26 year old Summer Rayne Oakes is a best-selling author, successful model, and has launched two green companies.

Recently, Eric Markowitz, of Inc Magazine, asked her how she found the time to work on all her projects, and how she handled working 80 - 100 hour weeks.

Her response was, "I’ve been working an 80 - 100 hour workweek since I was basically 14. The thing is, when someone becomes more of what you describe as an entrepreneur, and starts doing something that they’re passionate about and that they love, the workweek is not 9 to 5. This is built into my lifestyle. Most of my work is built around my life and who I am as a person. Even if I go out to an event, I feel like I’m working on my projects, because it so inherently defines me. I feel blessed in a way that this is something I was gifted with and that I had the audacity to risk it. And the only thing you have to lose is happiness."

The part that stood out for me was "This is built into my lifestyle. Most of my work is built around my life and who I am as a person." Every entrepreneur I know, who is extremely successful in whatever they are pursuing, is extremely passionate about what they are doing, and their business is usually a large part of their lifestyle.

They work 80 hour weeks because they are driven by their passion for what it is they are doing, and they truly believe they are making a difference in the world.

Most are not driven just by the money. They understand the importance of money in creating a sustainable business and they understand their clarity of purpose in business is to make money. But that is not all that drives them.

Almost everyone I've seen, who started a business just because they thought they could make a lot of money, quit too soon or failed because they had nothing to sustain them when things got tough.

Whatever it is that you choose to pursue, make sure it's something that motivates you to get out of bed in the morning, and it's something that can be built into your lifestyle.

It's important the business you choose is something you are passionate about (and that can also make you money). Because you will not be working 9 - 5. And if you're not passionate about and excited about your business, your product, or your service, then you will not be able to do the things that are necessary to become successful.

 

To Your Success,