Starting a business is not that difficult, however, growing and maintaining a business can present multiple challenges. Many of us form a vision in our mind and heart about the business we want to have. A vision is needed to keep you motivated and moving towards your goal. The vision provides a mental picture of how you want things to be. For instance, you would carry a vision of what success will look like in your business.
- You might envision people coming to you saying “Yes, I want what you have to offer.”
- You could visualize your products or services being purchased and your cash register full of cash.
While keeping a vision alive is important, it’s not the first step to building a successful venture. The first step is to ask yourself that important one word question you’ll need to answer prior to being a success.
That question is, “Why?”
- Why are you doing what you do (or want to do) in business?
- Why have you chosen (or will choose) to focus on a particular field, discipline, idea, etc.?
It’s important to know the reason why you intend to do something as intense as operating a business. Starting or operating a business can be based on many factors. For some, it’s because of the wishes and dreams of others, or based on the business traditions within a person’s family.
For instance, say you grew up in a family business and felt obligated to carry it on. But maybe that was never your vision and now, you feel discouraged and unmotivated. The business could have great potential but your lack of enthusiasm makes the daily tasks almost impossible to complete. When you think about why you are in this particular business, its not because of your personal passion but because of the dreams of others.
Working in a business because of the expectations of others is not enough to motivate you to go through the ups and downs you’ll face. You must have a passion for what you do. It’s when you love the work, and want to do the business, that you are in the right field.
This brings you back to the reason why answering the question “Why?” is an important first step to create a vision for your business.
- Why do you want to serve a certain target community, locally or online, in this manner?
- Is this something you would choose to do on your own, or do you feel forced to go into this business or service?
- Do you know that this business is the best use of your talents, interests, and skills?
- Are you honoring your personal and business values through this business?
Answer the why and you’re on your way to understanding what you need to be doing in your life through business.
Take time to find your true heart’s desire in business and pursue your true dreams. Then you will be a business professional who is ready to continue building your business in a way that enhances your quality of life and motivates you to continue on to success, no matter what obstacles you will inevitably face along the way.
Here’s something good for you today: “The diligent find freedom in their work; the lazy are oppressed by work.” (Prov. 12:24, Peterson)
I can’t tell you have many times I’ve started writing a book or some articles and later find the partially finished work in a folder somewhere. Of course, there are also folders of completed projects but the half-finished ones are quite frustrating. It makes me wonder if I’m being consistently diligent enough to succeed in the task I undertake at any time.
Proverbs 12 speaks to this situation teaching that those who persist in their work will be the ones who not only succeed but will find joy and pleasure along the way. The scripture relates to the person who stays in control of her tasks, is focused, hardworking, and on the path to success. the person in contrast to this diligent person is the worker who might seem distracted, lazy, or even unable to succeed.
Surely it makes sense that the more you put into the business God has lead you to do to build the better you’ll be at it over time. You’ll get more enjoyment in the work and could eventually be able to expand your work to outsource to another person.
This idea really speaks to the type of attitude a Christian business woman should have. Being diligent means to stay the course you’re to follow, despite possible difficulties or set-backs along the way. If a time comes when you know you’ve finished the direction you’ve started, you will options for moving forward, such as selling your website or business, or adjusting it to go in another direction.
People choose to be diligent or not to their work. On the other side, the diligent people get a real sense of peace from working hard. That peace brings the freedom that doing work with the Lord in mind promises. Instead of seeing the negative, there is only the positive about what happens in the workday. Customers get served with a smile. Even tough times provide lessons that only make work easier on the next try.
Those that are inattentive can be seen as lazy or “slothful” as other Bible version state. Their attitude is very different than the people who love their work and pursue it diligently even when they are tired or not seeing immediate results from their efforts.
It’s easy to judge those who don’t seem to be as enthusiastic in their work. Over the years, I’ve learned to be far less judgmental of those who might appear “lazy” when working. Of course, that is exactly what’s going on with some, but there might be other reasons for this for other. ‘
Perhaps the non-diligent are pursuing a path that is not theirs to take and have lost the enthusiasm for the necessary tasks. There might be to many things on their plate at any time. Perhaps other duties are so overwhelming the work is the last thing on their mind on most days. A multitude of other reasons might plague the unsuccessful business person that makes it seems they are lazy, inattentive, or otherwise not suited for the work situation. If these people are trying to be entrepreneurs they find it difficult to get going and succeed.
Being in business, and on your own, takes a lot of energy and diligence. Without these traits success will be hard to achieve.
What is your work attitude? Are you being diligent in all that you do? Are you feeling the freedom that comes through working with that joy in your heart? Have a great work day my sisters.
In planning your day, dedicate all of it to the Lord and keep your eyes on the prize that He has promised to you.
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