part is, until a few months a go I had no idea what that meant. In the movies when you see the successful business man (or woman) you see what they're doing throughout the day, the glamour of being a entrepreneur or big shot CEO. It seems like the hard work, the dedication and all the passion happen during "business hours".
Over the last few months I've had the opportunity to start a new business and REALLY find out what it really takes to be the Big Shot. I have been in charge of more responsibility, more deadlines and less sleep then I've ever had in my life, and it's all worth it. I had to learn quickly how to adapt, change and go with the punches to get everything done.
It's hard to blame someone else for missing work when you're the boss.
I've learn a lot in such a short period of time. But if I had to chose three of the most important things i've learned it would be;
1. Waking up early is a part of the job.
Before I started to build this company I usually went to sleep around 10 o'clock at night and woke up around 9am. I wasted so much extra time sleeping that I had to cram in 14 hours of work in to a 10 hour day. "Working on the fringes of the day" as Bill calls it means waking up early to get more work done. Now I currently wake up at 2am and get more work done at that time then I did in a whole day before. Working on the fringes of the day doesn't mean 2am for everyone, it means taking advantage of the early hours of the day to get work done. It means making the sacrifice to go to bed early. It means knowing how to plan your day so you can get your work done. After all, you are the boss.
2. Learn to say NO.
Sometimes you need to say just say NO. What does that mean? Saying no means to understand your responsibilities and prioritize whats important. One thing i can tell you for a fact, is that your friends and your family will not understand what you're doing. They won't understand when you tell them you can't go out because you have to go to sleep early. They won't understand that sometimes you will have to work through lunch. And they won't understand why you bring your laptop to family events. Just because you start a business doesn't mean life stops, it just means you have to know when you can spend free time, and when you have to just say NO.
3. Know when to shut off.
When you really get into building your business, it's easy to forget when to stop. Its important to remember that life is really about balance. You need to know when to hit the power off button on work and hit the power on button on the TV. As a entrepreneur it's important to learn how to just shut off and relax with no guilt. When I first started building this company I would work a 14 hour day and feel guilty for wanting to stop and rest. You have to understand that to do this for the long run you have to learn how to pump the brakes and just RELAX. Because one thing that is guaranteed tomorrow, theres always more work to be done.
With that being said, this experience has been the most rewarding thing I've ever done. I've learned a lot about myself, my partner and most of all I'm learning what it really takes to build a successful company. Stay focused, keep working hard and never lose faith in your purpose.
You can contact me if you have any comments or questions at my email www.LivingRightWithBillCortright.com Join me every Monday thru Friday on The Stress Mastery Podcast.
Be Focused
David
April 26, 2017
Who is David Barreto ? David is a self-made entrepreneur, president of Living Right with Bill Cortright, wellness coach and business development consultant. David's purpose is to help people achieve their highest quality of life. Producer of "The Stress Mastery Podcast”.