5 Things You Can Do Today to Invest in Yourself as an Entrepreneur
Saying that being an entrepreneur is difficult is a huge understatement. When you’re bringing an idea to life, there’s no door upon which you can knock for the answers to all of your company’s problems. There’s no punching out at the end of the day and only thinking about work during work hours. And there’s certainly no guaranteed vacation time.
Starting and running your own company has its built-in hurdles.
But one of the biggest mistakes that entrepreneurs make isn’t about their investments in their companies. It’s not investing enough time and energy in themselves.
As an entrepreneur, you are responsible for the health and well-being of an entire company — it can be easy to fall into the mindset that there are only so many hours in a day, and that there’s no time to prioritize your own wellbeing while your company is growing. But while common, this attitude can have disastrous consequences, for you and for your company.
Improving you means improving your company. You are the shoulders upon which the future of your organization rests. Taking care of yourself and attending to your own mental, psychological and physical needs is essential, no matter what stage your business is at. In order to be that steadfast boss leading the way, you need to redirect that focus and re-energize your base.
If you’re an entrepreneur, that base is you.
After years as an entrepreneur and CEO — and as a consultant, working with other entrepreneurs taking their businesses to the next level — here are some of my top strategies for living a life by design. That begins by doing things that focus on you, from the inside out.
CARE FOR YOUR BODY
You don’t have to go crazy with Crossfit or become a self-avowed gym rat. Allocate time to do something physical that lets you decompress, encourages you to unchain yourself from your desk and devices for a bit, and is good for your health. Walk, run, lift weights, swim, bicycle — whatever your preferred style of movement, regularly engage in an exercise-based activity that will truly serve to energize you, in more ways than one.
Not only are you working on your body, but exercise can also be a great gateway to visualization, especially in terms of seeing that stronger, improved you — in all facets of life.
Listening to and nourishing your body also requires the proper fuel. What you put in is what you will get out of it — aim for real, unprocessed foods that have minimal sugar and are packed with nutrients. Be conscientious of how what you eat makes you feel, so you can find what helps you feel your best and perform your best. And eating healthy doesn't have to require a large time investment. Companies like UCAN make nutrition easy and quick during your busiest periods — I love their cookies & cream powder and their peanut butter energy bar.
ENGAGE YOUR MIND
Some of the most successful people, particularly entrepreneurs, are voracious readers. A few staggering stats: Warren Buffett reads approximately 500 pages a day; Bill Gates reads a book a week. Oprah created her own book club.
When you read or listen on Audible, you are challenging your mind and honing those skills that are the trademarks of true leaders. Books and Audibles finetune your creativity, focus and self-reflection. Your perspective of the world and of the people in it deepens as books heighten your ability to see the “bigger picture.”
PRIORITIZE the HUMAN CONNECTION
A conversation might sound simple. But you’d be amazed at how many people — especially how many busy people — just gloss over conversations from which they could otherwise learn and grow. When was the last time you really sat down and had an in-depth conversation with someone in your community, in your church, in any type of organization to which you belong, where people share similar ideas and perspectives? And when was the last time you listened in earnest?
And true listening is about more than a conversation: it’s about the human connection and being willing to be vulnerable and form authentic, lasting relationships. And learning what others need to feel supported and empowered, so that you can offer that to them. We make a better world when we work together.
Hearing is easy. Carefully listening and intuiting what someone else is saying is the hard part.
CHALLENGE your MIND
Taking a class can be dismissed as being too time consuming. You’re an entrepreneur, after all. How are you going to be able to attend to your business, spend time with your family and take a class?
Fortunately, we live in a digital world — there are numerous online opportunities for self-improvement by way of graduate and undergrad classes, or online certificates. Enroll in a mini class or a master class. But don’t browse only for courses in your field. Look for offerings that stand out to you, that seem interesting, that stimulate questions and curiosity. There is a tremendous value in continuous self-enrichment.
The one thing a leader should never give up on is learning. Learning is a lifelong endeavor. As an entrepreneur, the pursuit of learning should always be a priority.
FOCUS ON your RELATIONSHIP WITH YOURSELF
Given the commotion of our “everyday,” we can lose sight of one of our most important relationships: the one we have with ourselves. When focused on bringing a business idea to life, we can slip into patterns of not being satisfied with what we’ve accomplished or neglecting our personal experiences.
Practice gratitude and compassion — we all need more of both. This can take many forms, from beginning a daily meditation practice (even just five minutes can make a big difference) to journaling about how you feel in the moment. Even reflecting off the page or while on a walk can help cultivate a better self-relationship.
Make sure that you are always setting aside time — and giving yourself permission — to be present. This will help you better appreciate the journey that you’re on, as well as feed into your professional life. It can make you more creative, calmer and more resilient as you meet the challenges and excitement of being an entrepreneur.
When you run your own business, it’s easy to become one-dimensional. You are that company — you live, breathe and sleep it. It’s natural to want to succeed and to believe that success comes from being beholden to the demands of your enterprise. But where does that leave your company? Entrepreneurs, perhaps more so than other professionals, need to take the time to invest in themselves, without feeling guilty. Your company will be better for it!
One of the best support systems you can have as an entrepreneur is another entrepreneur. That’s why I stay connected to peers and am part of various organizations that bring entrepreneurs of all stages together. I offer consulting and mentoring services for entrepreneurs of all stages. I would love to discuss how we could partner to help you meet your business goals and make sure you’re constantly reinvesting in yourself. Let’s see how we can work together.