I work with driven people. Smart people who are constantly growing themselves and their businesses. I am one of those people. Our natural state seems to be one of mild to severe dissatisfaction. We are constantly are asking, “What are we missing? Who is ahead of us? What’s the next opportunity?”
What would you call this? Greed? Lack of gratitude? Insanity?
I call it the natural mental environment brought on and sustained by entrepreneurship.
Here are a few simple truths about the gaps that exist when you work for yourself, and some do’s and don’ts to help you survive them.
There is always more to learn.
DO implement your current knowledge. The BEST ideas are not theoretical, they are the ones that are put into action.
DON’T drown yourself in so much learning that you avoid implementing.
There is always someone doing better than you.
DO recognize yourself for what you’re doing great, and learn from those ahead of you.
DON’T paralyze yourself with comparisons.
As long as you’re an entrepreneur, you live in the gap between where you are and what you want.
DO find ways to be conscious of that gap, and co-exist with it peacefully.
DON’T define that gap as evidence that you are wrong, broken or less than anyone else.
DISCUSSION: What has been your experience with the gap? How do you take care of yourself?
I am always in search of learning more! I know my product or my art, but what I am learning is how to be a business woman and all that entails. It is crazy to look back and see all I have learned and yet I still feel I have loads more to learn. Then implementing! This is where I freak myself out. I have learned more than I have time to implement and I can’t afford to hire a team. It’s a vicious circle. This post was helpful to put things in perspective. I can’t compare my 1 year old business with those who have been working theirs for 5 or 10 years. Thanks Mary!