Training To Be The Best Version Of Yourself: The How-To Success is a journey, not a destination, and to enjoy the journey of entrepreneurship is the biggest gift you can give yourself.

The life of a mother, wife, daughter, daughter in-law, and entrepreneur is an extremely motivating and rewarding one. And to be able to excel in each these roles require patience, perseverance, gratitude, and skills. I fulfill these roles at my best capacity each and every day, and to be able to do this, I need to train. I need training on all fronts of my life. I believe greatness is a conscious choice, and involves discipline.

After running a fashion business of 15 years, managing a family business for five years, and being on the board of EO Accelerator for two years, I have learnt that there is no other way to success than to train to be the best version of yourself.

I thoroughly believe in this philosophy by Marianne Williamson: "Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking, so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. It is not just in some of us: it is in everyone, and as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

While training has been an underlying force of my entrepreneurship journey, the key learnings along the way have been instrumental in my growth and development. As such, here are a few important lessons that I learnt through my entrepreneurship journey, which will keep you motivated, focused, and determined to achieve that goal you're after:

1. Meeting with yourself To unleash the power within, it is extremely important to set aside the first meeting of the day with yourself. Like we invest time to know a new person and become friends with them, it is imperative to spend time with yourself, and know yourself a little better each day. My 5am to 6am meeting with myself helps me to work on my beliefs, identify my shortfalls, and work on my inner strength. To be able to deal in the entrepreneurial world, one needs immense inner strength. Meditation and mindfulness helps heal and overcome all the parts of you that are not for your highest and best potential. Emotions such as fear, anxiety, and stress are replaced with trust, courage, peace, and love. Regular meditation helps rationalize these feelings, and remove it from the core, and thus helps to master thoughts and emotions. This process aids visualizing our true purpose and vision in life. Only when we visualize it, will we be able to realize it.

2. Make time for things that make you feel alive When I train for boxing, I feel each and every cell of my body is alive. Exercise and being physically strong is one of the most important things in my life. Besides improving my endurance and overall health, it makes my energy soar. To be high on energy throughout the day makes me deal with challenges at home and work with an elevated perspective. I believe before you meet a person, your energy meets theirs, be it interaction with family, peers, teams, and stakeholders. Your energy attracts like energies, and builds stronger relationships. To be in love is to be alive!

3. When you know greater, you can do greater Reading is one of the skills I have acquired in recent years. In this ever evolving and fast paced world, to be in the know-how of things is paramount for any entrepreneur. For me to excel on all fronts of my life, I need to read on various subjects, I read on spirituality in the morning, financial markets and world news at midday, and personal development and leadership in the evening. While reading gives me immense insights, it also reaffirms concepts that I value and live by. With discoveries and advances that are being put forward, our decision-making would be blinkered without constant knowledge. As the old age saying reaffirms, "knowledge is power."

4. Be reflective, be effective Journaling is an important tool for growth. As I journal, I self-reflect, which is highly powerful for awareness and improvement. When I write my blessings, experiences, and thoughts on paper or online, I get a greater perspective of my life and myself. When I can put my thoughts into words is when I believe in them and can integrate them in my life. This continuous reflection helps me become a better listener, negotiator, communicator, and leader. Above all, it fills my heart with gratitude.

5. Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other I have been a member of Entrepreneurs Organization for the past five years, and I would give credit to it for the enriched life that I experience. My thirst for learning is quenched to the core by this organization. The learning from like-minded peers and speakers from all around the world is phenomenal. This penetrates and enriches not only my life, but also that of my spouse and kids. I highly recommend entrepreneurs in any stage of their business to join organizations as such to discover your potential beyond measure. I believe leadership and entrepreneurship is a combination of business acumen, personal development, and discipline. The question is: would you want to be a good leader, or a leader for good?

Success is a journey, not a destination, and to enjoy the journey of entrepreneurship is the biggest gift you can give yourself.

Related: Five Lessons I Learned In My First Year Of Entrepreneurship