It’s the week leading up to Christmas and I wanted to take a slightly different approach for this week’s topic. I was reviewing my business plan and thinking about a conversation I had with a friend, both of which helped me gain some insight into this past year.
Managing Expectations
My business is coming up on almost 4 months old and I had high hopes for what I would have accomplished by now. However, I also knew to temper my expectations and plan for what would happen if things didn’t work out as I wanted them to.
There are a lot of possibilities – some good and some bad – when you decide to quit your job in the middle of a pandemic.
Much of my initial marketing fell flat. Essentially, the results of my first few months have been about as bad as I could have expected them to be.
But here’s the thing – I knew this could happen. As much as I didn’t want it to happen, it has. The good news is that I’ve planned for it. The other good news is that I’ve got great support.
No Regrets
I had a short text conversation with a friend a few weeks back. We were talking about how things were going for me. Obviously, I was disappointed with my results so far, but the thought occurred to me:
I haven’t regretted it once.
This was somewhat revelatory for me.
I had been working for more than 3 months, spent a lot of money and have barely seen any positive results. But it was true, I had not one time regretted my decision to start my own business.
I’ve been thinking about that more as we approach the end of the year and it still holds true.
I’m also confident that things are going to start turning in the right direction soon.
Gratitude
One of the things I wrote about in my business plan was the reason why I started my own business. There are the obvious reasons: providing financially for my family and having the freedom to do things the way I want to.
But there are also less obvious reasons: being able to give back, to help others find a great career and become the best versions of themselves.
And this is why I have confidence.
Businesses can be successful if their only goal is to make money. But I firmly believe that today, if your only reason you’re in business is to make money, there’s a limit to what you can achieve. For me, starting a business isn’t about making the most money possible, it’s about building a platform to leave the world you live in better than it was before.
So this week, despite of where I’ve failed so far – or maybe because of it – I’m grateful for what I have today and what it’s help me accomplish so far.
I’m grateful for my wife and her confidence in me.
I’m grateful for my kids for giving me the motivation to make myself better, and for the extra time I’ve been able to spend with them.
I’m grateful for my parents for helping me become the person I am and for their continued support without which none of this would be possible.
I’m grateful for my friends, none of which called me crazy for quitting my job in the middle of a pandemic.
And I’m grateful for everyone I’ve worked with professionally over my career who have helped me get where I am today.
Thank You
Thank you for your support of me and my business.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for visiting my website.
Wishing you the best in 2021.
