Playing a big enough game, discussed in the last article, is one element of entrepreneurial desire.  If you are not stretching as an entrepreneur, your energy will wane, and this life choice may start to look like a bad idea.

The second of the three essential elements of maintaining and growing entrepreneurial desire is to focus on the process, not just the destination.

Background:  What Drives Us

Many people think that entrepreneurs run after money, and that the dollars are all that they are interested in. This is simply not true. 

In my experience with many entrepreneurs, the common theme is independence, not money. You go to work for yourself to gain a measure of freedom; to be the master of your own destiny.

Confusion occurs in interpreting an entrepreneur’s motivation, because independence costs a lot of money. So there is a drive for money. It’s not about money as a be all, end all!

It’s about enough money to gain the level of independence you want.

This creates a very powerful pull toward a particular outcome, or destination, of financial and personal freedom. It’s easy to overlook the path and process to achieve that measure of freedom.

Process Versus Destination

We are a goal-driven society. People are constantly telling you to set goals and to work toward achieving them. This is fine. There is nothing wrong with going after what you want. It is just that too often, people don’t consider setting goals for how they want to get there.

How You Get There

If destinations are the milestones of your journey, what of the road? That is where you will spend most of your time. 

Entrepreneurial desire has as much or more to do with the process you follow for yourselves as it has to do with what you’re striving for. Getting frustrated with the journey has had more to do with people quitting than any difficulties in goal selection.

How to Identify Your Process

• How do you know that you are on the right path, for you? 
• First, does it feel right?
• Are you doing the things you enjoy? 
• Are you challenged?
• Are you growing and learning in the areas that interest you?
• Are you able to interact with people that give you energy?
• Are you able to avoid interacting with people that suck energy from you?
• Are you able to contribute on a regular basis (daily and/or weekly) to others in ways that work for you?
• Are you able to enjoy a sense of satisfaction over the smaller victories you experience?
• Are you measuring the smaller victories?
• Are you growing the strengths and skills that give you energy (or just the ones that “need fixing”)?

Everything takes energy to accomplish. The activities that really catch your attention are those that give you back more energy than they consume. 

Pay Attention to Your Energy

When you are feeling more alive and invigorated after an activity, definitely make a mental note to include that activity again in the future. This feeds your confidence and you are able to accomplish more. These activities certainly impact your level of enjoyment and being in a “flow” state.

By focusing on the process, and not just the destination, you will be able to customize your business activities to nurture your entrepreneurial desire. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself getting more accomplished with less effort, and enjoying life more in the process!

Next, we will examine the third element of entrepreneurial desire.