Business Pilgrimage©
Small or large, new or generations old, men or women, entrepreneurs are one of the most important engines of present day economy worldwide. More so in the emerging countries where a large number of individuals create enormous opportunities creating new values. But what do they do, and why are they so necessary for society?
There is an important quality there within each entrepreneur, and that is the sacrifice. Based on Joe Abraham’s Entrepreneurial DNA book, there are 4 types of entrepreneurs: the builder, the opportunist, the specialist and the innovator. My experience is that sacrifice is in the DNA of all four of them. They would like to make a better world for themselves, for their children and for society at large so for that cause, they are ready to sacrifice their security, their free time, their relationships, money, social life and their peace too. Some say most entrepreneurs are living in polygamy. They married their spouse and they married their work and these two always compete.
Well, if this is the case, and the entrepreneurs are willing to sacrifice helping the greater society, then what does the society give back? If the entrepreneurs are giving such a great portion of their life to the common cause helping protect the economy and its growth, then who is protecting the entrepreneurs?
In our age of quick fixes and empty promises, sound and reliable principles of balanced life seem to have been lost. Without a balanced life or at least without making an effort for it, a large number of entrepreneurs are ending up burnt out, depressed, losing their goal and ending up broke, not just in a financial sense but in their relationships too. Four aspects of life should be balanced and that is rest, race, recreation and relationships. I call these the 4Rs. If you can’t balance these, then good luck in achieving a successful AND happy life with meaningful relationships.
It amazes me every time I meet a successful entrepreneur seeing his/her pride in their achievements and at the same time not taking enough care of themselves. Their business is in shape but they are not, to say the least. They just don’t get it. What’s the use of having a successful business when you had no time to see your son’s cricket game or your daughter’s performance at graduation? Business is only a part of your life and real life is more than business. That is why I always advise most entrepreneurs to go on a Business-Pilgrimage©.
Business-Pilgrimage© is a getaway for a week where you can go back to basics. You can sit down in a simple environment and relax, see where you are in terms of your goals, your plans, your vision, your mission. It’s a pilgrimage because you can have the help of gurus, you can learn new methods in business, age-tested approaches to life, and you don’t have to think of anything else but developing yourself. During the week, there are a few physically demanding tasks to get the right balance, but at the end of the week, you go away refreshed physically, mentally, spiritually. You have a new strength for reaching new heights and deepening your relationships. It’s a week that is focusing on developing your balance. Do this once a year and your life will be completely changed. You can become the entrepreneur you always wanted to be, you can have sound relationships that you need to be able to grow, and you’ll have proper time to rest and enjoy your hobbies too. This is the result of BusinessPilgrimage©. Come and try it for yourself!
