As entrepreneurial small business owners we get bombarded with messages about what we should and shouldn’t be doing with our businesses, what we should be striving for, and gurus and celebrity entrepreneurs we should emulate.
This is something that I care passionately about, and I care about it because it’s rubbish.
Yes, you read that correctly – I think the message that we should all be chasing super-star status is a whole heap of hooey, bunkum, and even tosh (feel free to add in your own expletives, but this article is rated PG).
If you, personally, WANT to be the next Branson, that’s just fine and I will cheer you on as you follow that path, but it’s not for everyone.
As I see it, the problem is that entrepreneurial types like you and me (and if you run your own business, however tiny, you ARE entrepreneurial at heart) push ourselves harder and further than many others. Consequently, we tend to feel that we’re failing, not because we don’t achieve anything, but because we don’t fully acknowledge those achievements because we’re already moving on to the next thing we have to do, and the next, and the next.
So, when we get all these messages telling us that Richard Branson, Alan Sugar, or Cath Kidston, are the measures of success that we should rank ourselves against, we automatically feel like what we are doing is not good enough, big enough, or clever enough.
Here’s the truth about that:
1. Whatever you want out of your business is just fine. THAT is your measure of success.
2. If you have been in business for more than a year, through the current recession, and you’re still going, you are doing really well.
3. If you are employing other people, or using outsourcers or contractors of any kind, you are doing great AND you’re putting money and work back into the economy and your community.
4. ..and finally, if you’re just starting out in business for yourself, I am beyond impressed by your courage (and you CAN do it).
Celebrate your small successes
Please be proud of your own measures of success, don’t strive for other people’s, and be proud of what your fellow business owners are achieving too – together we are slowly putting our economy back on it’s feet.
P.S. Mr Branson, if you are reading this, I think you’re great, just not the role model for every business person out there.
What a pleasant surprise this article was this morning! It is inspirational following those famous entrepreneurial successes, but you are right about acknowledging our own successes as well.
Hi Dani,
Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I’m really glad you liked the article. I see so many people who don’t acknowledge their successes, even though they’re doing GREAT. It’s really important.
tx
I too liked your comments. Too often we try to be “what we’re not.” Each of us has an entirely different outlook and although we have that same “spirit:” of looking forward and seeking for something we don’t have or aspire too, we are different because of our growing up experiences. If there is a challenge, we see it differently than our best friend who had his or her experiences that were much like ours, but different due to their paths in life.
I work with a non-profit fraternal order and my 50 years of membership and involvement is much different to our newest member with an inkling of what everything is about. It is fun to see each member grow into their own man from their experiences in our order. I have my ideas of how things should be, but even at the age of seven score and two, I look to the younger men with new experiences and new ways to accomplish some age old ways of doing what they see as a mundane task.
We all need to strive for the goal, no matter what it is. Know what we have set out TO DO, and with every fiber of our bodies, work for the success of that goal.
Thanks for your comments, Colin.
I think you raise an important point – strive for YOUR goal, because we do all have our own personalities, aims and objectives.
tx
Thanks for your refreshing article. As small business owners I think we all get caught in the minutia at times and forget to step back and see ourselves with a fresh perspective. I don’t want to be like Richard Branson. I want to be me and I just want to keep the doors open and my fantastic employees paid. Well, OK, so I want to be rich, that’s why I’m in business but for now I’m content. Thanks again
Lol! I love your honesty, Mike – I want to be rich, but for now I’m content.
I think a lot of us could agree with that.
Glad you don’t want to be Richard Branson.
tx
Tamsin – An outstanding article and one that I’m going to share with a former student who wrote me that “nothing is happening” with her PR initiatives for a friend of mine she’s working with. The designer is now part of the Artisan Group, has had her jewelry in the Oscar, Golden Globe and MTV gift bags!
Some serious back patting needed here!
Look forward to reading more of your posts.
Vivian
Hi Vivian,
It sounds like you’ve done a great job with your former student. What amazing successes she’s had for your friend!
I bet her client is pretty pleased with those results.
tx
Thanks for this article. I now feel much more positive again after reading it. Started off this morning wondering whether I was doing the right thing. Now I am sure I am!
Hi Georgina,
I completely understand. I suspect that ALL business owners go through that at some point.
It sounds to me like you’re doing great.
tx
Thanks for your encouragement. Have just had a message from one of my piano pupils who quit a few weeks back. She has missed it so much she would like to come back for one hour per week
Hi Tamsin, this is a great article! And well done for being reblogged by Virgin (I commented there) I know the world doesn’t revolve around me but I like to think you kind of wrote this with a little bit of me in mind. And even though I don’t know Richard (I said hi to him on the Virgin blog, he may notice) I know you so that makes me a little bit famous. In all seriousness though it’s a great post for all us little business owners who regularly are hard on ourselves and it’s good to stop and give ourselves credit once in a while.Thanks Tam!
Thanks Keren,
You’re already famous so you don’t need to worry about that!
I’m pretty sure all small business owners could do with giving themselves more credit from time to time – so you might as well start now!
txx
What a totally great perspective! At our last workshop, we were discussing success and how we define it. For some people it is just knowing that they are their own boss and for others it goes a lot further. To each his own. Congratulations on being reblogged by Virgin (I don’t know if I have the ology to go there) Great stuff!
Thanks Tanya.
You’re totally right – it’s your own definition of success that matters.
tx
Mr Branson just shared this article on facebook. Personally I agree with everything said in this article, I’m an entrepreneur and co-founder and COO of a start up online marketplace and it isn’t easy, but we are still here and here to stay. It gets hard to celebrate small achievements because we tend to look at the bigger picture and forget that the little we do today is what will propel us to where we want o be
It is hard to celebrate small achievements when you’re looking at the big picture, and that’s why I think it’s important to remind ourselves to do it.
Thanks for commenting, Briton.
tx
Having reached this article from Mr Bransons twitter feed, and a link in an article he wrote on his Virgin Blog here:
http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog/celebrate-your-achievements
I think he’s listening
Hee hee – I think you might be right!
Glad that he agrees.
tx
Great post Tamsin, thanks for sharing. I have a white board in my office with a list of “things achieved” and another list of “things to complete”. I love moving things to the achieved list and having it sat in front of me reminds everyday of the progress we have made, when it feels challenging it really does help.
I want to hug you right now. Just had a lunch meeting with a mentor/adviser and we talked about the “perfect” world entrepreneurs thinks exists out there. We read what’s in media like TechCrunch and VentureBeat and think there’s one path – raise $3M, get 100M users and sell your company.
Brilliant article Tamsin – very eloquently put.
Thanx for the insight, we have to be proud with what we have.
I would say that this article is inspiring not only for small businessman but for those as well who think to start it or might have big plans
These articles always inspire us to move ahead