I love loading up my car with a stack of CD’s, a thermos of coffee and a well worn map (yes, a map) laying on the front seat. Hitting the road with miles to go, miles I can drive any way I want, is a thrill I never quite grow tired of.
Such freedom.
I can choose my path. Main roads. Back roads. Odd roads just to see where they go. No one complains, and getting lost is part of the fun.
I also set the pace. I can drive as fast as I want, if I can get away with it. :)) Or I can take my sweet time, if that’s how I feel.
I am, quite literally, in the driver’s seat.
And no, I don’t mind traveling alone.
But sometimes, having some help can really make a difference.
Like, when I’m driving a stick shift.
From the right side of the car.
On the left side of the road.
In an unfamiliar city with 9.7 million people.
During morning rush hour.
While fighting a bad case of jet lag.
Sometimes, having the right help, well, helps.
I once spent time with a friend exploring Great Britain. Our very first challenge was to find our way from the airport to a B&B where we planned to stay that night.
In an instant, we were deep into Adventure.
I managed the car and the traffic. She tried to decipher the map. We made several trips around the same block, I’m sure of it, and earned a few glares as we stumbled our way across London.
It’s probably good you weren’t there to see that part. :)
But stumble we did, and eventually we arrived. That was, in itself, a small miracle.
I could have made it by myself, but it would have been much harder – and nowhere near as much fun.
Entrepreneurs like to travel alone, too.
In fact, just like a good road trip, being an entrepreneur can be pretty intoxicating. We love diving deep into a new Adventure – testing our skills and seeing what’s possible.
We set the course. And we set the pace.
We do what we want, the way we want, when we want.
We, too, are in the driver’s seat.
But entrepreneurs shouldn’t drive alone.
Not really.
Because no one, and I mean no one, drives to the top of any endeavor without help along the way.
Lots of it.
I’ve run one business or another for over 25 years, and I’ve always sought out support. Over time, that’s ranged from meeting colleagues for coffee and brainstorming, to taking business courses at the local college, to joining Facebook forums and Linked In groups.
But I have, by far, made the most progress and experienced the greatest success when I was willing to invest in my own growth as a business owner.
And I’ve done that by hiring the best teachers I could find – whether (I thought) I could afford them or not.
I hired my first business coach in 2005, and have had coaches off and on ever since. At each stage of growth, I’ve made a bigger commitment, scaring myself to death every time.
I’ve never regretted it.
These days, I work with 2 coaches, and a weekly accountability partner, and a mastermind group with members from around the world.
And this is what my teachers look like now. :)
The Uplevel Academy Gold Mastermind
So where are you are on your own journey?
Do you want to start a business, but don’t know how?
Have you been in business for a while, but find yourself stuck in struggle, unclear and unsure of what your next steps should be?
Are you doing well, but have overwhelm leering over your shoulder, threatening to throw you off track?
Wherever you are, don’t travel alone. :)
My private coaching clients are serious about building a business, and a life, that feeds their families AND their souls. They put everything they have into their work, and their growth is tangible. They start treating themselves, and their business, with a new kind of respect.
It’s not always easy – hardly ever, in fact.
But it’s real. And good.
Incomes go up. Confidence goes up.
Joy comes back.
And on the days when they get a little lost, someone’s there to help read the map and get them back on track.
If you’re an entrepreneur, I encourage you to seek out the support you need to get where you want to go. There’s a ton of help out there, just waiting for you to ask for it.
If nothing else, gather entrepreneurial friends and start a mastermind. Reach out to someone you admire and ask her to mentor you. Join a Linked In group for business owners and start asking questions. Find someone on the same path and hold each other accountable to your goals – and dreams.
And if having someone right there with you while you navigate those roads could make a difference, reach out to me.
I’ve traveled a lot in my life, and I don’t mind exploring the world on my own. But on this trip, personally, I want company.
I encourage you to find the same.
Photo Credits: Riza Nugraha, Christine Kane.