I think personal satisfaction is the key motivator for most people, whether in blogging or running a successful business. I think some blogs or businesses fail, and others flounder because the persons in charge are uncertain as to what they really want to achieve and somehow it is not satisfying their personal needs and ambitions. It might sound funny when I use the terms blog and business together here, might be that I view a blog as a small business.

I believe that a successful blogger would make a successful entrepreneur, a good blog should have a good concept, offer something new and better to readers, should be readily for change and growth, and ultimately, it’s a responsibility as far as contents in ways that satisfy personal needs and ambitions of a blogger. Therefore it is useful to evaluate and consider your personal goals when deciding upon the theme of your blog, which direction you are going and ultimately it should satisfy you as an individual, if not, then its pointless to continue in what you’re doing, a waste of time in my opinion.

As for business, personal satisfaction might deviate a bit from running a successful blog but not by much; just like a blog, it’s also useful to evaluate and consider your personal goals when deciding upon the nature of your business development. For most entrepreneurs, the Four C’s can sum up these goals, which are control, challenge, creativity, and cash.

I think having control of what you’re doing is very important, especially if you’re starting out and if you want to be involved in every business decision but the only draw back is that your business should be designed to stay small. Likewise, if you need a great deal of control over your time because of family or personal demands, a smaller business without rapid expansion might be more appropriate for you because large company often times mean less immediate control over many decisions and others will share in decision-making.

If you’re starting or expanding a business, you’re likely to be a problem-solver and risk-taker, enjoying the task of figuring out solutions to problems or devising new undertakings. It’s important to recognize the extent of your need for new challenges and develop positive means to meet this need, especially once your company is established and the initial challenge of starting a company is met. Otherwise, you may find yourself loosing interest in what you’re doing, and continually starting a new project that divert attention from your company’s overall goals, ultimately, it should provide you with sufficient stimulation and this will also advance the growth of your business.

Entrepreneurs want to leave their mark. Their companies are not only a means of making a living but a way of creating something that bears their stamp. That’s why many businesses carry the founder’s name. Creativity comes in many forms, for some it is the creativity involved with designing or making a new thing, and for others, it may be the creativity of coming up with a new business process. Creativity also comes into play in finding new ways to make sales, handle customers, or reward employees.

As for cash, many bloggers don’t share this view, but for business, understanding how your personal financial goals have an impact on your business plan. For instance, if you need substantial current income, you may need investors so you have sufficient cash to carry you through the lean start-up time. This means that you’ll share ownership interest with others, and the business must be devised for substantial profit potential to reward those investors appropriately. If your current income needs are less demanding or your overall financial goals more modest, you may be able to forego giving up a piece of your company to investors and instead expand your business more slowly through sales or through loans or credit lines. It’s sometimes a trade-off between personal goals, wanting more cash often means having less control.

I think most of us are successful in what we’re doing, especially if it’s something that we’re passionate about, at the end, it’s all about personal satisfaction. Do you have what it takes to be successful?