“Life is such a struggle”. Who feels this way?

Yes, life is indeed a struggle. But it is also true that at the same time, life is a walk in the park.

Think for a moment of the things that you take for granted right now that other people have a hard time doing or having. You take it for granted because it’s there all the time – you’ve gotten used to it.

It could be that you can type 75 words per minute. It could be that you are a great doctor who can diagnose diseases. It could be that you can sing on Broadway.

Were these things in-born to you? No, you still had to learn, didn’t you? You still had to practice. You made mistakes. You’ve perfected what you now do quite effortlessly.

Before you got so used to it, didn’t you think that what you are doing so effortlessly now was a struggle? When you were starting to learn it, didn’t you have to make a lot of effort, give it a lot of your time and energy?

You can see where I’m going here now. What you are struggling today becomes what you could be an expert on tomorrow. Yes, you have to give it a lot of time and energy. A lot of effort, perhaps heartache, before it becomes second nature to you.

And when it becomes that – second nature – you will have a new set of struggles.

You see struggles are really only ½ of the equation. We need both challenges and support to grow. As I learnt from Dr John Demartini, we achieve maximum growth at the border of order and chaos, of support and challenges.

Without the challenges, we stop growing.

It’s all about growth. If we embrace the fact that we are here to learn and grow – and LOVE that experience instead of run away from it (you can’t anyway – the universe will make sure you grow), the more fulfilled in life we will become.

The bigger your challenges, the bigger your growth.

Determine your values. Determine who you are. Then follow your heart’s inspirations.

It could be a struggle, but you’ll love it in spite of the pain and pleasure it brings.

©2009 Marissa Carlos

In the last few weeks, we have been catching up with some friends or been having meetings with clients who are couples thinking of going into business together.

Inevitably, the conversation turns to how Henry and I handle being in each other’s company for almost 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as husband and wife and as business partners.

Well, it’s not something that just “happens” easily for us. Like anything that’s worthwhile, it takes a lot of love, work and commitment.

Of course, everything has its benefits and drawbacks. But for this week, we thought we’d share with you some of the benefits we find on being a couple in business and some exercises you may find useful. It’s an extract from our e-book “How To Grow Rich Together: The Couples Guide To A Lucrative Business”.

Family Unity

When your spouse is also your business partner, the substantial amount of time spent together working for a common purpose often builds unity between you. As business partners, you’ll learn to protect each other more from external forces that sometimes drain energy and enthusiasm.

For example, few non-family partners will take steps to bring order to an overwhelming schedule or commitment load. Few outsiders will pick up each other’s slack unasked. There’s a new level of bonding possible when couples forge business unions.

No one else could share your concerns about what’s going on with your venture like a partner who’s also invested in its success. In fact, a partner who isn’t involved in your business can easily become frustrated with hearing so much about it.

No one else will understand the sheer joy of each success the way a spouse who’s your business partner will. The victories are multiplied by two. Who else could know so intimately what’s kept you sleepless at night? Who better than your life partner will appreciate how much every little business victory really means?

If you have children, both business partners are parents who understand the time and energy challenges of parenting. Because you and your partner happen to care about the well-being of the very same child or children, it’s actually easier to reach agreement about the needs of your little ones. You can often even start spending an equal amount of time with the children, which enhances family relationships.

Exercise

As a couple in business, make sure you establish in advance (and along the way) rules and boundaries which build not only your business, but also your personal relationship. Hash out as many issues as you can – on both fronts — before you commit.

Both of you should grab pen and paper and write out your answers to these questions, and later review your answers together:

* What does success look like? Describe success in terms of how the family and business are running.

* What does failure look like? Describe failure in terms of how the family and business are running.

* What are you willing to sacrifice, and what would be non-negotiable?

* If you have children, what are your current responsibilities for raising them and how should those roles change or be tweaked once a business venture is launched?

* What are your measurable goals for the business? (E.g., how much income monthly, how many employees, etc.)

* Imagine this business venture is your new child. List 5 key business principles or rules to operate by which you feel will best prepare the child for success in the real world.

Remember, this is about the meeting of your hearts and minds so listen to each other, talk about your answers, share your dreams and fears and work together towards your aligned vision.

Live your dreams!

©2009 Henry Chow and Marissa Carlos

Henry and I just came back from Andrew and Daryl Grant’s 4-Day Workshop called “Look Inside The Grants’ Internet Business”.

We went there knowing we will take home with us more valuable information we needed to make our own internet business a success. They delivered so much content that it exceeded our expectations!

The amount of little known secrets that they, and their faculty members such as Bret Thomson, Yaro Starak, Greg Cassar, Paul Blackburn and Janet Beckers shared were just gold! We felt privileged being one of those people who learnt so much from such wonderful experts in their field.

Which brings me to my point - the importance of mentors.

Before we went to the Grants’ workshop, did we already have everything we need to bring our business to the next level?

The answer is ‘yes’. We already had everything we needed to bring our business to the next level.

So what was the difference for us? They showed us ways of short-cutting our time to getting there.

Sure we had other tools, tips and strategies we would have used, but they showed us better ways of doing things that not only will save us valuable time, but also help us make more money than we would otherwise make. Not to mention the fact they added to our knowledge base and toolbox.

Good mentors are worth their weight in gold. It doesn’t matter if you are just starting your couples business, or if you have already achieved some success, you need one.

If you are serious about getting your business to the next level and beyond, invest in a good mentor that understands the dynamics of couples working together and can help you take your business to success while also helping you work on your special relationship together.

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Our new online weekly newsletter, “In Two Minds”, will have its first edition released in just a couple of weeks.

As we have mentioned in our previous blog, we will be featuring the businesses of other couple-preneurs and put them In The Spotlight!

This is our way of doing our tiny bit so you, as a couple in business like us, realise the success and lifestyle you dream.

We have now finalised the guidelines for submission. Find out today how your business can be in the spotlight.

Click here now.