Designing Your Entrepreneurial Life

You invest time into the design of your real estate properties, but what about the design of your business, and your life as an entrepreneur? How much time and care do you put into the systems that promote your development—and eventually determine your success?

As with anything in life, there are ebbs and flows. At times, it feels like you’re firing on all cylinders and flying through all green lights. Then there are those days where it feels like nothing is going your way. Regardless of where you are right now, we all recognize the potential for life’s obstacles to appear just around the corner.

Rather than waiting to react to those challenges as they come, what if you put in place a set of principles and practices that prepared you for a smoother path, even when difficulties arise?

This is why designing your entrepreneurial life is key to your success. In fact, most successful entrepreneurs employ strategies to ensure their success is long-lasting and nearly guaranteed. If you examine the lives of most successful entrepreneurs, you will find patterns that emerge. Here are some that any serious entrepreneur might want to consider.

Building Your Vision

It’s never too late to start at the beginning. To get anywhere in your professional life, you need to know where you want to go.

Most people drift aimlessly through their lives, reacting to stimuli, and allowing opportunities and obstacles to define them along the way. Successful entrepreneurs take the time to identify their own passions and the vision for their life. They let their mission become their North Star, and then plan their path accordingly. Do you have a dream of where you want to be and what you want to accomplish?

Imagine your life five, 10, 20 years down the road. Where would you like to be, and what is it going to take to get there?

Most of us are optimistic about our futures. We like to think we can do it all, if given the time and opportunity. Unfortunately, there just isn’t enough time to excel at everything. Life is about making choices. Saying “yes” to one opportunity often involves saying “no” to another. This is why it is paramount to take the time to know yourself, who you are, and what matters to you.

At the end of the day, it’s not just about asking “What do I need to do to achieve the outcome I want?” but “Who do I need to become to achieve that outcome?” It’s about developing yourself personally and professionally to become the person you want to be. Having a plan prevents you from walking into the unknown unprepared.

Once you have an idea of where you want to go, it helps to establish your “why.” What is your purpose?

For some entrepreneurs, the purpose is simply to make as much money as possible. And if that’s your goal, that’s fine. Just realize that for most people, money alone as a motivation isn’t enough to keep focused and empowered year after year.

The world is going to present you with challenges and distractions. At a certain point, dealing with those challenges for additional financial gain might not be worth it to you anymore. That’s why it helps to have a motivation other than money—something that will drive you toward your goals, regardless of the obstacles you face or how successful you become.

Building Your Systems

Once the vision is established, successful entrepreneurs begin building their plan: setting goals, tasks, and subtasks to accomplish. For goals to be effective, remember to make them S.M.A.R.T—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timebound. This is key to setting yourself up for success.

It will take hard work and discipline to stick to your plans, and this is where motivation becomes crucial. Reinforce your wins by rewarding yourself and celebrating the milestones along the way. Rewarding the effort it took to hit your goals can be a great motivation, helping you stay on course even through the difficult times.

But also remember life is unpredictable. Should you miss hitting a target here or there, don’t become overly critical. Give yourself the freedom to learn from those mistakes so you can do better next time.

Building Your Team

Successful entrepreneurs use accountability to keep on track. They surround themselves with other successful people—positive influences who are supportive but willing to challenge when necessary. Look around. Who are your partners, mentors, and associates? How strong is your network?

You don’t need unnecessary negativity, but you’re also not looking for “yes” people. You want individuals who see the potential in opportunity, and sometimes that can come from unlikely sources. Successful entrepreneurs aren’t so driven by ego that they miss the chance to work with those outside of their organization. Even networking with competitors can be advantageous to your progress and help get you where you want to go. As an entrepreneur, you can never know too many people.

When it comes to your team, communication is key. Develop systems to help them thrive. Successful people spend the time nurturing relationships as much as they build their business. After all, it’s the people who make great businesses great. As far as organizational accountability, consider tracking your goals and strategies with project management programs like Monday or Asana. Building systems into your life keeps you on track. When things are on track, it frees you up to be flexible when needed.

Go Forth

You can wait for life to happen, or you can choose to be proactive. Visualize your dream, build your plan, set goals, and take the next step forward.

The RAL Academy has helped thousands of entrepreneurs across the country design their financial futures. If you’re looking for the right investment opportunity and need help finding your path forward, visit ralacademy.com to learn how we can help you.