Even though it happened over 20 years ago, I can still remember the day I made the decision to become an entrepreneur.
The day started off badly. I overslept, it was raining, and traffic was a mess. All of this meant that I was late getting to work.
Once arriving in my office, things only got worse.
My office phone was ringing, and my secretary was nowhere to be seen. I hurriedly grabbed the phone and found my new boss on the other end. I barely said hello before he began lambasting me for what he termed “management inefficiencies.” As I attempted to speak up for myself, he cut me off, not allowing me to get a word in edgewise. He then proceeded to hang up on me, leaving me somewhat shocked.
I knew I needed to talk to someone and the first person who came to my mind was my mother. As I explained to her what had just happened, I finished my story expecting her to agree with me that my boss was a horrible person. She, however, took our conversation in a totally different direction.
She explained that first of all, she was not going to deal with what my boss said about my job performance because she knew it wasn’t true and, I knew it wasn’t true either. Then she proceeded to remind me that I had told her months before that I was bored with my job and I was thinking about one day starting a speaking, training and coaching business. Her question to me was, “When are you going to start living the life God called you to live?” She ended our conversation by telling me that maybe my boss’s call was just what I needed. And you know what? She was right.
Here are three things I learned that day which you can also apply to your life:
- Cheerleaders Tell You the Truth – I was expecting my mom to join my pity party. However, she knew my boss wasn’t the problem. Instead, she confronted me with the fact that if I had done what I knew I had been called to do or at least making plans for it, my boss’s phone call would not have really upset me. She reminded me that my fate was not in his hands and that I had the power to change what I didn’t like or want in my life.
- Sometimes You Need a Kick in the Pants – My mother reminded me that even though I was unhappy with my job, I had become complacent. Sometimes, it’s just easy to do nothing until something jolts you into action. My boss’s call was the kick in the pants that made me take action. After that fateful telephone call, I was ready to get moving towards what I knew I needed to do and what God had been calling me to do all along.
- Your Dreams Don’t Belong on the Backburner – I have never worked in one position for more than seven years in my entire professional career. Around year five, I became bored and at year eight, I always had a new job. I received the phone call from my boss in September of my seventh year in that position. If he had not made that call, chances are I would have just moved on to a new job. But, after speaking with my mother, I was reminded that God had called me to something other than a new job. I had placed the dream of owning my own business on the backburner telling myself that I could always do it one day. One day became that day for me. Since that time, even while working part-time or full-time, I have always had a business, ministry, and/or a non-profit.
Everyone needs someone to cheer them on; whether that’s family, friends, a coach or a mentor. They are the ones who will keep you focused and on track to live the life of your dreams and your God-ordained calling and assignment.
