Hello to all. Here is my super-short biography:
At 15 years old I dropped out of high school (grade 10 in all subjects except English, which I failed and thus only have grade 9)
At 16 I was working full time
At 17 I had my solo pilots license
At 18 I was managing a hardware store
At 19 I got a job at a telecom company, where I spent the next 14 years
At 26 I got married and became a father (a girl)
At 30 I again became a father (a boy)
At 34 (with my wife pregnant with our 3rd child) I quit my job to follow a technology I believed in (I just walked out the door), wrote a best-selling book about it (which was nice cause it sorta laid the whole "failed English" thing to rest), became a father for the 3rd time (a second boy), and started a small company with three guys that I am honoured to have had as my business partners for the past three years.
During the next 3 years I learned things about stress and anxiety that I would not wish on my worst enemy.
At 37 I am now trying to figure out my strategy and goals for the next few years. Frankly, I am not as motivated as I want to be. I feel like I'm just punching the clock; the same as I would if I had a job (except the pay is not as good).
I always loved the whole concept of business. Not so much the money, but more the concept of creating something; of being the leader of something that changed people's lives. Now that I have put aside the theory and am actually having a go at it, it is sometimes hard to see the forest for the trees. It is so hard to find the balance between the reality (how do we pay the mortgage this month) and the dream (which is just some vague we-built-a-successful-company vision of the future).
I have this deep down confidence that I am going to be successful, but then I have to laugh at myself because I am not clear on exactly how I define success. I have read that motivation comes from goals, and, strangely, I cannot articulate what my goals are. If someone asks me why I am doing this, the only really honest answer I can give is "because I must; I cannot live any other life".
My goal for the next while is to more clearly define what I believe my purpose to be. I remember reading somewhere that one way to define your life's purpose is to sit down and write down every idea that comes to your head (such as "I am here to . . . "). Do this for as long as it takes (write down hundreds if you have to). Any one that causes a strong positive emotion should be highlighted, and the one that makes you cry is your purpose.
Interesting concept. The one that brought the tears was "I am here to be the best father I can be" (or something like that--it was more the feeling than the words).
So how does one become a successful entrepreneur, and still be a successful family man? It is my intention to find out.
Regards,
At 15 years old I dropped out of high school (grade 10 in all subjects except English, which I failed and thus only have grade 9)
At 16 I was working full time
At 17 I had my solo pilots license
At 18 I was managing a hardware store
At 19 I got a job at a telecom company, where I spent the next 14 years
At 26 I got married and became a father (a girl)
At 30 I again became a father (a boy)
At 34 (with my wife pregnant with our 3rd child) I quit my job to follow a technology I believed in (I just walked out the door), wrote a best-selling book about it (which was nice cause it sorta laid the whole "failed English" thing to rest), became a father for the 3rd time (a second boy), and started a small company with three guys that I am honoured to have had as my business partners for the past three years.
During the next 3 years I learned things about stress and anxiety that I would not wish on my worst enemy.
At 37 I am now trying to figure out my strategy and goals for the next few years. Frankly, I am not as motivated as I want to be. I feel like I'm just punching the clock; the same as I would if I had a job (except the pay is not as good).
I always loved the whole concept of business. Not so much the money, but more the concept of creating something; of being the leader of something that changed people's lives. Now that I have put aside the theory and am actually having a go at it, it is sometimes hard to see the forest for the trees. It is so hard to find the balance between the reality (how do we pay the mortgage this month) and the dream (which is just some vague we-built-a-successful-company vision of the future).
I have this deep down confidence that I am going to be successful, but then I have to laugh at myself because I am not clear on exactly how I define success. I have read that motivation comes from goals, and, strangely, I cannot articulate what my goals are. If someone asks me why I am doing this, the only really honest answer I can give is "because I must; I cannot live any other life".
My goal for the next while is to more clearly define what I believe my purpose to be. I remember reading somewhere that one way to define your life's purpose is to sit down and write down every idea that comes to your head (such as "I am here to . . . "). Do this for as long as it takes (write down hundreds if you have to). Any one that causes a strong positive emotion should be highlighted, and the one that makes you cry is your purpose.
Interesting concept. The one that brought the tears was "I am here to be the best father I can be" (or something like that--it was more the feeling than the words).
So how does one become a successful entrepreneur, and still be a successful family man? It is my intention to find out.
Regards,
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