5. Enjoy The Journey

Although much time has been spent on the vision and the earnest devotion toward achievement of that vision, it must be said that it is not only the final result that should be valued. When your vision comes to fruition through all your hard work, grit, determination, sacrifice, blood, sweat, tears, pain, suffering, missing out on free time, lack of sleep, missing meals, putting out fires, getting flaked on, and all the while doing it with a smile on your face, just remember one thing. Enjoy the journey.

Achievement of your vision is an amazing feeling. But to look back and see the person you have become through the entire experience of running your business and to see how far you have come is gratifying in itself. Fight through the challenges. Embrace the struggle. It is the hard times that make you appreciate the good times and the successes. If it were easy, everyone would be able to call themselves successful entrepreneurs. When you have been through the fire and made it out alive, there is a great deal of fulfilment and pride that permeates your soul.

There will be ups and downs. It is definitely not fun facing unpleasant situations, but your perception will drive how you approach each challenge, as well as how you react emotionally. The bigger the obstacle, the more you will have to grow as a person or as an entrepreneur in order to get over or through it. I have always tried to remember this when times get rough. Some wise words from my favorite philosopher:  “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.” – Bruce Lee