Attitude of Gratitude

The Master in the Art of Living

The master in the art of living makes
little distinction between his work and his play,
his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body,
his information and recreation, his life and his religion.
He hardly knows which is which.
He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does,
leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing.
To him, he’s always doing both.
- James Michener

I've had this inspiring quote framed and hanging in my office for years and read it often. Like many entrepreneurs, I am passionate about business and life, and I'm happy to say that one feeds the other.

98% of all businesses in America are classified as small business and we are what keeps the entrepreneurial spirit of our great nation alive and well. When you started your business, you all had positive attitudes that no one could dampen. You worked the incredibly stupid long hours, living on adrenaline and dreams as you grew your companies and took great pride in what you were accomplishing.

But things change, we get set into a routine and the day-to-day challenges seem never ending and, quite honestly, a bit depressing. Your attitude turns negative and you start thinking, "What the hell did I get myself into?"

I host the Startup Junkie Underground. It's a great group of independent people creating great companies. Over 100 entrepreneurs get together once a month for a strong speaker and networking that makes them wake up at 3 AM with a "wow" idea. Last month, I was speaking to a friend about his business and he complained how biz is down 30% and said, "I should probably close and get a real job." My reply was to point out that the "real Jobs" are cutting back big time and to stop the pity party, think smarter and work with the same enthusiasm as when he started his business five years ago.

Attitude of Gratitude!

Are things tough now? Yep, for everyone. But stop, think back and remember when you started and why you did it. Get up in the morning with an attitude of gratitude, grateful that you followed your path and you're in a country where you can build your dreams. Read Michener's quote again and realize this is you, who you are and what you are. You're a crazy entrepreneur that starts businesses and has the passion and drive to keep it going.

Remember that a bad day working for yourself is better than a good day working for someone else.