All entrepreneurs, no matter the size and success of their business should remain humble. Humility keeps us fresh and new – two useful tools that serve a great purpose in the entrepreneurial world. Whether you are an entrepreneur who is starting a new fiscal year, a new week, or even a new project, here are six things all entrepreneurs should always be grateful for:
1. Resilience
It takes a specific mindset to guide you through the challenges of entrepreneurship. Having resilience and an open mind to navigate through consistent ups and downs, failures, and success is something to be thankful for. Not everyone is built to be an entrepreneur, but you are; be aware of your strength and be grateful for it.
2. Freedom
With entrepreneurship comes a lot of freedom. Granted this freedom is loaded with heavy responsibility, but still you’re free – free from a boss, free to work anywhere in the world, free to try new new ideas without needing someone else to sign off on them, free to fall as many times as possible, but also free to stand right back up and try again. Ultimately you are free to chase your dreams and go after exactly what you want. Your are one of the few lucky ones who can work with so much freedom. Enjoy it, grow from it, and don’t forget to give thanks for it.
3. Your team
Let’s face it, as much as we’d like to think entrepreneurs are superhumans, we’re not. We depend on an incredible team of people who help us take our vision to the next level. The many challenges that you and your team go through solidify your working relationships. And even the worse failures can help you come out stronger as a team. Be grateful for the awesome individuals you get to work with everyday. You can learn from them as much as they can learn from you.
4. Your customers
Don’t forget that your customers, your audience, and your users are the people responsible for your business’s success, so try to thank them. Being quietly grateful for their contribution is not enough. Go ahead and express your gratitude to them. Find creative and innovative ways to let them know, perhaps a personal call, a handwritten letter, a perk, or even a freebie.
5. Doing what you love for a living
Think about how many people are stuck at a job they’re not passionate about. Now think about the fact that you wake up every morning knowing that you get to work on something you love doing. In these tough economic times, a lot of people don’t get this kind of opportunity. Unlike them, you don’t wake up dreading to go to work. Remain thankful for the one-of-a-kind opportunity you have been given to work at your dream job.
6. Impacting and changing people’s lives
With great power comes great responsibility. That may sound pretty daunting, but it also has its positive qualities. As an entrepreneur you have the ability to offer people jobs, mentorship, useful services, and many other kinds of opportunities. What you do often can make a difference in other people’s lives. Not everyone gets to be in such a special position. Be grateful for the ability you have to impact and change people’s lives and use that as motivation.
As we begin a new year, it’s crucial to take a few seconds to stop and remember everything you have to be thankful for. Before you know it, you’ll be so focused on the year ahead, you may Not have time to look back. Take a moment to appreciate all you have and all you have achieved.