Pursuing success or happiness?

Don’t get perturbed by the amount of time I spend in the library. I just love books and free ones at that.

So I practically loaned out all the books relevant to website marketing so I ventured further to the business management section where an interesting book caught my attention – What Business Should I Start?: 7 Steps to Discovering the Ideal Business for You by Rhonda Abrams.

I am at a stage where doubts about my entire business idea are surfacing and am starting to entertain niggling thoughts if I should look into another business avenue.

So I dutifully followed steps 1 – 3 of the book. 

Step 1 Discover your entrepreneur type which fell under the Advisor/Counselor or Communicator/Teaching category. No surprises there.

Step 2 Define your aspirations. I want a business that allows me to supplement the family income so I can eventually quit my day job, spend time doing something I enjoy and still have time for my children.

It is enlightening. Once I thought I loved my present job because I was constantly learning and helping others solve their problems with the accounting software. But when I began this journey, I uncovered an ‘aliveness’ that I haven’t experienced in a long time. 

Step 3 Identify your talents and passion where I tracked back about 10 years and made a list of things I enjoyed doing or had talent in. Two things stood out – research which I really enjoy and event planning which I have talent in. (The creative, not the administrative part.) 

At this point, the author expressed that while it was good to pursue your passions, sometimes we just have to follow trends where business is more likely to be successful and focus on that aspect.

Perhaps travel planning wasn’t on her list or perhaps I am an idealist through and through. I don’t believe in pursuing a business that has a higher probability of success but one that doesn’t reflect your passions.