You have probably seen some of your friends complain about something trivial via social media, and they might include the hashtag ‘first world problem’. It is a way of sharing a frustration but also acknowledging that it is only something that a privileged few in the world could actually complain about.

The very fact that you are reading this article means that you have an advantage over the 1 billion people around the world who can’t read. If you’re reading it with a cup of coffee in hand, made with clean drinking water, you are more fortunate than the nearly 1 billion people who have no access to clean water or flushable toilets.

Although you may have some health issues, you have access to health care – again, nearly 1 billion people have no access to health care of any description. If you are earning over $50,000 a year, you are in the top 1% of earners worldwide (2.2 billion people live on less than $2 per day).

Why all these statistics? Sometimes it is important to get some perspective. The fact that you have had access to an education and the opportunity to create a business, means that you are vastly wealthier compared to the majority of people in the world. Sometimes in the day to day of running a business, we can get jaded and negative about all the ‘woes’ that we have. But I think it is useful to remember that on your ‘worst’ day, the majority of people around the globe would trade places with you in a heartbeat.

None of this is intended to make you feel guilty about what you do have! But it is intended to help you ponder the abundance of resources and opportunity that are at your fingertips, and to encourage you not to waste your days bemoaning your difficult circumstances. Yes there will be times when life is hard, even though we live in wealthy circumstances by global comparisons. But perspective has a way of shifting our focus from a negative to a positive outlook and allowing us to make each moment and day count.

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

When I was nineteen years old, I told my parents I was going to travel overseas by myself. They laughed a little and said “no you’re not”. Their lack of agreement with my plans came not from thinking I wouldn’t have the confidence to do it, but because I had no job and no savings at the time. As parents should, they were looking at the practical aspects of my plan and concluded that it wasn’t feasible.

But this just made me more determined to find a job and save every cent. I managed to get there via some creative means (and borrowing the final portion from my parents!) and credit my three months travelling solo with building maturity, tenacity and resourcefulness.

When I started my business, there were similar naysayers about the longevity of my business plans. It was either viewed as a hobby or wouldn’t last beyond a few years. Some of these opinions were innocent and uninformed (not intended to belittle me, but just stating the ‘facts’ as they saw them), while others (from potential competitors) were a little more sinister in purpose. Regardless, I took all these comments as fuel to prove them all wrong – and ten years later I think I have!

Remember Jessica Watson, the Australian woman who at age sixteen sailed solo around the world? Although Australia now claims her as a great success story, many criticisms were aimed at Jessica, and even more so at her parents for letting their daughter do something so risky.

I imagine that while some of the comments hurt, they also spurred her on to prove them wrong. But more importantly, Jessica had her own intrinsic reasons and motivation for undertaking the journey. She stated that “I wanted to challenge myself and achieve something to be proud of. And yes, I wanted to inspire people. I hated being judged by my appearance and other people's expectations of what a 'little girl' was capable of.”

So ignore those who say ‘You’ll never make it”. Remember why you started your business, and listen to your own voice rather than any negative ones around you.
 

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender

One of the hardest aspects of running a business is to stand out from the crowd. Do you follow the trends of your industry in order to be recognised by your target market? Or do you work that bit harder to forge a new path and create a different and memorable business?

Here are some tips if you want to be one of the exceptional ones:

-       Surround yourself with success. People who ‘bring you down’ are not good for you in general, but particularly toxic for the affect they have on your business success. Make wise choices that will positively affect your motivation and inspiration.

-       Be obsessed about your service or product. If you don’t love it, how do you expect your customers to rave about it?

-       Stretch yourself. Always be prepared to do things you logically think you are not ready for. Push yourself to learn and move outside your comfort zone.

-       Hire great talent and train them well. As amazing as you are, you are not the best at everything! So invest in your staff and do your utmost to retain the best people.

-       It’s OK to make mistakes. Dwell on your mistakes only for as long as you need to draw out the learning experiences. Adjust what you need to, don’t repeat the mistake and move on.

-       Continuous personal growth is key to long-term business success. If you don’t grow, your business won’t either.

-       Be persistent. It is without a doubt the most essential quality of an exceptional business owner and the only way to see great success. Don’t give up!

Michelle Grice writes a weekly column for business women in The Western Weekender