Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Repositioning yourself as a consultant is your move to stepping into entrepreneurship and becoming a business owner.
And, well, it can be challenging, and it requires a lot of grit, determination, and resilience. But one of the most important things that entrepreneurs must have is a strong set of values.
Your values are the foundation of who you are and what you stand for. They guide your actions, decisions, and behaviours. Once you step into your role as a consultant, your values will play a critical role in your success. They help you stay focused and motivated, even when things are difficult. They also help you to build a strong brand and reputation.
One of the most important values for entrepreneurs is courage. Courage is the trigger for almost everything. When you see people stepping out of their comfort zone and doing amazing things with their life, it’s because they have stepped into their courage to move them from being stuck and allow them to kickstart momentum and thriving! It all starts with courage.
Courage is what will help you to transition from your role as an employee to becoming a full-time consultant. Don’t get it twisted though sis, it isn’t easy! Let me tell you what happened with me… Yep, I’m going to put myself on blast!
You see, it took me a while before I developed the courage to fire my boss. I wanted to leave my 16+ year career in legal finance and work for myself full-time, I planned it, and it made logical sense. I gave myself 6 months…then 6 more. I found myself ‘mentally preparing’… (AKA procrastinating) for 18 months, telling myself it wasn’t the right time.
- First, I was too busy with work.
- Then, my team was short-staffed
- Plus, I just got promoted, and I didn’t want to abandon the team
- And, my manager was new, she needed my support
- I was just about to get a pay increase
- And a bonus, I didn’t want to lose out on the bonus, I earned it
But, there’s no escaping your purpose, my life just shifted and suddenly, I had the overwhelming need to make the transition. I reached a point when I couldn’t go on anymore. I was out of alignment. My job didn’t fit in with my values. I didn’t have the passion for my job and wasn’t fulfilled and when I thought about what I wanted for my future, I couldn’t see my job in the picture. I couldn’t see the 9 – 5 limitations in my life. I had to step up and step out. And that’s what I did. I did what was maybe the most courageous thing I have ever done (to date). I quit my job.
Best thing I have ever done and you know what’s funny, all of the excuses I had, still existed when I left.
My teams were still busy and short-staffed. My boss still needed my support, I didn’t benefit much from my pay rise and my bonus – the taxman got most of it!
I tell you this to say, listen closely to the excuses you are making. I’m not telling you this to judge you, I’m saying this through experience. Whatever it is you are telling yourself, it’s time to get out of your own way and step into your courage. As I said, courage is the trigger which will begin the momentum that will change your life.
Next, after stepping into your courage comes a feeling that will fuel you to take action. That feeling is called empowerment. Empowerment embodies you and gives you a quiet knowing, but this is also the place where some people get stuck. This 4-Step Value System guides you to reach the next step in the formula using a catalyst method to begin a momentum that leads you to take action.
Action gets you from point A-B, but, continual small actions, driven by your momentum, eventually move you from point B – Point Z. Each time you move forward after taking action, you embark on growth!
Whatever starts with courage, ends with growth. This is my 4Step value method which helps you to change the direction of your life.
As well as knowing and understanding your values, another important value for entrepreneurs is passion. Passion is what drives entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and overcome obstacles. When you are passionate about something, you are more likely to put in the extra effort and work hard to achieve your goals. When you are holding down a full-time job, you are going to rely on that passion to keep you motivated as you put in a few extra hours.
Finally, PURPOSE. Purpose is crucial as it gives you a sense of direction and meaning. It also helps you to make decisions that align with your values and passions. Without doing that, you run the risk of one day realising the business you created does not align with who you are at your core. So put the ‘inner’ work as a priority in your life. When you do that, it will change your life. Forever.
The true beauty of consulting and stepping out on your own is having the flexibility and freedom to create your business around your life. In order to reach this level of alignment, you need to do the necessary to identify your values, passion and purpose. This will set the basis for alignment between your personal, professional and spiritual growth. This is what I call authentic alignment.