Heres How Entrepreneurship Has Changed Me - Classy Career Girl

Heres How Entrepreneurship Has Changed Me According to the most recent American Express OPEN, State of Women-owned businesses report, between 1997 and  2015, when the number of businesses in the United States increased by 51%, the number of women-owned firms  increased by 74% â€" a rate 1-1/2 times the national average.   This is an incredible rate of change for women contributing  to the economic development of the U.S. This is an incredible statistic to reflect on, as I remember seeing countless women in Corporate America struggle with  the fact that they had little ability to influence their work or set hours that worked for them and their families. We now have the ability to make a difference in a meaningful way and also make the call on what hours work for us.  Yet, this somewhat utopia can seem elusive when you first enter the entrepreneurial world and work more hours than  you ever did at your corporate job.   I know, because I’ve been on this journey for the last six months and a work day  with fewer hours than my previous corporate job is not common for me yet. This new world has caused me to question all I am made of and pushed me to be 100% true about what I really want  from work and life as an entrepreneur. Heres How Entrepreneurship Has Changed Me When I first started my entrepreneurship journey, I wanted to be a life coach who helped people find their dream work  and design a life they love.   As I wrote copy for my website and took the course material to support this dream, I kept  coincidentally connecting with coaches who taught the law of attraction and the power of positive intention.   I found their  message to be persuasive and inspiring. I thought to myselfâ€"this is the secret sauce I’ve been missingâ€"this is what I need to focus on! I followed their direction and endeavored to live life in the highest vibration possible, with daily positive intention setting.   Then I started growing frustrated because I was seeing this message everywhere, with a distinct lack of  tangibility and methods toward action.   I realized I was getting frustrated because I was depending too much on the  universe/mindset shift/vibration change, etc. and not putting out enough personal effort to move my business forward. I was denying the success factors that got me to the great financial position I had attained.  Yes, I had a lot to learn about getting still, creating more positive belief in my life and trusting in the universe.   This was  the learning gap I had to fill as I became a coach. However, letting go of the character traits and interests that had  enabled me to be a powerful co-creator with the universe (or whichever force you believe in) was keeping me from  being my most powerful self. I had given up my love for all things financialâ€"investment tools, spending behaviors, money podcastsâ€"in service to the  intangible.   I replaced visualizing for action planning and meditating for scheming.   The pendulum had swung too far.   It  was time for me to marry the intangible and tangible and understand that there was to one right way. However, there was indeed the right way for me. Six months into my journey as a life coach I am now studying for my Series 6 investment and health life insurance  exams, honoring my desire to bring structure to dream making.   If someone would have told me this when I started, I  would have scoffed at the idea.   Now with the unique experience of having learned what I needed to about the  intangibles of making your dreams come true, I am combining that knowledge with the tangible. The goal in sharing my story is to provide insight into the entrepreneurial journey and share how it can change as you  evolve in the building of your business.   Nothing in life is static, especially not your business. Holding on to the traits that enabled your success in the past will be just as imperative as learning the new tools of your business.  Stay curious about the unique ways you can contribute without it needing to look a certain way.   You may find that the  world is calling you to leverage your past strengths more than you could have imagined.