I wanted to give up. Several times.

I wanted to give up on my coaching business already a few times.

I have always dreamed of building a successful business that makes an impact. The business where I help others succeed using my strengths and expertise.

When we imagine our own business, we have this beautiful picture of someone working remotely from Bali, having many clients working with us, and traveling worldwide. At least, this is how I wanted it to be. So I opened my own business wanting to have the same personal and financial freedom asap.

I didn't tell myself that it would take years to become a successful entrepreneur. So I didn't prepare myself for all the hardship I would have. I didn't warn myself that building a business alone would be a hell of a journey.

It's been almost two years since I went self-employed. I work from my home or other places in The Netherlands. I work many hours to develop my coaching expertise and grow my business. I don't have a house near the ocean.

The image of how I wanted my life and business to look doesn't match what I have now. I wanted to give up because I wasn't close to what I wanted. I had a feeling that I would never get there. It was tempting to quit.

Let me tell you that getting the results we usually want takes longer than we expect. Overnight success is a rare thing. Learning stuff to keep your business up and running is a real challenge. However, we do not consider this when starting a new journey. We want to have that amazing, fulfilling life within days or months.

I wanted to skip all the good parts of the sweat and tears of my journey. Yet I realized that I hadn't done everything to achieve what I wanted. Sometimes I wasted too much time thinking about what I didn't have instead of what I needed to get there. So I was purely focused on an outcome rather than a process and today's achievements.

Why haven't I given up then?

Because I believe in what I do, I'm great at what I offer people. I know that many people need my help. People who achieved results worked really hard to buy that house and work from Bali. Unfortunately, no one showed how tough it was for them.

Although there will be blue Mondays, I know how to quickly get myself back on track. When I feel a little stuck, I ask for help. Sometimes I need a little nudge from the outside world like a reminder of my strengths and purpose that will get me to my destination sooner or later. 

If you are on a mission of building the life you want, be ready that it is going to be a challenge. However, the sweetest part is enjoying the process and rewarding yourself for your progress. Do not fall into the trap of thinking that you will never get there. Instead, look back and realize how much you have already done. If you have achieved these results, you can do more!

Have you experienced the same? Share your story!