The Single-Minded Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurial success has two faces: the fulfilling venture and the all-consuming dictator. Too often, the business begins to run you, rather than you running the business. While determination and focus are certainly admirable qualities in an entrepreneur, they are capable of corrupting your values. Being one-dimensional can be dangerous for your business and for you personally.
The causes of such fierce determination are numerous, but fear of failure is usually a major component. Whether this fear is inspired by past failure or not, the result is nonstop work. If you feel you are pursuing your business goals relentlessly to prove somebody wrong, you need to readjust your motivation. Direct your energy forward and learn how to delegate responsibility effectively so you aren’t constantly carrying the load.
Many success-driven people are so focused on their goals that they forget to celebrate their successes. They are always after the unattainable. Imagine driving your car down a desert highway with the single goal of meeting the horizon. You’ll never achieve that goal. It will always be just out of reach. The key to true success lies in looking in the rearview mirror every so often and recognizing just how far you have come on your journey.
Examine Your Priorities
Entrepreneurs feed off praise from clients, employees, and the media. Extrinsic rewards become motivators. A conflict can arise when this praise is used to counter complaints heard from family and friends about why they are no longer a priority. Aren’t these relationships the very thing that sustained you when you first began your business? It’s crucial that you place importance on these bonds daily.
A key part of achieving this goal is being with your family on nights and weekends. This is valuable time for you and shows that family is your priority. In addition, try to keep the majority of your work problems at work. This can be difficult during particularly stressful periods. A negative attitude at home can easily isolate you from your family and make them feel they are to blame. Do acknowledge and communicate about upcoming events or deadlines that concern you. Your family can then better understand the emotional rollercoaster that you, as an entrepreneur, ride regularly. Your family will support you more effectively when you make them the top priority.
Benefits of Personal Time
Not only does time away from work benefit your family relationships, it also enhances your emotional and cognitive well-being. Strong leaders maintain strong relationships and understand when their brains need a rest. If you don’t give your mind time to rest, it can malfunction. Physical and mental health relies on regular relaxation.
You can lose the clarity of thought that drives your entrepreneurial spirit. Details become muddled, and your emotions can get the better of you during critical decision-making if you don’t take a mental break occasionally. Just as you would plug in your iPhone at night to recharge the battery, you need to recharge your brain through relaxation and healthy living practices. A rested, clear mind is much more adept at tackling challenges.
Prioritizing Family for Your Business
As a leader, you establish the tone and tenets of your business. Respecting your employees’ families is as important as respecting your own. While situations might arise that call for after-hours meetings or production, try to avoid sending emails or calling after close of business. Just as nights and weekends are your valuable time with loved ones, the same is true of your employees. Meetings should not be scheduled before 9 a.m. or after 4 p.m. Weekend retreats, while at times educational and inspiring, crowd that family time.
Your company’s incentives and events, however, should be considered prime family activities. Make sure to invite families, and not just spouses, to your company events or picnics. These events are your chance to prove to your employees’ families that you understand the importance of family time.
Family and business are not mutually exclusive. By recognizing the importance of family and time away from the office, you can actually sharpen your focus, support your employees, and live a healthier, well-balanced life. Dedication to your family and your work shows true success and leadership.
Cameron Herold is the author of DoubleDouble, a step-by-step guide to doubling the revenue and profit in your company in three years or less. Cameron is one of the most sought-after business minds in North America, the founder of BackPocketCOO and the former COO at 1-800-GOT-JUNK?