We’re admittedly not great about congratulating ourselves and celebrating #bossmoments and big wins. As soon as we hit our goal, we raise the bar, and we’re often too busy mapping out our plan of attack to acknowledge how far we’ve come. Plus, we do a pretty good job of regularly treating ourselves to little indulgences just because… so a “cheers” with a glass of bubbly doesn’t always seem to do our big wins the justice they deserve. We were sharing our struggle to properly celebrate with a creative peer when she told us how she acknowledges her milestone accomplishments: she buys herself a meaningful piece of jewelry. That way she gets a beautiful accessory as well as a constant reminder of good work done.
Connection is everything. Nurturing relationships is how you keep those connections alive and well. When you push your relationships aside for the sake of your to-do list, then you’re sacrificing the part of your life that will leave you feeling the most rich.
Healthy relationships are:
• Mutually beneficial
• Supportive and inspiring
• Honest
• Full of laughter
When we listen to podcasts, read books, and scan profiles in business magazines featuring big-name bosses, it’s easy to recognize what they have in common: a killer work ethic, a solid morning routine, and an insatiable appetite for growth. We’re not talking obsessing-over-the-bottom-line kind of growth—we’re talking about being a student of life. The entrepreneurs we admire not only live by a code of ethics and a tight sense of integrity, but are dedicated to learning more, honing their craft, and raising the bar for themselves every single day. Even the smartest experts will humbly admit to not knowing it all, but won’t stop trying to soak up as much knowledge as they can until the day they die. And they’re not just taking courses and continuing their education in a formal manner. They’re learning lessons from the books they always have on their bedside table, the stories they hear from friends and peers, and the life they’re living.
Students of life are committed to living lives full of experience, expansion, and exploration. To grow, you have to be open to change and willing to try new things and think new ideas. Being a student of life comes back to setting an intention and keeping your eyes peeled for lessons along the way. And it’s not just about learning new things to apply to your business (though as a student of life you most certainly will learn new tools, tactics, and concepts you can apply to your creative career). Being a student of life is about exploring the things you’re curious about. And that’s what makes people well-rounded, memorable, and interesting—beyond the work they do.
TRY THIS: THE NEXT TIME YOU’RE NETWORKING OR MEETING NEW PEOPLE, instead of asking them what they do, try asking them what they’re curious about, what they’re reading, or what they’ve learned recently.
Trust that if you do the work and actually begin implementing the mindset, habits, routines, boundaries, tools, and actionable tactics we’ve written about in this book, you can reap the rewards of being boss. But you gotta do the work!
We want to send you on your way knowing this: Being boss is a lifelong commitment and an exciting ride. Cultivating confidence takes practice, but slowly you’ll collect evidence that you can do this, which will only continue to propel you forward. Being who you are 100 percent of the time, owning your shit, making money in a way that reflects your values, being creatively fulfilled, and living a good life along the way will only happen when you get intentional about what you want and making it happen.
The work of being boss is never done—you’re always on your entrepreneurial path, and so are we. Our stories began at an advertising agency and a tanning salon, and there were lots of chapters in the middle that led us to create a chart-topping podcast and write an actual book (thanks for reading!). But we’re not done yet! This is just one more chapter along the way. What’s next? We don’t know. We hope to become best-selling authors (if you liked this book, give us a good review and buy one for your friends!). We’re hoping Oprah calls to invite us over for lunch. We can’t help but daydream about what it would be like to have a TV show. We have big dreams, but being boss is more than just thinking about big ass goals and best-case scenarios. We’re hustling every day to do the work, and resting (or taking an amazing vacation) when we need it. We’ve made plenty of space on our chalkboard, but we’re also focusing on enjoying the process and embracing the uncertainty that comes with being your own boss. We’re in it with you and using the same tips and tactics we shared with you here in this book to get there.