About five years ago, my "business" was just a writing gig that I had on the side; I was doing some freelance work for a graphic designer... and we had one client. I was working almost full time in a coffee shop near Rochester, NY, but I knew I wanted to use my communication / journalism degree for more. As I networked with other freelancers and did informational interviews with agencies, I told everyone who asked that I had my own business.

It's always been a dream of mine to work for myself, but I never really knew what that would look like. So maybe I was naive when I told my friends that I owned a business and really was just doing some side-work for extra money. But whether it was naive or not, it made me think carefully about what I was really doing. People asked, "What does your business do," and I'd answer with something general like, "Mostly copywriting, but I'd like to do more design work." My answers were always true, but often I made my 'business' seem bigger than it was.

Looking back, that was probably one of the biggest steps in truly owning my own marketing business. By telling people what I was doing, I forced myself to back it up. My vague, general descriptions became more precise when I realized I was just confusing people. My copywriting turned to website design and internet marketing when I realized I was much more excited about those services. And eventually, my freelance work transitioned into truly owning my own business.

I realize I have a lot of work left to do; there are a lot of steps to take, clients to land, processes to learn, employees to hire, and stumbles to endure. Today, though, when people ask how I was able to start my own business, I tell them I put all my energy toward that goal. I explain that putting energy toward a goal does not mean spending every waking hour tweaking logo ideas and writing business plans. Instead, it means talking about my ideas and telling people that I'm a business owner.

There are plenty of other examples of how this kind of energy can change your mindset. Maybe you're in a similar situation; you're bartending or working in a coffee shop, but your real dream is to be a writer... so don't just tell people that you're a bartender or a barista, tell them you're a writer. They may ask what you've written or what you're working on, how you get paid for your work, whether you've ever been published - the questions you need to be able to answer as a writer. 

Maybe you go out for a jog once in a while, but you can't really picture yourself running a marathon. Start telling people you're a runner, share your ultimate dream of running a marathon and maybe you'll get some tips and stories from athletes who are after the same goal.

There are plenty of things you do every day without real energy. You mow the lawn, but you're not a "landscaper;" you make dinner, but you're not a "cook;" you pick out your clothes in the morning, but you're not a "stylist." So what does it take to embody the definition of these terms? How do you go from "someone who writes" to being a "writer?"

Share your dreams, tell people what you do and what you hope to do, put some real energy towards your goals. You might be the last person to believe what you're saying, but by then, you'll already have the energy and support from everyone else.