I seem to spend a lot of time on the road these days. I\’ve been up and down the country, backwards and forwards, and from state to state. I\’ve even been to the other side of the world and back.
It\’s hard work, with lots of jet-lag and too much time away from my family. That always hurts.
But I enjoy it. I like speaking. The people I meet at events and conferences tend to be exciting, fun and inspiring. I get a real kick out of seeing the desire to succeed in the eyes of someone just starting out as an entrepreneur.
In fact, that\’s what really does it for me.
I\’ve met a lot of successful entrepreneurs who have created fantastic products, built giant companies… then sold out, relaxed and spent the rest of their days happily frightening fish from the end of their boats.
That\’s fine. If that\’s what makes them happy, I\’m happy for them.
But I know that what makes me happy is helping other entrepreneurs get started on their road to success.
Of course, the money is important. I\’m a business-owner, not a charity. But the money isn\’t what gets me out of bed in the morning. For me, now, it\’s the understanding that sharing my experience will make progress a little easier for other self-starters. That\’s the kind of reward that no income can deliver.
It took me a while to figure that out, and that\’s important too. Motivation is a funny thing. It can change without you even noticing. You might start a business with the idea of making enough cash to sell out in a couple of years and retire. Five years later though, you could find yourself still doing it because you feel that there are so many more things you want to do with your product.
Or perhaps you\’ve discovered that you\’re still not number one and want to stay in the fight until you\’re at the top.
Or maybe you just feel that you\’ve got more you want to give, and can\’t wait to see whether the market wants to take it.
The things that get you started aren\’t always the things that keep you going, so take the time to look again at what motivates you now. You might find that you\’re surprised–and that your motivation is stronger than ever.