Congratulations! You’re a rare breed.
If you measure success by the dictionary definition of “the favourable outcome of something attempted”, then owning a business could be considered a success, because there are many more who think about being a business owner than follow through to buy or start a business.
But how do YOU measure success?
Is it measured in money, prestige, toys, lifestyle, contribution, customers or reputation?
Who’s doing the measuring?
Are these your measurements or are you succumbing to external forces telling you what success “should” look like?
From the outside your business could look spectacularly successful. However you could be sitting in your business right now not feeling particularly proud and successful – especially if things are not going the way you imagined they would.
Working closely with hundreds of business owners over more than a decade here’s what defines success for them.
Which ones apply to you?
- I get out of bed each day with enthusiasm and energy – I enjoy my business
- I’m happy with the direction in which my business is headed
- I’ve made mistakes and learnt from them. I get up when knocked down
- I constantly learn and implement new ideas and ways of doing business
- I have good people around me to help run sections the business
- I feel good about the products/services we deliver
- I have brightness of future. I’m confident we’re on the right track
- I have a good support network in my business community
- My business is agile, flexible and not heavily weighed down by outside influences
- My business pays me properly for my efforts
- My business has a good reputation
- I’m doing work worth doing, it has value
- My time is flexible enough to allow me to enjoy life
- My business is growing. I have an asset that has value now and in the future
- I have the right balance of work and play. I have time to myself and with my family
- I have defined my boundaries of what I will and won’t do
- I choose my customers
- The business is under control; it has systems that make it work well
- My business makes a valuable contribution to my community
- I have a business that gives me a good life
Please feel free to add your own success criteria.
Celebrate what you DO have. Every business is a work-in-progress. Don’t feel bad about the things you don’t have right now. Make a note of them and work on the most important ones that have meaning for you.
There is no ONE secret – it’s a collection of criteria that gives you a feeling of pride and sense of achievement.
The secret to being a successful business owner is whatever you say it is.
What is it for you?