Your Popularity Changes as Success Grows

Maintaining a healthy sense of self is essential to developing as a successful entrepreneur. The same attention that you spend building your business, must also be focused in on taking care of yourself.

You are your most important asset.

But it’s not just a physical thing, like exercising or eating right. It’s important to take care of yourself emotionally as well. One way of doing this is by carefully monitoring your circle of influences as your business grows.

The old saying, "it's lonely at the top," has more than one meaning.

Time and again, I’ve seen good friends become detractors, as a person within their group becomes successful.

As your business grows, you will start to understand who your real friends are versus acquaintances who were comfortable with you, as long as you were on their level or below.

The difference is easy to spot.

People truly happy for you will make sure you know it. They will celebrate your success with you, for you and without you.

Detractors will show up in other ways. It may be simple remarks about how "lucky" you are, why they cannot quite get going, the breaks you had along the way, etc. Sometimes the remarks are outright overt, "I cannot believe she has done so well."

Here is my advice.

Never apologize about your success. You earned it and continue to earn it daily. Success can be fleeting. Forgive those that may be jealous. In reality, they’re dealing with their own issues, not yours.

Keep those who celebrate your victories close by.

Find people who will make you stretch to grow. Busy people do not have time to get caught up in other people's drama. Find a way to include more successful people in your circle.

Stay humble and keep showing them what you've got.