I have a confronting but pertinent challenge for you. Imagine being on your deathbed, reflecting on your life, and then asking yourself these two crucial questions …
• Will I say … I did everything I wanted to do with no regrets?
• And will I say … I truly lived a life that made me and my loved ones happy?
If there’s any hesitation in your answer, now is the time to make a change—before it’s too late!
Your decisions today will shape whether you can look back with contentment, knowing you lived life on your terms.
Unfortunately, for 95% of business owners, the dream of living “happily ever after” remains just that … a dream.
Whether they’re fully aware of it or not, something vital is missing.
Some business owners know they’re not as happy as they expected to be.
They might feel stressed, uncertain about the future, or disconnected from what truly matters.
Others are so caught up in the daily demands of their business that they haven’t even paused to consider what’s really important … like family, personal freedom, and long-term fulfilment. They’re on a fast-moving train, blissfully unaware it’s heading towards a brick wall.
Whether conscious of their unhappiness or not taking the time to reflect, many business owners are held back from truly living their desired life.
Let’s explore five reasons why achieving a “happily ever after” eludes most business owners and see if any of these might resonate with you.
Reason No. 1 - In the Dark of Market Reality
One of the most significant reasons business owners aren’t living happily ever after is a simple yet devastating lack of awareness around business ownership statistics and the reasons behind these market statistics.
The statistics are sobering: 80% of SME business owners are unable to extract equity from their business, whether through selling or attracting investment because their business is unattractive to the market or they disagree with the market valuation.
Even more alarming is that of the 20% who manage to transition from their business, 15% regret undertaking the transition because they failed to sufficiently consider the critical financial and personal factors for their life before moving on.
By this stage, the horse has bolted and is nearly impossible to recapture.
Many business owners don’t realise their precarious position, and they continue to operate under the assumption that everything will work out fine—until it doesn’t.
If more business owners were aware of these grim realities, they might be more proactive in taking the necessary steps to ensure they join the minority 5% who are happy. The ones that have joined the 5% Club.
But as it stands, most simply don’t know what they don’t know. But here’s the good news … you now do!
Reason No. 2 - The Confidence Trap
Confidence is crucial for business success, but too much of it can be harmful.
Many business owners are so confident in their ability to manage their businesses that they create a false sense of security.
They assume that because things are going well now, they’ll continue to do so indefinitely.
What happens if that is not the case?
Without taking the time to consider long-term risks and the owner’s deep-down personal needs and wants, the owner can find themselves in a position where the business (or an unexpected event) upends their lives in ways they never anticipated (time-wise, stress-wise, or goal-wise).
This is especially true when considering financial, risk and personal issues.
Another confidence trap is when the owner believes they know everything they need to know about how their business will deliver them freedom & happiness. This overconfidence can lead to a reluctance to seek assistance or advice, even when it could be beneficial.
While self-assurance is important, it’s equally important to recognise that no one has all the answers, and sometimes, a fresh perspective can reveal hidden opportunities or risks.
To avoid this trap, it’s crucial to temper confidence with realism.
By identifying ALL the issues holding you back (not just business issues), acknowledging the risks, and preparing for them, you can ensure that your business becomes a tool for achieving your goals … rather than the master that upends your life.
Reason No. 3 - Lost in the Now
In the fast-paced business world, it’s easy to get caught up in immediate needs and challenges.
Whether securing the next big contract or navigating economic fluctuations, short-term concerns often overshadow long-term planning.
But this focus on the “here and now” can lead to a dangerous imbalance—where the business dominates your life, and your personal goals are sidelined.
If you’re constantly putting out fires or chasing the next deal, you may not have the time or energy to think about where you want your life to go. This narrow focus prevents you from making more critical, strategic decisions that would allow you to live the life you truly want.
To break free from this cycle, it’s important to balance short-term needs with long-term vision.
By taking the time to plan YOUR future (not just the business’s), you can ensure that your business activities are aligned with your personal goals, allowing you to achieve both professional success and personal fulfilment.
Reason No. 4 - Kicking the Can Down the Road
Procrastination is another common trap for business owners.
Those owners who procrastinate spending the time to reflect on what’s really important in life don’t realise they’re putting off finding absolute freedom and happiness sooner.
Even if they become aware of the need to act on their life goals, the business’s immediate demands often take precedence over the generally more important bigger-picture planning.
As a result, critical decisions or actions affecting their future are continually pushed aside.
These two forms of procrastination come at a cost.
The longer the owner delays, the less time they have to fix up the gaps in their business, financial and personal aspirations and overcome the damning statistics previously mentioned.
Whether it’s procrastination to plan or procrastination to act, the result will be less time to live happily ever after, if at all.
Remember, TIME is your most valuable asset—use it wisely and proactively to ensure you can achieve LIFE-CHANGING business success.
Reason No. 5 - The Paralysing Power of Fear
Fear is a powerful force that can keep business owners in a cycle of inaction.
Whether it’s fear of failure, fear of change, or fear of confronting uncomfortable truths, this emotion can paralyse you and prevent you from taking the necessary steps to align your business with your personal and financial goals.
Fear can be the main barrier to change for those who are already aware that they’re not as happy as they’d like to be. Confronting what might be wrong, whether in the business or in one’s own personal “backyard”, can be daunting.
On the other hand, those who haven’t reflected on their situation might subconsciously avoid thinking about it because they’re afraid of what they might discover.
Facing your fears is the only way to break free from the business-as-master dynamic.
By acknowledging the risks and challenges, you can take proactive steps to ensure that your business becomes a tool for achieving the life you want rather than a burden that keeps weighing you down.
Are You Holding Yourself Back?
So, where do you stand?
If you’re being honest with yourself, do any of these reasons resonate with you?
- Are you so focused on your business that you’ve lost sight of your personal goals?
- Are you procrastinating on essential decisions that would set you free?
- Is fear holding you back from making the changes you need?
- Are you too focused on the short term or perhaps too confident that you know enough and everything will work out on its own?
Is it time to take a step back and assess whether you’re the master of your business (i.e. it’s helping you live a “happily ever after” life) or whether you’re a slave to it?
After all, your business should be a tool for achieving not only financial success but also personal fulfilment.
What will you do to overcome these barriers and start working towards the ultimate goal of achieving life-changing business success?
The sooner you address these issues, the closer you’ll be to living the life you’ve always dreamed of.
What's Your Master Plan?
For all owners, business success should not just be about profits and growth; it should also be about ensuring your business helps you achieve your personal and financial goals and live a fulfilling and balanced life.
You must be the MASTER, not the slave.
You must MASTER PLAN to get these results.
Whether it’s unawareness, procrastination, fear, short-term focus, or overconfidence, master planning provides a structured approach to address these issues and ensure your business thrives whilst supporting your broader life goals.
If you seek true freedom & happiness in your life, understand that it doesn’t happen by chance.
The path to living happily ever after is within your reach – you just need to get going by taking the first step!
So, what’s your master plan?
The information contained in this article is general in nature and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Contact a lawyer or a tax or financial professional for information regarding your particular situation. The information in this newsletter is provided with the understanding that it does not render legal, accounting, tax or financial advice. Clients should consult their legal, accounting, tax or financial professional in specific cases. This article is not intended to give advice or represent our firm as qualified to advise on all areas of professional services. Master Planning is a discipline that typically requires the collaboration of multiple professional advisors. To the extent that our firm does not have the expertise required on a particular matter, we will always work closely with you to help you gain access to the resources and professional advice you need.
Any examples provided are for illustrative purposes only. Examples may include fictitious names and may not represent any particular person or entity.
