More Important Than Money: How to Be a Successful Entrepreneur

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What do super-successful business owners all have in common? Wondering what it takes … how to be a successful entrepreneur?

It’s not experience.

It’s not extraordinary skills.

It’s not even a powerful drive.

All of these things can definitely help grow your business, but they’re not a prerequisite for success. After all, no one is born with experience or skills, and plenty of successful entrepreneurs lack drive.

The one thing that does make a difference, though, is your “why.”

Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?

Why do you spend too many hours in front of your computer every week?

Why do you stay up too late and get up too early, just so you can work on growing your business?

The “why” is what ultimately drives us to success.  But here’s the thing: it’s different for everyone and it’s not to make money. Your why is not my why, and my why is not her why. It’s a deeply personal choice that can have great meaning…or not.

My Big Why

For me, my big why is to help moms (both in the states and in El Salvador) raise their children to be Godly leaders who can think critically and Biblically.

I’m willing to work more hours than I’m paid to help the ladies in El Salvador understand God and understand education. I’m willing to fly across the country to speak at a homeschool conference, even if I don’t make any sales. In the end, my big why helps me make daily, weekly and monthly decisions, as well as helps me be a successful entrepreneur.

For others, their big why will be different from mine.

For example, a survivor of domestic abuse might happily spend 60 or 70 hours each and every week mentoring other victims of abuse, or counseling couples on how to break the cycle. Her big why is not to make money, but a strong desire to prevent other women from suffering in the same way she did.

A mother of small children may be saddened at the thought of sending her kids to daycare just so she can go to work to (barely) pay for it. Her big why is a drive to spend as much time with her kids as she can, while still supporting her family.

A young, fresh-out-of-school entrepreneur might resist taking the same path his parents took, working for a corporation for 40 years, only to retire and find themselves with barely enough to live on. Instead, he dreams of having the income (and the time) to see the world while he’s still young enough to enjoy it.

What’s your Big “Why”?

It might be the freedom to travel, the option to
spend time with your family, the ability to take weeks off at a time to
care for a sick family member, or even to earn enough money to support a
charity that’s close to your heart.

Whatever it is, your “why” is the driving force behind every action you take.

When you’re deciding whether or not to take on a new client, ask yourself if it’s aligned with your “why.”

When you’re setting goals for the year, ask yourself if those goals are moving you closer or further from your big why.

Thinking of branching out into a new business venture? Make sure it’s in alignment with your big why, and  all of a sudden how to be a successful entrepreneur makes much more sense.

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