Enjoying the Process & Redefining What Your Success Looks like

So, this topic has been weighing heavy on my heart lately.  I think anyone, with any type of goal, in any season of life can relate.  You have these goals & dreams, and you’re super excited.  You start putting the wheels in motion to get yourself there…AND just as easily...you give up on them or put them on the back burner because you’re not getting there fast enough.  Whatever your end goal is (be a better parent, a better spouse, lose 10 pounds, run a marathon, start a business, make a million dollars, start a blog, spend more time with your mama), the thing that holds us back the most is enjoying the process.  I truly feel, you are not going to be happy in success (whatever that looks like to you) if you can’t be happy on the road that gets you there.

We need to understand that we are just as successful on our way to the end goal as we are when we reach it.  Every step in that direction needs to be seen, heard and celebrated.  If you do not take the time to focus in on that now, you will NOT be fulfilled when you reach your end goal.  You will just be striving for the next goal and missing out on all the amazing moments that got you right where you are.

Meg & I recently networked with a very successful real estate broker in our area.  It was great conversation, and during our meeting he asked, “what does success look like for you”?  Meg and I sat there for a second, and then I started blurting the things you would assume make a business successful...things around money, go to business, best at our job etc.  Since that meeting, my crazy brain has been thinking...Of course we need to define success and dream crazy dreams.  We need to have huge goals.  That’s what keeps passion alive and keeps our entrepreneur spirit on fire.  But just as important is truly living in the process that is getting you there.    My answer should have been simple…Sitting here with you is success    Brought me back to our why and here are some of the things Meg and I are celebrating on our way to success. 

END GOAL:  We want to create beautiful lived in spaces that people love & can afford 

Success is the client that cried when she walked into her redesigned living room space.

Success is helping someone see that they can love what they have by simply moving their items around in their space through our “Refresh” package, if they are on a tight budget.

Success was our decision to invest in a website too showcase what we can do and have a place to build our portfolio so people can see our work.

END GOAL:  We want our brand to build and support community 

Success is when we have shared or promoted another small business to a client or on our social media pages.

Success is when we decided to start a community page on our website.

Success is our new campaign we kicked off - #itstheinsidethatcounts – all with a mission to spread self-love and kindness throughout our local community.

Success is when a fellow business shared not only what we do but that we have “lots of feel good posts” as that is something we strive for.

END GOAL:  We want staging to become as routine as home inspections (say what?!?!)

Success is the networking meeting we had with a local realtor to help them understand what we do, how we do it differently, and most importantly how we can help their business and clients.

Success was us making the decision to get certified in staging so we fully articulate all that we offer besides a fresh space

Success is the house that just sold in 1 week after being staged for our client.

Were there failures along with these small successes...absolutely.  But if we concentrated on just that, we would not be moving forward as a business.  And I firmly believe that is why so many startup businesses fail.  If you’re always thinking about the end goal, and not in the moment celebrating every single step forward in your process (big or small), we challenge you to rethink what success looks like to you.  You my friend are worthy of celebrating every step in your journey, along with every set back as it brings you right to where you should be.  The only true set back is you giving up on wanting something more for yourself…

“Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness & growth occurs while you are climbing it” ~ Andy Rooney