The 21st century came with great opportunities acted as a stepping stone to women’s upliftment worldwide. A few decades before now, it wasn't clear if women would attain such unimaginable heights in the world's economy.
Things, however, have changed quickly than we can ever imagine. Women have taken the front seat in almost every area of influence across the world. In the past, the gap between men and women in terms of innovation, development, technology, politics, education, science, the business was unbelievably wide.
Well, things have significantly changed. I think we are gradually approaching an era where gender inequality will be absolutely forgotten for good.
What Is Intentional Living?
First, you need to understand this; Life is made up of choices. Living intentionally is a choice. Every new day is an opportunity to make decisions and choices that will move you towards a bright future.
It doesn't matter what decisions you may have made in the past. Understand that choices you have made in your past cannot hinder you from a bright future. You must decide to pursue your goals and commit yourself to them.
A purposeless life hurts. This is something every woman in the world needs to understand. A highly successful woman with great potential is worth a hundred men.
Life is not a vacuum of emptiness, passiveness and inactivity. Choosing to live an intentional life is the first step to gaining mastery over and projecting your life in the right direction.
Living based on your key values is essential to your success. Living and abiding by your values and core beliefs makes the difference between living passively, purposelessly, and living intentionally.
Living intentionally is not a trend; neither is it a culture or a motivational speech to steer you up to work hard or hit the gym regularly. Living intentionally means slowing down, deeply reflecting on your actions, in-depth planning, organising, and executing actionable steps to bring outstanding success.
Living intentionally is a lifestyle. It is an intentional, sacrificial way of living that brings the absolute best out of your life.
Intentional Living For Business among female entrepreneurs
Women are continually putting in the work, doing unbelievable things hitting big milestones without any signs of relenting. What women have achieved in the past two decades is incredibly impressive.
How did young women set out to achieve, such in a short time? Let's listen to what one of these women have to say.
Erin Albert, a highly successful entrepreneur in her newly published book (single women), explains what drives many modern women towards global success. According to her; modern-day women practice an Intentional business lifestyle, an ingredient missing in male entrepreneurs’ world.
"Engrafting business into a core part of their lifestyle"- An envious trait among highly successful women in the modern world.
Lifestyle Business: How Majority of Women Intentionally Carved A Successful Niche BusinessWise
The desire and passion for becoming self-employed, being your boss, turning your skills, passion into a sustainable business is prevalent among young female entrepreneurs.
The new generation of women has carefully structured their businesses to be in harmony with their way of life. Rather than conventional entrepreneurial methods, women have deliberately chosen to engage in business as a lifestyle.
Lifestyle business is pretty different from conventional business practices. Lifestyle business stems from an idea, practise or experience. Blogging, for instance, does not require any formal education or training.
A traveller with amazing travelling experiences may choose to share her vast knowledge with the world. Consistent engagement and interaction with her audience make the world perceive her as a lifestyle blogger.
This is a type of intentional lifestyle business. Many women have implemented this as a core part of their lives. The results?
Over 10 million companies in the United States are owned by women between the ages of 25- 40. This is responsible for the employment of about 9 million Americans and a contribution of $1.7trillion to national revenue. The same statistics hold true across the globe.
Living an Intentional lifestyle In Business. Getting started
Are you a female entrepreneur looking to break records in the business world as other women have previously done? Then you have to start living an intentional life.
If you have resolved to climb up the ladder of success in the business world, these tips below will serve as food for your thoughts.
1. A proper understanding of your person, your ability, strengths and weaknesses
Every woman is unique and completely different from another. There is no woman with your combination of voice, skills, looks, talents and thoughts.
Intentional living starts with a proper understanding of who you are; structuring your career and business to be in harmony with your beliefs and character.
A critical reflection about yourself, your past achievements and successes will give you some tips on your strengths and how you can synchronise with your business goals.
2. Your Passion And What You Find Joy doing
Your strengths, skills and abilities are core aspects of your being. Your abilities and skills will only find expression through your talent, interest and passion. Here's a good example;
Sammy's story
"Sammy never gives up, no matter what she goes through! She's so strong and courageous everything bends to her will."
This is a great example of someone with excellent character strength. (a form of natural ability).
"Sammy also has an undying passion for politics, and she spends the whole day talking about her political ambitions."
It is clear politics is Sammy's area of interest. To become a successful politician, Sammy must channel her natural ability (ruggedness, courage and strength) into her passion (politics).
Channelling your natural ability to what you enjoy doing best would help you develop your dream lifestyle business.
3. Making Impact in your Choice field.
The essence of establishing a business is to meet the needs of people. It is only by meeting the needs of others; we fulfil your own desires.
Positively influencing the lives of others through our business shows a high level of intentional business orientation. The more lives we impact, the more successful we become.
4. How Do You Discover Your Passion Among A Plethora Of Interests?
It's possible you have more than one area of interest. The interest that takes up most of your time and derives the most satisfaction is undoubtedly your passion.
Qualities Of Intentional Living in Female Entrepreneurs.
They are certain qualities you expect from women who are passionate about success in entrepreneurship. For instance, you find out they are action-oriented; they live their lives carefully and intentionally to meet their desired goals.
hey never settle for less. They can never be caught accepting whatever life presents to them. They set clear goals and execute them fully. They know exactly what they want and go after it relentlessly.
Living intentionally fires you up, drives them towards achieving your goals. An intentional lifestyle in female entrepreneurs makes them work harder, smarter, purposeful and result oriented.
Four Tips To Help You Focus On Living An Intentional Lifestyle For Entrepreneurial success.
1. Stop talking, Stop wishing, Quit dreaming, Get into action Now!
Miki Agrawal, the founder of a trio of highly successful companies, has given her piece of advice. "Don't stay idle; do at least one thing each day that moves you towards your dream daily." It's simple, get busy!
One major problem you and I face as entrepreneurs is lack of execution. We make the goals on paper, and we fail to execute them in reality. Sadly, our male counterparts are good in this aspect. They are highly actionable.
Success is a result of many highly executed plans. Executing a bad plan is much better than an unexecuted, perfected plan. Dare to become a successful entrepreneur! Be intentional about executing your ideas, plans, goals perfectly.
2. Be Courageous and Daring; Take Risks.
Courage to do what needs to be done is an intentional decision you must make. It requires strong discipline and willpower to take calculated risks as an entrepreneur.
An entrepreneur is daring, courageous and willing to take risks that will move their businesses forward. The Nike slogan is much more of an advice than a marketing idea.
Quit the fear! Be intentional; take risks without the fear of losing. Living intentionally requires a great deal of courage, tenacity and intensity. You have to be bold in spite of harsh opposition.
Others will get in your way to offer some resistance. You will have to boldly hold your ground, overcome obstacles in your way and keep going.
3. Get Help
Failure in entrepreneurship begins when we feel we can do it all alone. Entrepreneurship is such that people need each other to stand tall. Entrepreneurship is not a competition to win, and it is a game of survival.
No one can't set up a successful business alone. We don't have what it takes! Partnering with others with the same perspective, ideas and mindset as ours increase our chances of success.
4. Update Your Knowledge Base.
Knowledge becomes irrelevant with time. Knowledge is essential to entrepreneurial success. Entrepreneurs must renew their knowledge base consistently.
An intentional effort in renewing and updating your knowledge about your craft is very important.
Arianna Huffington is a highly successful and respected businesswoman in the globe. Her major key to success is to pause, reflect, and learn to increase her productivity.
5. Focus On You, Nothing Else Matters
You are different and incomparable to others. Never compare yourself with others. Focus on you! Focus on achieving your goals. Where do you want your business to be five years from now? Start living towards it.
Comparing yourself with others builds jealousy, unbelief, indignation, hate. Don't forget people you compare yourself with were once in your present state. Like you, they also decided to live intentionally to get to where they are now.
Start your journey now. Focus on yourself, and you'd be the talk of others some few years to come.
Remember This;
Success and outstanding achievements do not happen by chance. They come through intentional hard work, commitment and sacrifice.
Living intentionally for business success requires a very high level of extreme determination and commitment. Starting a business has never been easy. Not in a time where things have become increasingly difficult.
No matter how difficult it may be, an intentional lifestyle of hard work and commitment will get you closer to your dreams each day!