What's Being a Shero Got to Do with Running a Successful Business?

The Mogul Mom is proud to feature this guest post from best-selling author Jen Louden of JenniferLouden.com.

Have you ever considered that your way of seeing, being, and moving through life as a woman and a mom brings with it a whole different set of skills, insights and powers than a man?Of course you have, what a silly question. And yet, do you still criticize your way of doing things as being not organized enough, not "tough" enough, not driven enough? Is the hero's model secretly running in the back of your mind as the best way to run your business?My work has shown me the tremendous power, success and peace that comes from honoring the feminine way of doing business and life - what I playfully call the shero's journey - rather than the model of the hero's journey. It's not that the hero's journey is wrong, not at all, but it can impose upon us a way of framing business and life that doesn't bring out our strengths and nurture our power, and if taken too far, can obviously be dangerous for our well-being, our families and the planet.When the Dali Lama said Western women will save the world, I believe he was pointing to how we can use our intuitive, compassionate, creative capacities to fashion a more just and sane world for all - starting with ourselves.But how to do that in a practical way? Here are four ideas culled from my upcoming free series, The Shero's School for Revolutionaries:

4 Ways Being a Shero Can Help You Run a Successful Business

1. Your Shero's journey starts when you declare, "I want this" whether this is growing a business, writing a book, planting a community garden, having a baby.You must be willing to journey for yourself first and to commit to your desire, even if those desires are not clear. This commitment to your own desire might feel selfish (I should start a business for the good of my family) but it's absolutely not. This commitment, and staying faithful to it, is what allows you to follow the call of your soul, and gives you the energy you need to complete the tasks ahead.2. A Shero's journey is not linear.Having children, taking care of elderly parents, making time for girlfriends, and more means being willing to take detours, slow down, and shift priorities constantly. The hero's model is "onward! upward! bigger! faster!" and if you compare yourself only to that model, you can end up not fully developing your unique gifts and betraying what matters most to you.3. Challenges, mistakes and what, in mythology, are called "descents" or "dark nights of the soul," are a huge source of your wisdom.Do not be ashamed of these; rather mine them to make you stronger, more compassionate and more able to connect with your customers and clients. Own where you have been fully, and use it.4. It is never too late to start your Shero's journey. "Too late, too young, too old, but I'm a mom" are all ways we stay in the hobbit hole out of fear of our own brilliance and power. Tell yourself a new story, a story of a woman who loves and creates what she most wants, in her own meandering but highly effective style. Start now.Oh girl, I have so much more to say about this subject, and you can hear me and twenty five other Sheros - people like Seane Corn, Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Sally Kempton, Dani Shapiro and more - do just that for freeeee starting September 23rd. Just sign up here to watch.For now, please consider that the way you do life and business as a woman and mom - your style of organization, power, creativity - is not only amazing but exactly what the world needs. See that way, honor it, build on it. I can't wait to see what you accomplish!About the author:Jen Louden is a best-selling author of 6 books with over a million copies in print. Join her for The Shero's School for Revolutionaries and get practical and spiritual inspiration for your own Shero's journey. You can also find Jen on Twitter at @jenlouden.