This article is coming from the heart, when I say learn to let go of your ego. It was my ego that actually hindered my success for years. If I can help just one other budding entrepreneur to let go of their ego and move forward, then I will be happy. So what about the ego? It was three particular areas that caused me grief. One – I believed that I had to do everything in the business – in order to “claim the fame”. Two – that I had to be the wisest and most brilliant person and come up with all the ideas. Three – That I had to know everything… crazy I know!

In my mind I thought “I’m not allowed to be wrong… you don’t see the successful entrepreneurs getting it wrong do you?” Actually, I soon learned that they do. Look at Thomas Edison, for example, when inventing the light bulb he had something like 1000 “ways of not to do it” until he found the right way. If he hadn’t admitted that he was wrong those times, we would all still be sitting in darkness!

So, I wanted to give permission to all you budding entrepreneurs to let go of the ego – because as soon as you do, success soon follows and it is the most freeing thing you can do. Here are 3 things to think about:

1. DIY (DO IT YOURSELF) – For some reason, I had it in my head that the truly successful entrepreneurs did everything on their own. I believe I thought this because when you hear about their successes, you just hear their names not a list of helpers. What I realised, after much research, they have teams that help them out. Delegation is the key – do the things you want and find the best people for the rest. A great book to read is “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber.

LESSON ONE: Learn to delegate and do the 1-2 things you enjoy doing the most. Richard Branson, a successful entrepreneur, stuck to what he was good at and got others to do everything else.

2. If I can’t think up the idea, then it won’t mean I am successful – Such a silly thing to think, but to be completely honest, I believed it. I felt that if someone had an idea or suggestion that bettered mine, then I mustn’t be successful enough. After I got over myself, what I realised was it was the successful entrepreneurs that took on other peoples suggestions and criticisms to improve on what they had, make it bigger and better.

LESSON TWO: Be open to new ideas, suggestions and criticism. Ask yourself, how could I use this information to improve on what I already have?

3. I must get it right the first time or else it means I am not successful on my own right – this mindset couldn’t be further from the truth if it tried. You know what though, I believed it whole heartedly and took me a while to let go. To be a successful entrepreneur you have to have more courage and commitment than original ideas. Many successful inventions actually started off as an idea for something else – look up the slinky, silly putty and the Popsicle. Whatever happens with your idea or business let it naturally evolve, be relaxed – it will gravitate towards success if you just let go.

LESSON THREE: Ideas are organic, through trial and error, suggestions and natural progression; it will evolve into whatever it is meant to be.

Don’t worry about how you are going to get there, just be determined to reach your goal of success, whatever that means to you. I was able to let go of the way I was going to get to my destination, and it was amazing what opportunities turned up. When you let go of the resistance of the ego, there will be a flood of ideas, suggestions and money making vehicles that will take you to where you want to go. Just know where it is you want to head, research your ‘vehicles’ that will take you there and enjoy the scenery on the way!

Every small business owner wants to take their business to the next level and build the success of their venture. As such, small business owners should be willing to embrace any tactic available to them to increase brand awareness and grow their customer base.

Blogging for business owners is something which can expose their business to many people who would otherwise be unaware of it. Not only can blogging for business owners bring in more business for your company, it can even build employee morale! Blogging is a great tool for business owners and should be employed by any business which wants to grow.

Blogging for business owners works much the same as does any other type of blogging, but presents its own unique set of pros and cons. As a business owner, you must ensure that your blog speaks clearly to your readers and keeps the goals of your business firmly in mind. Especially if you are just getting started in blogging, it can be easy to lose sight of your goal; you must work extra hard to stay on message.

You need to come up with a plan for your blog which will help you to stay on topic and convey your message clearly to your readership. You should decide what your message is, what kind of content you want to offer readers (will you include video, images, audio, etc.?) and how often you want to add new content to your blog. Once you have developed a winning strategy for your blog, stay with this plan. Be determined – as a small business owner, this is a quality which you possess in abundance.

“Working 9 to 5, it’s a way to make a living”, Dolly Parton sang these words and are true – but is it the ONLY way to make a living. What would you do if you had passive income to support you – would you still be doing the job you are doing? Or would you be out with the family, travelling or buy that new house you dream of? Life is for living, so why not give it ago! What would you do if someone gave you 5 starting points to achieve this – would you consider aiming to live your life?

5 options to mull over and weigh up which will be your vehicle out of the rat race:

PROPERTY – Although the media tells us otherwise, now is actually a good time to buy property. Often the prices are cheaper and value will eventually rise (as it has after every other economic crisis). Make sure you do the research, talk to people who are also buying property now, and read up. A great book to read is “0 to 150 properties in 3.5 years” by Steve McKnight. These are many different ways to invest in property and this book covers a lot of them.

STOCKS – Now don’t shake your head at me and think I am completely mad. Before you jump to any conclusions read the article “Buy American, I am” by Warren Buffet. Here is a man who has survived stock crashes previously, and is one of the wealthiest men in the world, from stocks. My suggestion is do the research, if you are passionate about stocks – you will find a way to make money, especially at this time! Speak to others who are making money in stocks at this time – and learn from them.

START YOUR OWN BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY – Everything you see around you – the objects, the businesses and the relationships – began as a thought in someone’s mind. What gem is in your head that could bring you freedom and wealth? The best thing to do is start writing down your ideas, when something sticks -research it’s possibilities, the competition and so on. Ask people for their thoughts and ideas, it will evolve as you evolve. A brilliant book that will make sure you create a business that works for you, rather than you work in the business – “The E-Myth” by Michael Gerber.

FRANCHISES – If you feel that building your own business is too much of a risk, but still like the idea of having a business, Franchises are another great way to go! With proven systems that work and have proven profits, what more could you ask for. They often provide guidance and support through the whole way. One thing to keep in mind with franchises however is that you will need a substantial amount to invest with. Banks will probably lend you business loans for a franchise more so than an unproven business. Pick your franchise, check it aligns with your goals and also values & beliefs and you are on your way!

BUSINESS BASED FROM HOME OFFICE – A home based business is ideal for the stay at home parent looking to watch their children grow up. With the internet so useful and phone deals quite cheap, you can be at home – yet connected to customers around the globe! Home based businesses are often cheap to start up and can have the potential to make a lot of money. It is important to do your research as there are thousands out there, and some are illegal. Find the one that interests you and most importantly, has the potential to deliver the freedom and income you are looking for.

What now? As you read the above options, one may have stood out more to you than the others. Begin your “escaping the rat race” journey with that one. If it doesn’t work out, don’t be discouraged move to the next. You will learn more about what you do and don’t like as you go, enjoy the triumphs and learn from the mistakes. If you stay committed, it won’t be long before you are living the lifestyle of your dreams.