March is such a great month. Even though we had such a mild winter in the North East, I still eagerly anticipate the arrival of spring. Spring brings St. Patrick’s Day celebrations and March Madness: the tournament that crowns the #1 basketball team in the country. A famous basketball coach once said that great players win games but great teams win championships. The same is true for creating success in our business and our marriage. As entrepreneurial women, do you find your partner is on your team or does it feel as if they are always playing against you?
Do you often feel that getting your partner’s support for your entrepreneurial business is more challenging than it is to actually run your business? If you feel your partner is less than thrilled about your business or worse yet, he sabotages your success (even if he swears that’s not true), your relationship and your business will have a really difficult time getting along – making you feel like you have to make a false choice between business success and happiness in your marriage.
The relationship tool you must have for your business to thrive is to be in a true partnership – and not a competition – with your spouse. You and your partner must be on the same team – or your relationship will block your business success.
3 Simple ways to know if your relationship is a partnership that effortlessly allows your business to thrive or is a competition that sabotages entrepreneurial success?
1. Partners in business support each other’s efforts to achieve their goals. It is clear they are on the same team – even if they do not always see eye to eye on every business decision made. Marriages should work the same way – you support – and cheer each one’s individual goals – and efforts. Any marriage where spouses do not support each other’s vision for success are not on the same team and therefore their relationship is not a healthy partnership, it is a very dangerous competition. These relationships often resemble more of a competition than a partnership – they zap you of positive energy that would be much better spent pursuing your entrepreneurial goals.
If your partner exhausts you, rather than cheers you on – you are not on the same team!
2. In a true partnership, a win for you is a win for your partner. If your relationship operates more like a competition than a partnership, a win for you is a loss for your partner – and a loss for you is a win for your partner.
This will surely sabotage your business success if you feel your business can only thrive at the expense of a healthy relationship – so your business and your relationship are competing against each other – clearly you and your partner are not on the same team.
3. You feel your partner’s support for your business even if they don’t understand what it is you actually “do”. Let’s be honest, most of us don’t really know what it is our spouses “do” for work but that doesn’t stop us from supporting their efforts for success. We inherently understand our partner’s career success is a win for both of us. Our partner feels good about what they have achieved and we are proud of their success. We also benefit from any financial reward they achieved. We should expect nothing less from our partner for their unconditional support for our entrepreneurial business.
Having a relationship that works as a partnership will catapult your success in some many ways – both tangible and intangible! With your spouse on your team – you are able to spend your time and energy growing your business – and not worry about how your business might be negatively impacting your relationship – or your relationship sabotaging your business. Remember – a great player wins games but a team wins championships! Make sure you and your partner are on the same team and your business and your relationship will grow to dazzling heights!
The Place For Relationship Tools For Success In Business and Life,
Dr. Patty Ann
www.relationshiptoolbox.com
www.relationshiptoolbox.com/blog
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