When I first stepped into the world of entrepreneurship I had a very clear picture of how I wanted my business to grow. Mainly, I wanted it to be easy and fast.

I had little to no business acumen and I was simply following my gut instinct in order to do the work I loved. I allowed my heart and passion to drive daily actions, all the while knowing nothing about sales, marketing, or what it takes to actually be successful.

I quickly learned from other entrepreneurs that hustling was the way of the business world and if I was going to make the income I wanted, I needed to jump on the hustle bandwagon or die.

When the hustle doesn’t flow

So, I jumped on and did all the things like a good hustler is supposed to. I blogged, vlogged, and did tons of free sessions to get my name out there and just kept going.

I pushed, pitched, and created offer after offer thinking that surely I was getting close to hitting it big. If I kept at it like all my fellow hustlers suggested, I’d hit 6-figures in no time.

I was wrong.

After several months of following the rules set forth by the seemingly successful, I ended up burnt out, uninspired, and completely deflated. Sure, I had made a few sales and had some successful moments, but I soon realized that I was not cut out for the hustle.

My work is my purpose, so giving up was not an option. I set out to find another way to succeed.

Finding success on my own terms

My goal was to run my business in a way that served me financially, but also felt good in the process. I knew I would still have to learn things and get uncomfortable in order to grow, but on a deeper level I was craving something else. I was craving a sense of alignment and flow. I wanted to find my way to success and be 100% authentic and true to who I was in the process.

If I could do it all over again, I would … and I’d use the following four tips to stay focused on my own path instead of trying to be someone I am not.

1. Don’t believe the hype

When I first started my business I got sucked into the belief that there was only one way to have wild success — and it required 20 hour days, little to no sleep and no personal life.

I thought I had to eat, sleep, and breathe my business on a daily basis. If I wasn’t doing that I thought I simply wasn’t committed enough. I now know that isn’t the only path to success.

There are plenty of business coaches out there who can most certainly help you get out of your comfort zone, without making you think you have to do all the things in order to succeed. Finding your flow to success is all about being true to you, while still expanding and growing along the way.

2. Stay in your lane

It’s so easy to fall into the pit of comparison, especially if you are just starting out. Instead of focusing on what other entrepreneurs in your circle are doing (and thinking you have to do the same), put your blinders on and get to work. More importantly your work.

You bring a unique flavor to your expertise. That is exactly why your audience resonates with you, so there’s no need to replicate what others are doing. A good rule of thumb here is to do the things that resonate for you. Feel free to experiment, but hop off the comparison train and stay in your lane. You’ll make way more money that way too.

3. Trust your gut

When it comes to business, I’ve learned the hard way that it is always best to trust my intuition. This pertains to when I’m hiring people or even pricing a particular offer. If it feels right for me, I do it, even if it scares me a bit.

While it might sound a bit cliché, trusting your intuition and following your gut instinct is a sound business practice. It leads to success over and over again.

With so many business strategies that promise things like “6-figures in 6 weeks!”, it can be hard to block out all of the noise and trust yourself. However, this is the single most powerful strategy that I have found to help me stay in the flow.

4. Find your flow

Knowing your flow is all about being in the zone. This is a place where leads, new clients, ideas, and money are all flowing with ease. More importantly, when you are in your flow you feel like a more empowered and authentic version of yourself.

The amazing thing is that flow can mean anything and for some people it means hustle and grind. Doing what works best for you and your audience is the key to success and how you get there is completely up to you. It might take a bit of experimentation, but once you find what works for you, there’s no limit to what you can achieve.

This article has been edited and condensed.

Lamisha Serf-Walls is a empowerment coach for soul-centered women who are tired of trying to fit into lackluster beige boxes and crave the freedom of standing in their truth and living life from the heart. Her mission is to create a community of empowered, free flowing, lovers of life who live a life of freedom with ease and inspire others to do the same. Grab her free audio guide, ‘5 Ways to Break Free From Stuck’, here. Connect with @lifeoncedreamt on Twitter.

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