Entrepreneurship comes with many perks, like flexibility and financial freedom. The journey of an entrepreneur can be a challenging one, so it becomes crucial to understand how doers get more done. Taking a calculated approach through disciplined entrepreneurship can help resolve this dilemma to a great extent.
What is disciplined entrepreneurship?
Disciplined entrepreneurship is a framework for building successful startups that was developed by Bill Aulet, the Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship. It is based on the idea that entrepreneurship can be taught and learned, and that there are specific processes and principles that can be followed to increase the chances of success. According to Aulet, disciplined entrepreneurship involves three main components: vision, execution, and iteration.
How doers get more done: Five key success factors
The two common issues entrepreneurs encounter along the way are: 1) not being supported by a spouse; and 2) juggling entrepreneurship and parenthood. The juggle may never fully subside, but how can you show up at your best both for your business and for your family?
There are 5 things you need to have in your life to juggle entrepreneurship and parenthood successfully:
- Set clear boundaries.
You need to decide what your true priorities are so you can make time for the things that are truly important to you. When you set boundaries, check if they conflict with other aspects of your life. Your priorities should never be in conflict.
- Find ways to work more efficiently.
One of the key success factors when it comes to this is to use time blocking. Your personal and business priorities should both have a place on your calendar. Once you know your value, you can determine what things you can outsource so you can work on what matters to you. When you are working inefficiently, you spend more time doing things that are not important, and you are ultimately taking away time that you could spend with your family instead.
- Get support.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help. This will help you get more done in less time. Being a parent can be a lot to handle sometimes even with disciplined entrepreneurship. And that’s okay! But drowning in your business and in parenthood is not okay. So get the support you need! That could mean hiring a VA, getting a nanny, or asking a friend or family member for support.
- Communicate with your partner openly.
Being in a relationship is not always rainbows and butterflies. Things can get tough to handle. In those times, remember to communicate your needs to your partner so they can understand them and help you come up with a solution. When there is clear and open communication, you have more support. Make sure you clearly communicate your boundaries, your vision, and your “why,” and just watch the results.
- Make time for yourself.
Happiness doesn’t come from outside. Yes, external sources can make happiness easier to attain, but they can’t give you happiness. While it’s true that the doers get more done, the last thing you want is to be stressed out and experience burnout because you didn’t take time for yourself. When you make time for yourself, you become a better spouse, parent, and entrepreneur.
Celebrate life. As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” Are you taking time for yourself to know yourself and your worth enough so you don’t have to put up with things you don’t have to?
Bonus key success factor: Use social media judiciously.
If you use social media for your business and you are a parent, make sure you keep social media away from your conversations with your kids. When we speak about viewership and following, we often speak about it in business terms. But for kids, those conversations can lead to them attaching their self-worth to social media.
How doers get more done with disciplined entrepreneurship?
Even as a disciplined entrepreneur, sometimes being a business owner and a parent can be a bumpy road. Even if you need to spend more time working at times, that’s fine as long as you’re fully present with your family. After all, being a great spouse, parent, and business leader are all interconnected.
Remember,
- Life with no healthy boundaries leads to feeling trapped in the pursuit of constantly pleasing others.
- Find ways to work smarter, not harder.
- Figure out how you can do more in less time, and get the right support.
- When you communicate with your partner openly, you allow them to understand your vision and to participate in finding a solution that works for everyone.
- If you need to spend more time on your business, make sure that when you have time with your family, you are fully present. Taking time to celebrate life is one of the key success factors to winning on purpose.
