How does one experience success? Allow me to share more of my journey to success. I graduated from college with a fine arts degree with a dual focus in graphic design and photography. Then I minored in art history. Only because I needed just one more class, so please don’t ask me about Picasso, Ha!
I had no clue what I was doing business-wise, I did have some magazine experience as I was a creative director for a fitness magazine in 2004, before my 5-year corporate job, but the magazine closed due to funding—or lack thereof.
So, I practiced asking questions, found networking groups, took an entrepreneur class at the local county college, and met a few amazing mentors along the way.
Victor was one, he was my 1st call after I left my job. He was a very successful businessman and our personalities hit it off. His wife too, LOVE them both and we continue to keep in touch. Fun fact, Victor used to kick my ass in racquetball and I never had so much fun losing.
We also used to meet for breakfast before I headed into my dreadful full-time job. He taught me all about business and how to position myself and reminded me to learn my numbers and to always build relationships.
One day Victor said to me, “You can’t be a part-time Entrepreneur”. Especially when you are so miserable at your job.
It really hit me hard, and therefore, I accepted the challenge and strategically transitioned out of my full-time time job. I went part-time for about a year and then it all came to an end, and that’s when I called Victor as I was driving out of the lot.
“Victor, I did it, I’m done! I’m now a full-time Entrepreneur.” I feel irresponsible, but I’m ready, show me the way.”
13 years ago, I’ve made strategic partnerships and have asked for guidance as I evolved and learned the ropes of Entrepreneurialism. I’ve made so many decisions and choices over the last 13 years that sometimes I am still shocked that this is my real-life.
People always ask, how I do it.
I’ll tell ya how.
ACTION
Accepting and owning my decisions and choices. LOVING and embracing the crazy journey I was experiencing and allowing myself to achieve—and acknowledged the achievements that made me proud to continue and thrive ahead.
Too many people are lacking action because of fear, excuses, and the stories they tell themselves or allow others to tell them. I get it because I’ve been there and guess what, I still catch myself in my own stories. As we grow and evolve, more internal stories form, it’s called “up-leveling and breaking barriers—and success”.
INVESTMENTS
I’ve invested and I’m not just talking about financial investments. I’ve invested with action, decisions, sacrifices, choices, money, belief, research, love, and confidence.
ACTION AND INVESTMENT. Something we all have access too.
I know, you may be saying “Sue, I don’t have access to any more financial investments, or I don’t have access to more time to take more action.”
I get it. I’ve been there and still get there sometimes. We all have our crazy busy schedules and we all have the same amount of hours in a day and financials come down to how resourceful we are willing to be.
When it comes to time, I’m gonna shoot straight, you have to MAKE time. You have to rearrange your schedule and create a new structure to fit your goals. I had to skip happy hours, trips with friends, spa day with the girls, I’ve had to wake up at 5 am instead of 7, I worked an hour later at night, I worked during my lunch hour, I found the way.
As for financials, I’ve been in moments of disbelief where I said no, I can’t do it and I’d pass. I’ve also invested $3,000 and $5,000 in coaches and asked for a payment plan and figured it out with budgeting and using my bartending cash. I’ve asked for more credit limit, I took a loan out, I’ve used the PayPal credit to invest my business.
Every time, I invested with time, money, action, and sacrifices ( so they seemed at the time), but I really have GAINED. I gained a new direction, I gained traction towards my goals, I gained more clarity, I earned more, I learned more, I grew confidence and I gained self-trust and belief.
So I’ll say it again, You also have access to all of this.
Who’s gonna be your phone call because you’re ready for the next step on your journey.
Go make that call.
Discover Your Powers & Ignite Your Life
Sue
P.S. Action and investments are everything. Invest with time, effort, research, networking, implementing, reading, and yes, leverage a coach to support you through it all. In Discover Your Power & Ignite Your Life, I teach you simple exercises to clear and release the negative blocks. We take action, so you know how capable you are in having any of your desires and goals come to fruition. I teach you how to course-correct and shift after each week and guide you to FEEL the shift with focused thoughts and accountability.
You will strengthen your decision-making process while you are out there becoming more connected to your beliefs, goals, actions, and results! Join us now
Identity Magazine is all about guiding women to discover their powers of Self-Acceptance, Appreciation, and Personal Achievement.
We ask that every contributor and expert answer the Identity questions in keeping with our theme. Their answers can be random and in the moment or they can be aligned with the current article they have written. In that way, and as a team, we hope to encourage and motivate each other, thus inspiring you to Get All A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? Additionally, what are you still working on accepting? Now, we’re not talking about resignation, rather stepping into, embraced, and owned.
I’ve become accepting of my imperfect “mom tactics”. It’s such a mental game being a mother because you constantly worry about doing the right thing, saying the right thing. However, all the previous mothers are right, we do the best we can. The most important is showing love and kindness and teaching our kids that.
I’m always working on less yelling and stronger communication with my twins.
Appreciation is everything. What have you learned to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? On the other hand OR in contrast, are there elements of who you are that you’re still working on appreciating?
I so appreciate being a mother and the Universe giving me the opportunity to be a mom. I’ve experienced a messy miscarriage and the blessing to then have spontaneous twins… that’s a miracle I won’t take for granted.
Share with us one of your most rewarding achievements in life? Tell us not only what makes YOU most proud but also share the goals and dreams that you still have.
In addition to this little mom win this week, I’m so proud of surviving and thriving the first 5 years as a Mom. I’m proud of my husband and our communication and our promise to support one another. It’s not perfect, but both of us put the effort in.
