What are you willing to sacrifice for business success and what are you NOT!

What are you willing to sacrifice for business success?  More importantly, do you know what you’re NOT willing to sacrifice?

When I first started my coaching business, I was told be another successful coach, that I needed to sacrifice family time, including time with my son if I really wanted to be successful in my business.

I decided right there and then that firstly, she was NOT the coach for me and secondly I would NEVER be prepared to sacrifice family time, especially time with my son.

Being in business was never about success at all costs for me and I hope it’s not for you either.

I feel that on the internet there’s so much focus on making more and more money and not enough focus on actually building a business you love and feel positive about. And most importantly building a business that allows you to live a LIFE YOU LOVE.

Money wise, I could definitely have made more money to date in my own business, but I knew from day one what I was willing to sacrifice and what I wasn’t.

What that has meant for me is that I’ve now got a business I love and I’ve never had to sacrifice the things that are really important to me.

That’s what I want for you too.

So what are you NOT willing to sacrifice for business success?

For me,  it was time with my son.  Things that took me away from home when he wasn’t in school.  It’s also my health and wellbeing.  I’m not going to sit here and tell you I’m a picture of health and fitness, but I’ve had times in the early days of my coaching business, where I’ve burnt myself out and still kept going.  I now know that the best thing for me, my clients and those around me who I love, is for me to look after myself, switch off at a good time and get plenty of rest.

I’m also not willing to sacrifice my integrity.  If I can’t make it in a positive way that feels good for me, then it’s not a business I want to be a part of.  I want a successful business that I am always proud of.

Only you will know what you are NOT willing to sacrifice for business success.  Once you know it, don’t let anyone tell you that you have to sacrifice these things.  Or at least don’t listen when they do.

What are you willing to sacrifice.

I’m willing to sacrifice FAME.  I’ve turned down big events that would have put me on the coaching map in a really big way.  I personally don’t hanker after this kind of stardom and it would have meant quite a bit of time away from my son.

I’m willing to sacrifice hours in the evening sitting in front of the TV.  I do watch TV.  My son loves films and I will have complete switch off time to enjoy a film or a favourite show with him in the evening, but I won’t sit down and watch TV just for the sake of it.  If my son’s busy doing his own things I will more than likely be working for a good part of the evening.

I’m willing to sacrifice most coffee mornings, catch ups that take me away from my business. Honestly, I get invited to so many coffee mornings, charity events, etc, I would seriously never get any work done, so yes, I happily sacrifice these.  Don’t get me wrong, I love to support things like this but if I kept saying yes, my business would definitely suffer.  And yes, I’d love to spend an hour or three each day having catch ups with various friends but it’s a no go for me most of the time.  My friends who work 9-5 can’t do it and that’s really how I have to look at it too.

If I go out in the day, which I often do with my family, then I know I need to work more in the evenings and the weekend.

Which brings me to my next point.  I’m willing to give up my weekends.  I do make sure I have time off with family every weekend, but I do a few hours each day.  I did at one time try to have a full day off a week, but I actually found I’d rather work some time over the weekend and be a bit more flexible in the week.  That’s what works for me and I encourage you to find what works for you.

Know what’s important

I believe a business is only really successful if it gives you the life you want.  So only you will know what that means for you.  Once you’re clear on this, you can build your business around it.

Make what you love doing work for you

So you know what’s important to you, you know what you’re not willing to sacrifice, now you need to find a way to make what you love doing work for you.

A good question to ask yourself is this.  What do I need to do so that I can have?

So for me, that question is “What do I need to do in my business so that I can be at home when my son is?

Also “What do I need to say no to?”

Be true to yourself

Often when people come to me for coaching, they say to me “I want to be successful.  When I ask them what that means to them, they often can’t give me a clear reply.  Read What does success mean to YOU?

I have a saying “Don’t put your success ladder up the wrong building.”  What I mean by this is that you need to get really clear about what success means to you and then make sure you are moving toward that every day, climb your own ladder of success NEVER someone else’s.

Can you imagine taking someone else’s idea of success and working toward achieving that success every day for 40 years only to find when you climbed the success ladder and eventually got to the top, you didn’t like the prize waiting there for you?

Sounds crazy doesn’t it, yet so many people do this.

Make sure it’s not you.

• Get super clear about what success is for you
• Create your business around what’s important for you
• Climb the business success ladder to success, enjoying the climb and knowing that you’re always moving toward the end goal you want.

Pick up your FREE copy of the Ideal Business Workbook

I always say that getting clear about what you want is like laying the foundations for success.  I’ve put together a fantastic workbook for you when you subscribe to my mailing list.  The Ideal Business Workbook will help you get super clear about the kind of business you really want.  One that will allow you to live a life you love.

I hope this post has given you plenty to think about.  Please share where you can.

And as always I love hearing from you, so ask questions, share your thoughts… in the comments below.  I’d love to hear what you’re willing to sacrifice for business success and what you’re not.

And grab your very own law of attraction business planner – Use the power of the law of attraction to really help you achieve the business you really want.