Success Advice from Entrepreneurs

Success Advice from Entrepreneurs

Sep 19, 2018 | Business, Life

I’ve always been intrigued by the minds of entrepreneurs. It takes a lot of guts, perseverance, skill, and a shit ton of failure (lessons) to be an entrepreneur. I’ve often wondered what makes other entrepreneurs tick? What’s their biggest driving force or their internal inspiration? What makes them different from “everyone else?”

Let’s face it, those questions are way too deep for a blog post.

But this next question, ooooohhhh this question, it reveals a different type of depth. It’s the root of the phrase, “shoulda, coulda, woulda” for some. For others, this question brings out a sense of hope and optimism, that they maybe once lacked.

I tapped into my network and asked over 60 people from 3 different continents, 5 different countries, and 29 different states to answer this one question:

If you could give your younger self ONE piece of advice, what would it be?

And with all transparency, honesty, and for some- no filter… they answered.

Here are my top 10 favorite answers:

Step into your power and recognize your own personal strength, beauty, and self-worth. Do this and nothing can stop you.    -Sophie Jaffe, The Philosophie

Don’t let other peoples perceptions, ideas, suggestions, or comments, effect what you truly want to do with your life… Remember – “Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind”     -Nate Buchan, World Nate

 Do not quit. Whatever you do, do not quit. You will face hardship. I’m not going to lie to you. It’s not going to be easy. It’s not going to be fair. But you survive. Oh boy, do you survive. And it gets better. But you can’t give up. You can’t quit. You must carry on, and choose growth and freedom.     –Kara Whaley, Business Strategist

Don’t doubt yourself   -Norma Jean Belenky, Norma Jean Loves

It’s okay that you don’t know where you want to be in the next 5-10 years. Everything will change, whether you like it or not. You most likely will lose some or even most of your “friends” and keep a few. Life is what you make it.    – Nicole Allard, Cobat Virtual

Your wildest ideas, could change the world. Do not fear failure, only fear inaction. Life is too short to wonder “what if?” Some people will understand your vision immediately, and others will never understand. You must show them. Above all, show yourself. You WILL fail, and you must accept that- but never accept failure for anything less than learning.   -Jesse Alton, Alton Tech 

Think big because anything is possible! The only restrictions in life are the ones I put on myself.    –Kristen Nolan, Metabolism & Fitness Coach

Focus on what is truly important in life. No one lays on their deathbed and wishes they had worked more. Give your employer 100%, but don’t sacrifice the rest of your life for it. Love hose who will love you back.   -Paul Critchley, New England Lean Consulting

Get the hell out of your own way otherwise you’ll spend entirely too much time making excuses for why you can’t do things instead of finding a way to make it happen.           Stephanie Patterson, SR Photo Studio

Seek INTEGRITY with anything you do. By integrity, I’m referring to improving your behavior patterns when no one else is watching. All political, economical and religious influences aside, the only justification you need for your current actions is whether the outcome will be one step forward or two steps backward from your personal and/or professional goals. This will allow you to remain humble and objective, devote 100 percent of your undivided attention towards work/life priorities, and view obstacles as opportunities when they arise. Eric Burratty, Eric Burratty Fitness

And if I ever had to give myself one piece of advice it would be “Don’t lead with your head or your heart, trust the gut. Your intuition won’t misguide you.”

What would you tell your younger self? Share them with me in the comments below!

Need more positivity in your life? Check out my book, “Mind Love: Bite-Sized Thought Nuggets to Fuel Your Life” for inspiration!

To Your Success,

Lauren

 

4 Tips to Overcoming Work-from-Home Loneliness

4 Tips to Overcoming Work-from-Home Loneliness

Feb 15, 2018 | Business

In 2016, there were approximately over 63 million Americans who worked from home. It’s not a new trend to ditch the traditional office and telecommute, but its popularity is on the rise. In fact, some CEO’s such as Sir Richard Branson, have never had a formal office. He works on the go and can make any place an “office.”

Many, like myself, think that working from home is the best way to work. It provides more flexibility, cuts the commute time, and can make for more productive days. I once read a statistic that people who work-from-home are usually more productive because there’s less workplace distractions (uh, tell that to the load of laundry currently staring me in the face).

While working from home has a seemingly never ending list of advantages, no one warned me of a huge disadvantage… loneliness.

Working from home doesn’t provide a lot of face to face contact; at least, not daily. A couple months in, people think it’s the most amazing thing ever. But a couple of YEARS in, some may experience extreme isolation from being home all day every day.

When I moved to Florida 5 years ago, this feeling maximized. Starting fresh in a new-to-me town with no friends and no connections was incredibly difficult in general.I didn’t even know how to go about making new friends; I’ve had most of my friendships since elementary or middle school. Even in college, new people were introduced to me through other friends.

Meeting new people wasn’t high on my priority list, because as an introvert I actually re-charge from being alone. But when you’re sitting at home and realize the only people you’ve seen in 3 weeks are the people you live with, you know it can’t be healthy.

Over the past 5 years, I’ve slowly come out of my hermit crab shell and have found that I since I don’t get my social interaction at work like some do, I needed to get out of the house, expand my network and connect with others…or as I call it, “feeling human again.”

If you’re one of 64 million Americans who work from home, or are even a stay-at-home parent who often feels isolated, try these tips out:

4 Tips to Overcome Work-From-Home Loneliness

Join a Group – Join an adult sports leagues (kickball, anyone?), a fitness groups, go to church, take a series of classes, or even volunteer for an organization. Or, if you already have a solid group of friends, schedule a trip to a theme park or take a day trip. The key is to schedule these group ventures in advance so that you’re held accountable. I’ve personally found my “mom friends” through the PTO at my daughter’s school. We schedule once a month outings to do various things without kids.
Local MeetUps – Business networking groups are great! Often times these group meet monthly (some weekly) PLUS they host numerous events. They get you out of the house, interacting with other like-minded people, and these events can open an array of opportunities for you. If you’re unsure where to start looking, check out your local Chamber of Commerce or go to meetup.com!
Work Outside the House– If you have a laptop, a phone, or even a notebook and a pen, you can really work from anywhere. Take your work to a coffee shop, a restaurant, a park, or my favorite place…the beach! Changing your scenery can improve your state of mind (plus you won’t be focused on the laundry that’s staring at you in the face to finish).
Ditch the Email– Tone and emotion are the first things to be lost in written communication, not to mention it’s the least personal form of communication. Pick up the phone; even better, video chat! I do these often with clients. It’s nice to “see” someone’s facial expressions or mannerisms while talking to them, not to mention tone of the conversation isn’t lost. Don’t undervalue the importance of a phone or video call, they often times carry more weight and value than an email.

Working from home doesn’t always have to be lonely. Embrace the flexibility working from home provides and get out and do more!

Switch up your view, schedule your outings, and most importantly, step out of your comfort zone.

Adventure on,

Lauren