When can entrepreneurs claim success?

Success takes time and lots of effort. All businesses involve many challenges and only a small percentage of startups survive their first year. So, how do we measure success?

It’s unfortunate that some view success as merely an overflowing of material possession. Having been in the business for more than twenty years, I feel that I have become successful because I have seen how people rise up from where they have started.

And looking beyond financial gratification, I feel blessed that in my own small way, I am able to continuously guide them on how to make their dreams a reality.

People naturally dream of becoming successful. Some become very ambitious and it would only result to two possible situations: 

• The goal has been reached through patience and perseverance or
• Failure

Dreams without action remain as such. And to expect something big to happen in our lives without doing anything is absolutely impossible. You may see yourself to be falling short in some aspect which you should find out yourself. To make someone as your basis in measuring success is not bad at all. In fact, if it can make you push yourself harder, then it’s good. But make sure that you are doing these things in a positive way.

UNDERSTANDING THE ESSENCE OF SUCCESS

It may be hard not to see people owning big houses, new cars and being able to travel often as unsuccessful people. In their own way, they might be. And there would be others who can be greater. And then you look at yourself to be almost invisible because of all these things that they have. When you measure up success with material things, it will only make you feel stressed, disappointed and unhappy. 

Real success is by knowing how much you have achieved your goals and how it has transformed you into a better person. 

1. Being positive. What makes a person lead a happy and stress-free life is by focusing on the good things rather than the bad. Not everything around us can be perfect.
2. It’s not all about you. One of the reasons why companies fail is when the owner only sees himself as the one and only being that the employees should listen to. We know that in a company, there should be collaboration between board members and executives. If a business owner is reluctant with other suggestions, this would surely affect on how the business would grow.
3. Seeing failure as a step to achieving your goal. Nothing is perfect. You may think that you have made a perfect business plan but things can go different along the way. Failure, when you try to see things through it more carefully, can enable you to think outside the box. Success is bound to happen when you learn from the mistakes as it slowly leads you to your goal. Seeing failure as stepping stones towards your goal is a positive attitude of any entrepreneur.
4. Keeping things in perspective. You get through the day with so many unexpected events which for some people may get their whole day messed up. Know how to focus on what is important and let go of small things that may disrupt your thoughts.
5. Asking help from others. It is never a sign of weakness if you seek help from others, most especially to those who have been through the same predicament as yours. To refuse is a sign of emotional immaturity. To seek help means that you are no longer trying to prove yourself as being perfect or a know-it- all.
6. Seeing others’ achievements positively. We attract positive things when we have positive thoughts towards others. Celebrating other people’s success is a sign of maturity and acceptance that success is not just meant for one but for everyone.
7. You no longer care about what others may think. There will be people who would try to rain on your parade and we can’t stop them from doing that. Learning to ignore them and just focus on what you should do.
8. You are open to changes. You know that to change should not be taken in a negative way but more of seeing it as a way of becoming better. It is simply taking responsibility on being able to change the things that you don’t like so that greater things can happen.

A successful entrepreneur is not measured on how much he has in his bank account nor how he is able to afford the most expensive things in this world. A successful entrepreneur is one who has peace of mind, satisfaction and happiness. When you feel that you all have these, then, it's mission accomplished!

(Armando Bartolome is known as the Philippines’ Franchise Guru, a business mentor to numerous micro entrepreneurs who are now themselves big names in the industry. This article is reposted with the author’s permission and was previously published on The Business Mentor column posted by ABSCBN News. For questions and more information, you may contact Armando "Butz" Bartolome by email:philfranchiseguru@gmail.com or on Twitter @philfranguru. His website is www.gmb.com.ph)

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