by Lee Sumner
Business and Personal Coach
Call 205.870.1877 or email lee@nolimitscoach.com

Dear Coach Lee —
I’m a small business owner in what some people consider to be a successful business of twenty years. My problem is I no longer have a "fire in my belly" to grow my business. In fact, I often find it boring. I’d like for my work to be fun and challenging again, but maybe it’s too late for that?
Signed,
Fat and Frumpy Cat

Dear Cat:
You’ve asked a great question. Could it be the fire was fueled by things you’ve outgrown over 20 years—a family who depended on you, or the desire for expensive toys and the need to feel you were "winning"? Perhaps you’re ready for some new fuel.
You spend more time at work than at any other single activity. Doing work that saps your energy is like throwing your life in front of a train. After all, the issue here isn’t so much about what you do, it’s about who you’re being when you’re doing your work. When do you feel most alive? Maybe it’s when you’re meeting new people and talking to them. How can you bring more of that into your work?

I know I’m being successful
You say "some people" consider your business successful. How do you measure success for yourself? Identifying the three elements that are key to you at this time will help you naturally set priorities and orient your life around what’s most important.

There are three steps to this process, developed by Thomas J. Leonard, the founder of Coachville and author of The Portable Coach.

Step 1. Ask yourself: How do I define success for myself?
Write the following sentence three times and fill in the blanks:
"I know I’m being successful by ___________."
It’s very important that you use the exact words so you can articulate more clearly how you not only define success but how you know you’re being successful at any given moment.

Step 2. Tweak your responses until they resonate. You’ll know your success definition is phrased well when you feel a tingle in your body or feel the light bulb go on. It may take a couple of days of tinkering with the wording before it zings.
Can’t make it zing? Then write something entirely different.

Step 3. Notice the tugs you feel. As you find yourself thinking about success over the coming weeks, notice the way it tugs at you to make small, or perhaps significant, changes in your life. You’ll catch yourself fairly quickly when you feel pulled away from your definitions. You’ll find it easier to say no to people or situations that just don’t fit anymore with what’s most important to you. It’s up to you if you want to make these changes right now, but at least you’ll know what your body and heart are suggesting.

Here are some Strong (S) and Weak (W) examples of definitions of success. It’s strong if it resonates with you vs. just describing something important to you.

S: I know I’m being successful when my stomach is knot-free at all times.
W: I know I’m being successful by how calm I am.

S: I know I’m being successful by how easily I convert my ideas into revenue streams.
W: I know I’m being successful by how much money I have in my checking account.

S: I know I’m being successful by how many exciting things I have scheduled in my day.
W: I know I’m being successful by how excited I feel.

Ways to keep a fire in your belly
1. Lighten up.
Making money is serious business. So is raising a baby. But you don't hang around a baby looking sad and bored. You try to teach the baby; to keep it interested; to make it happy. You try to make life fun for the baby.
2. Be creative.
Is there a new, creative way to add a twist to what you do? Find ways to implement creativity in your daily responsibilities and tasks. This creativity will help you stay engaged in your business or career.
3. Develop your own mastermind group.
Identify the people in your life who are your biggest fans and ask them to be on your support team. Brainstorm together, get positive feedback, ask how they’ve dealt with difficult challenges.
4. Change your environment regularly.
Rearrange and clean your work environment. Change your daily routines. Stretch yourself to do things in a new way. This will keep you renewed and invigorated.
5. Be grateful. Celebrate your successes.
When you focus on what you have to be grateful for, you will continue to get more to appreciate. Rewarding yourself for accomplishments is a powerful motivator that will help you continue to enjoy your career.
6. Practice extraordinary self-care.
Are you one of those people who gets up in the night to go to the bathroom and checks your email on the way back to bed? Give yourself time off. Begin with a 24-hour "Escape Day" when you don’t think about, talk about, or do anything related to your business. Scheduling regular times away from your business helps you gain a well-rounded, positive perspective.
7. Challenge yourself.
Don’t get stuck in the same old grind. If you can do your work with your eyes closed, it’s time to look for a way to challenge yourself. Set and achieve specific performance goals. Start a new project. Mentor or work with dynamic people. Do what it takes to stay excited and engaged.

Lee Sumner is a Certified Professional Coach who has helped hundreds of people create high-quality lives. She is President of No Limits Coaching and Vice-President of the International Coach Federation--Alabama. Send your questions to Lee@nolimitscoach.com and visit www.nolimitscoach.com.

Click here to email Lee or call her at 205.870.1877