5 Fun and Surprising Business Lessons I Learned From Mojo
I'll confess right now.
Mojo is one of my favorite topics of conversation.
You might be wondering: WHAT is Mojo? The dictionary definition of Mojo is: Personal magnetism, magical power or charm; something worn or kept to bring good luck And while it's important to understand WHAT it is, I want to share some anecdotal lessons about WHO it is.
WHO is Mojo? Mojo is my very appropriately named smart, charismatic, lovable and energetic 3 year old miniature Australian Shepherd dog whose personal magnetism is off the charts.
So besides being the proud mama of a furry 4 legged son, you might be wondering how the heck this is even remotely relevant to you, or if the summer heat has finally melted my brain.
As a busy entrepreneur, much of my time, energy and focus is on making sure all the hundreds of things get done that are necessary to take great care of my clients and grow my business.
And because I love my work, it's easy for me to completely lose track of time and not have the best work/life balance.
And even though I intellectually "know" how important work/life balance is, I also pride myself on my work ethic and stamina.
So when we brought Mojo into our lives as a 9 week old puppy, it was actually a huge adjustment.
And one that I'm really grateful for.
The unexpected benefit is how many valuable business, spiritual, and life lessons that I've actually learned from him.
Be Present: One of the biggest lessons that I've learned from Mojo is to witness what it truly means to be fully present...
like, ALL the time! Mojo is a master at being fully present and living in the now.
And that has been so helpful to me on so many levels.
As an entrepreneur growing a business, it's so easy to be caught up in planning and executing what needs to be done for both the short and long term of the business, which is mainly future related.
But Mojo reminds me to enjoy the present: to enjoy the beautiful day today, to take a walk, to sit in the grass, to wrestle and play with him and his toys, to cuddle with him and rub his belly, to laugh at some of his funny mannerisms and expressions and creative ways he likes to get our attention, and stuff like that.
He also reminds me to be present to simple things like taking care of myself - eat when I'm hungry, sleep when I'm tired...
without any guilt.
Be Persistent: Mojo is relentless at letting us know when he wants something, especially when he wants us to play with him, take him for a walk, or play with his furry friends.
When it comes to the things he really wants, he doesn't (at first) take no for an answer.
As an entrepreneur, it's important to be persistent about getting our message out to the world, to identify new and innovative ways to reach our ideal clients, to create and deliver value to our clients, etc.
Being an entrepreneur comes with ups and downs, and persistently doing what it takes to be successful is a key ingredient.
Be at Peace: Mojo is at peace with who he is.
He's not regretting the past or worrying about the future.
He's a master at fully showing up as who he truly is (and how he truly feels), being real & authentic, with both his attributes and quirks.
As an entrepreneur, I think it's so important to do regular spiritual and personal growth practices that cultivate being at peace.
I have found that the more I genuinely, openly, honestly, and vulnerably show up for my prospects and clients, the more they show up for me.
Be Playful & Positive: Mojo gets a lot of positive reinforcement when he's playful and positive.
He truly enjoys having fun, playing games, playing with his toys, playing with his friends, and exploring new things.
He can take the most ordinary thing and turn it into something fun and playful.
As an entrepreneur, this is one of the biggest lessons I've learned from Mojo.
I have an intense work ethic and drive, so I don't take time to play as frequently as I should.
Fortunately, several times throughout the day, Mojo reminds me (with persistence!) that it's time to play.
More and more I'm taking this lesson into my business and personal life and I'm scheduling more time off to play.
And guess what? The more I do, the more I naturally attract people and opportunities, which ultimately translates to making more money and having more fun! Play Full Out: Mojo has two speeds: Fully on, and fully off.
He fully commits and decides to either DO or NOT DO whatever he does.
There's virtually no second guessing or hesitating.
That doesn't mean that he always succeeds.
When he does something new, he doesn't always get it on the first attempt - but he goes for it 100%.
This reminds me of Yoda: "Do or Do Not - There is No Try".
As entrepreneurs and leaders, there is a big difference between being "interested" and being "committed".
When you're just interested in something, you're just testing the waters, seeing how it goes, etc.
But when you're committed, you'll do whatever it takes to get the job done, no matter how hard it is, no matter what obstacles or challenges you have to overcome.
So, next time you're in a bit of an entrepreneurial slump, remember these 5 lessons from Mojo to set you right again! Simply ask yourself: "What Would Mojo Do?" And remember, sometimes taking a nap or taking some time to play is the best, most profitable thing you can do!
Mojo is one of my favorite topics of conversation.
You might be wondering: WHAT is Mojo? The dictionary definition of Mojo is: Personal magnetism, magical power or charm; something worn or kept to bring good luck And while it's important to understand WHAT it is, I want to share some anecdotal lessons about WHO it is.
WHO is Mojo? Mojo is my very appropriately named smart, charismatic, lovable and energetic 3 year old miniature Australian Shepherd dog whose personal magnetism is off the charts.
So besides being the proud mama of a furry 4 legged son, you might be wondering how the heck this is even remotely relevant to you, or if the summer heat has finally melted my brain.
As a busy entrepreneur, much of my time, energy and focus is on making sure all the hundreds of things get done that are necessary to take great care of my clients and grow my business.
And because I love my work, it's easy for me to completely lose track of time and not have the best work/life balance.
And even though I intellectually "know" how important work/life balance is, I also pride myself on my work ethic and stamina.
So when we brought Mojo into our lives as a 9 week old puppy, it was actually a huge adjustment.
And one that I'm really grateful for.
The unexpected benefit is how many valuable business, spiritual, and life lessons that I've actually learned from him.
Be Present: One of the biggest lessons that I've learned from Mojo is to witness what it truly means to be fully present...
like, ALL the time! Mojo is a master at being fully present and living in the now.
And that has been so helpful to me on so many levels.
As an entrepreneur growing a business, it's so easy to be caught up in planning and executing what needs to be done for both the short and long term of the business, which is mainly future related.
But Mojo reminds me to enjoy the present: to enjoy the beautiful day today, to take a walk, to sit in the grass, to wrestle and play with him and his toys, to cuddle with him and rub his belly, to laugh at some of his funny mannerisms and expressions and creative ways he likes to get our attention, and stuff like that.
He also reminds me to be present to simple things like taking care of myself - eat when I'm hungry, sleep when I'm tired...
without any guilt.
Be Persistent: Mojo is relentless at letting us know when he wants something, especially when he wants us to play with him, take him for a walk, or play with his furry friends.
When it comes to the things he really wants, he doesn't (at first) take no for an answer.
As an entrepreneur, it's important to be persistent about getting our message out to the world, to identify new and innovative ways to reach our ideal clients, to create and deliver value to our clients, etc.
Being an entrepreneur comes with ups and downs, and persistently doing what it takes to be successful is a key ingredient.
Be at Peace: Mojo is at peace with who he is.
He's not regretting the past or worrying about the future.
He's a master at fully showing up as who he truly is (and how he truly feels), being real & authentic, with both his attributes and quirks.
As an entrepreneur, I think it's so important to do regular spiritual and personal growth practices that cultivate being at peace.
I have found that the more I genuinely, openly, honestly, and vulnerably show up for my prospects and clients, the more they show up for me.
Be Playful & Positive: Mojo gets a lot of positive reinforcement when he's playful and positive.
He truly enjoys having fun, playing games, playing with his toys, playing with his friends, and exploring new things.
He can take the most ordinary thing and turn it into something fun and playful.
As an entrepreneur, this is one of the biggest lessons I've learned from Mojo.
I have an intense work ethic and drive, so I don't take time to play as frequently as I should.
Fortunately, several times throughout the day, Mojo reminds me (with persistence!) that it's time to play.
More and more I'm taking this lesson into my business and personal life and I'm scheduling more time off to play.
And guess what? The more I do, the more I naturally attract people and opportunities, which ultimately translates to making more money and having more fun! Play Full Out: Mojo has two speeds: Fully on, and fully off.
He fully commits and decides to either DO or NOT DO whatever he does.
There's virtually no second guessing or hesitating.
That doesn't mean that he always succeeds.
When he does something new, he doesn't always get it on the first attempt - but he goes for it 100%.
This reminds me of Yoda: "Do or Do Not - There is No Try".
As entrepreneurs and leaders, there is a big difference between being "interested" and being "committed".
When you're just interested in something, you're just testing the waters, seeing how it goes, etc.
But when you're committed, you'll do whatever it takes to get the job done, no matter how hard it is, no matter what obstacles or challenges you have to overcome.
So, next time you're in a bit of an entrepreneurial slump, remember these 5 lessons from Mojo to set you right again! Simply ask yourself: "What Would Mojo Do?" And remember, sometimes taking a nap or taking some time to play is the best, most profitable thing you can do!
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