Think back to when you were a kid with big dreams of your future?  Do you remember laying out your life, from how many kids you would have to the mansion you would live in with your prince charming and perfect little children to your dream job of being a doctor, nurse, attorney, astronaut or a successful entrepreneur?  How close did you come to your dream, your passion?  Is it your reality?  Are you living it?   

I remember a few years ago, I questioned what my purpose was.  I knew that God had a plan for me, just not sure what it was.  I had a long conversation with my husband and the one thing that I remember so vividly is him telling me that I was already living my passion through my work as a small business consultant.  He talked about the glow and excitement in my eyes when I talked about the successes of my clients.  He was right; my passion is helping women explore entrepreneurship.     

 Are you living it?

People often approach me with an all so familiar statement. “I want to start my own business, but I don’t know what I want to do?” My first response was/is, “What is your passion? What is the one thing that you will do for free with much fulfillment?”  At that point, the clients sit back, relax and reflect on the things that they enjoy doing.  We then can explore the possibilities.     

Are you the Entrepreneur you dream about?
Close your eyes and think about what gets you the most excited about life. Baking yummy sweet treats for family and friends? Helping family and friends with bookkeeping? Sewing clothes for oversized dogs? The answer is different for each of us.

According to the author of www.streetdirectory.com, there are four things an entrepreneur should focus on:

1. Get crystal clear on the problem you want to solve, and what it’s really like for those who are facing the problem, and apply your creativity in providing a solution.
2. More than just the solution, how will you deliver the solution so that it can be most easily accessed and used by your customers?
3. More than providing and delivering the solution, how will you reach those people so they know the solution exists?
4. More than reaching the people, and providing and delivering the solution, what does your business itself need so that it can continue to do, and improve upon, the first three, so more and more people get help?

Start to imagine!
Now, imagine what your life would be like if you spent the majority of your day actually doing what you love; how awesome is that! Before you become doubtful that it will work, take the passion quiz,  http://www.careerknowhow.com/passion/oviewquiz.htm.

Too often we put our dreams, our passion on hold for fears of the unknown.  Knowing your dream and living it—will help you in finding a balance in your life.  Are you living your dream?  If the answer is still ‘NO,’ then I ask you, ‘Why not?’

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sylvia Browder is CEO of Browder Consulting Group, a virtual small business consulting and coaching firm.  She is currently employed as a Project Director, business coach and consultant for the Women’s Business Center, Inc., a non-profit economic development organization with a mission of empowering women to start and grow successful businesses. She also serves as a volunteer SCORE counselor, an organization dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. She is also a Technical Assistant Provider for SBA’s Community Express Loan Program.  For FREE weekly articles go to Sylvia Browder’s Blog for Women Entrepreneur’s, www.sylviabrowder.com.  She can be contacted at info@browderconsultinggroup.com..

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Sylvia Browder

Sylvia Browder is CEO of Specialty Home Services LLC, a Home Improvement Company; a Small Business Consultant at Browder Consulting Group, a startup consultancy firm to help women with startup assistance, marketing, website and graphic design work and other support services. In addition, she has co-authored several published books; publisher of ‘Sylvia Browder’s Blog for Women Entrepreneurs’ a lifestyle blog; and publisher of ShopSpendBlack.com Business Directory & Blog platform created to help consumers find black owned businesses in a searchable format. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband of 30 years; 5 adult children and 5 grandchildren; church; friends and motorcycle riding.