Over the last eleven years, I have spent a lot of time and money educating myself on how to build businesses. A university education, my own business coach, 100’s of books, online courses, weekend workshops – it never ended. For years, I strived to always know more in order to keep me ahead of the next business. I was the poster-boy for professional development.

But over the past couple of years, it is fair to say that I have mellowed considerably. While still learning, I have made some small changes in the way I see things and these changes have given me a general feeling of happiness and contentment. No matter how good my business, relationship, bank balance or footy team is doing; life is good.

Who would have thought that you could achieve internal happiness that was not reliant on a big bank balance or having a great business? Defiantly not me.

So this is why I stepped off the business building band-wagon for the moment… to bring you ‘my secret confessions of a happy entrepreneur’. These are simple rules that I follow in order to make every day a good one. Some of them are easier to implement and follow than others, but hey, if it was all easy everybody would do it.

Confession No#1: I stopped letting desire rule my life.

I use to want…more clients, more businesses, more money, more, more, more.

Desire was ruling my life. I was totally obsessed by achieving these things in life – sad, eh? But if you take a step back and look at it, our society, our parents, our schools etc all expect us to excel. It is the norm and the pressure can be intense.

Work hard, make more, get more and work harder – where does it stop?

So a couple of years ago I decided to start enjoying each moment for what it was, rather than for seeing it as a stepping stone to some ultimate place of achievement (wherever that is?). Now every moment is great and if I collectively steer these moments in the right direction, I’m sure the destination will look after itself.

Confession No#2: I learnt to control my inner environment

One day I realised that as a personal trainer, I had spent so many years studying only the body to make people LOOK good, and completely ignored what was upstairs. We often hear the fears and insecurities of our clients and I was yet to come across a client that didn’t have some kind of emotional scarring negatively affecting their life.

So my theory is… that if we can train the body, we must also be able to train the mind. With that, I threw myself into a regular practice of meditation in order to confront what happens when you peel away the distractions of life and just sit with your thoughts.

These quiet times of meditation allow me to look into my thoughts and see that most of the time they are actually just stories that I make up. No logic, no substance. Just fear based stories designed to give myself a hard time. So now I don’t give myself a hard time when these thoughts come. I just don’t give them a second thought – literally.

Confession No#3: I found activities that made me happy and I did them often

This is definitely one confession that can be a starting point for everybody. Identify what you enjoy doing and do it often – no bloody ninja mind tricks need here. For me, I LOVE to hang with ‘my girl’ and our baby boy, go surfing, get dirty in the garden (I currently have a small addiction to growing bananas) and go camping.

Life gets busy and things will ALWAYS get in the way. It is your responsibility to make time in your life for this stuff. There will ALWAYS be more work to do. The activities that make you happy are often things that will take your mind completely away from your business and you will more than likely come back refreshed, balanced and ready to attack.

Confession No#4: I realised that life is not perfect

Funny that. No matter how many good intentions you have, sometimes bad stuff happens. Now that could be on a big scale or it could be on a small scale. But one of the best things that I have done is to realise that there are bad days in life and that is OK.

Now this doesn’t mean that I just throw my hands in the air and walk away, I still have a clear and present focus on what I want to achieve in life. It’s just that I understand that there is some bad stuff that is going to happen along the way that I have no control over and getting upset about it is not going to help me or my family.

Confession No#5: Make your own path

Following people in life can be beneficial for a certain time but there is definitely a period where it is time to step out from the shadows and make your own path. Yeah it’s scary and exciting, but isn’t that what life’s all about?

Being comfortable with who you are and acknowledging the fact that some people will either like you or they won’t (and that’s really up to them) is a BIG step. Wanting to be liked is a common trait in our society but being 100% you (regardless of the response) can be extremely liberating.

Confession No# 6: I learnt to embrace change

Change was never really my friend. I would always find that I would get to a certain stage of my life or in my business which I would be really happy with and something would change. I would always fight this type of change and want things to be just the way the used to be.

Then I took some time and had a good look at that very concept and realise that everything is always changing… I change, my relationship with my partner changes, my business changes, my veggie patch changes and my little baby boy definitely changes. So now instead of fighting change, I welcome it. Nothing ever stays the same is this world and that is a good thing – we live in an ever evolving world.

Confession No#7: I learnt to be a treasure hunter – to find the good in the world

I know that you have probably heard this line of thinking before but I am here to tell you that it is extremely powerful. Each day, you can get up and look at all of the good in the world. Acknowledging how grateful you are for everything that you have and looking at all the positive qualities of those around you.

You can complain about your shitty situation, whine about your partner’s in-ability to wash the dishes properly (because that is very important) and general wallow in self pity.

I know which one I choose every day. Hug your partner or family and tell them you love them, be grateful for what you have and see the good in the world. It makes life a much more enjoyable place to hang out.

Confession No# 8: I learnt to give with no expectation of reward or praise

Now remember back to the person that I explained about at the start of this article. The one that spent thousands of dollars and 100’s of hours, bettering himself so that HE could gain more. Mmmm, very self-focused eh?

Well, I am proud to say that there has definitely been a significant shift in this kind of thinking when it comes to giving. I have surrendered trying to plan, structure and educate my way to where I want to go. I now just give what I can to those who need it. Where it will lead me I am not really sure but it is one hell of a ride.

My business now allows me to give to lots of people without asking anything in return. Free personal training, free business advice, helping friends, family; whatever I can give, I do. It’s funny you know, because the gratitude I feel in return from people is much bigger than any financial reward could ever provide.

That makes me happy.

So there is a little insight into the personal side of what makes me a happy entrepreneur. Heck, it hasn’t always been this way and it has been a pretty crazy path to get here. But I wouldn’t change it for anything.

Text by Rick Watson

Source: http://www.youngentrepreneurs.net.

To Submit your confessions please email them to confessions@makingittv.com