, but also because they are so precious to me that I am willing to put up with the occasional hardships and make the sacrifices I can to help them have opportunities when they grow up.

I could take my income and spend my time in the Caribbean on regular, extended holidays. I sell it all and go on cruises around the world or little weekend adventures here or there. Instead, I show up nearly every day to my “work” (which I love, by the way!) and as I turn on my computer I look at my kids and remember why I’m here.

To be honest, I have an amazing “job” and very rarely find myself

It’s about half way through the year… or pretty close, at least. How are you doing in your business?

In the years I’ve been building and marketing my business, I’ve seen other entrepreneurs come and go. I truly hope the best for each one and it’s always sad when you hear about a great business idea from an excited entrepreneur one month, only to check in with them a few months later and hear that they’ve had to move on to something else because their business did not do as well as they had hoped.

In every business there will be good times and hardships and I don’t think anyone goes into business with the idea that it’s otherwise.

There are times when the stresses of the business can become so overwhelming, or the responsibilities of the business can become so mundane, that you think to yourself, “it would be so much easier to pack it in and get a ‘real job’.” I have those days too… and I find they often happen around the middle of the year. People always joke that Wednesday is “hump day” because it’s the middle of the week – the hump – and therefore the hardest day to get through. When you own a business and it has its annual ups and downs, I think it can be more like “hump month” – which is June.

So this article is about giving you inspiration and ideas to get through those times when you wonder why you’re doing it all.

I want to provide a great future for my children. My parents worked hard to see that I could have the opportunities I had. They sacrificed for me. Where did they learn that from? Their own parents, who immigrated to the US, gave up so much for them. Their parents – my grandparents – left behind a successful, prosperous life in Europe to move to the US in search of a dream.

Some like to call it the American Dream. I like to think that they had a dream that was much more individualized than that. They came here with very little except a positive attitude and high hopes for their unborn children. They did enjoy financial stability in their golden years but spent decades working to achieve it. My parents grew up in that financially stable environment and sacrificed some of their dreams so I could have opportunities, too.

And now I’m doing the same. By my computer I keep a picture of each of my children and I look at them all the time. Yes, I look at them because they are little darlings, but also because they are so precious to me that I am willing to put up with the occasional hardships and make the sacrifices I can to help them have opportunities when they grow up.

I could take my income and spend my time in the Caribbean on regular, extended holidays. I sell it all and go on cruises around the world or little weekend adventures here or there. Instead, I show up nearly every day to my “work” (which I love, by the way!) and as I turn on my computer I look at my kids and remember why I’m here.

To be honest, I have an amazing “job” and very rarely find myself

goes into business with the idea that it’s otherwise.

There are times when the stresses of the business can become so overwhelming, or the responsibilities of the business can become so mundane, that you think to yourself, “it would be so much easier to pack it in and get a ‘real job’.” I have those days too… and I find they often happen around the middle of the year. People always joke that Wednesday is “hump day” because it’s the middle of the week – the hump – and therefore the hardest day to get through. When you own a business and it has its annual ups and downs, I think it can be more like “hump month” – which is June.

So this article is about giving you inspiration and ideas to get through those times when you wonder why you’re doing it all.

I want to provide a great future for my children. My parents worked hard to see that I could have the opportunities I had. They sacrificed for me. Where did they learn that from? Their own parents, who immigrated to the US, gave up so much for them. Their parents – my grandparents – left behind a successful, prosperous life in Europe to move to the US in search of a dream.

Some like to call it the American Dream. I like to think that they had a dream that was much more individualized than that. They came here with very little except a positive attitude and high hopes for their unborn children. They did enjoy financial stability in their golden years but spent decades working to achieve it. My parents grew up in that financially stable environment and sacrificed some of their dreams so I could have opportunities, too.

And now I’m doing the same. By my computer I keep a picture of each of my children and I look at them all the time. Yes, I look at them because they are little darlings, but also because they are so precious to me that I am willing to put up with the occasional hardships and make the sacrifices I can to help them have opportunities when they grow up.

I could take my income and spend my time in the Caribbean on regular, extended holidays. I sell it all and go on cruises around the world or little weekend adventures here or there. Instead, I show up nearly every day to my “work” (which I love, by the way!) and as I turn on my computer I look at my kids and remember why I’m here.

To be honest, I have an amazing “job” and very rarely find myself

be more like “hump month” – which is June.

So this article is about giving you inspiration and ideas to get through those times when you wonder why you’re doing it all.

I want to provide a great future for my children. My parents worked hard to see that I could have the opportunities I had. They sacrificed for me. Where did they learn that from? Their own parents, who immigrated to the US, gave up so much for them. Their parents – my grandparents – left behind a successful, prosperous life in Europe to move to the US in search of a dream.

Some like to call it the American Dream. I like to think that they had a dream that was much more individualized than that. They came here with very little except a positive attitude and high hopes for their unborn children. They did enjoy financial stability in their golden years but spent decades working to achieve it. My parents grew up in that financially stable environment and sacrificed some of their dreams so I could have opportunities, too.

And now I’m doing the same. By my computer I keep a picture of each of my children and I look at them all the time. Yes, I look at them because they are little darlings, but also because they are so precious to me that I am willing to put up with the occasional hardships and make the sacrifices I can to help them have opportunities when they grow up.

I could take my income and spend my time in the Caribbean on regular, extended holidays. I sell it all and go on cruises around the world or little weekend adventures here or there. Instead, I show up nearly every day to my “work” (which I love, by the way!) and as I turn on my computer I look at my kids and remember why I’m here.

To be honest, I have an amazing “job” and very rarely find myself

an Dream. I like to think that they had a dream that was much more individualized than that. They came here with very little except a positive attitude and high hopes for their unborn children. They did enjoy financial stability in their golden years but spent decades working to achieve it. My parents grew up in that financially stable environment and sacrificed some of their dreams so I could have opportunities, too.

And now I’m doing the same. By my computer I keep a picture of each of my children and I look at them all the time. Yes, I look at them because they are little darlings, but also because they are so precious to me that I am willing to put up with the occasional hardships and make the sacrifices I can to help them have opportunities when they grow up.

I could take my income and spend my time in the Caribbean on regular, extended holidays. I sell it all and go on cruises around the world or little weekend adventures here or there. Instead, I show up nearly every day to my “work” (which I love, by the way!) and as I turn on my computer I look at my kids and remember why I’m here.

To be honest, I have an amazing “job” and very rarely find myself

, but also because they are so precious to me that I am willing to put up with the occasional hardships and make the sacrifices I can to help them have opportunities when they grow up.

I could take my income and spend my time in the Caribbean on regular, extended holidays. I sell it all and go on cruises around the world or little weekend adventures here or there. Instead, I show up nearly every day to my “work” (which I love, by the way!) and as I turn on my computer I look at my kids and remember why I’m here.

To be honest, I have an amazing “job” and very rarely find myself not enjoying every moment of it. But I’m also realistic enough to recognize that we all do have hardships sometimes and we need to keep the bigger picture in mind to help us get through those days.

What can you do to help keep you motivated to succeed through thick and thin?

Copyright 2006 Diane Hughes