There are many self-employed workers who have businesses that own THEM. Think of the Mom & Pop stores that chew up 12 hours a day, 7 days a week for these people. They live their whole lives behind a counter or stocking shelves, while life passes them by. Some can afford a so-called "too weak" vacation, but after it's over, it's back to the daily grind. Can you picture yourself in the same situation, if you keep going the way you are going now?

There is a difference between seeing and vision. Some people can only see what's in front of them. They can't envision a different picture of themselves, doing things in a different way. Don't allow yourself to set up a business that ends up owning YOU. Take the time to evaluate what you are doing now, and how you can grow yourself out of working for your business like just another employee. There may be some nobility in the motto "Everybody works here", but nobody will care if you extract yourself from the daily chores.

A regular review of your business will also help you to set the next goal or create the next mission for you to accomplish. Avoid becoming so comfortable with your current model of doing business that if a shake-up occurs, you'll find yourself without a plan or escape route. No business is immune from outside forces that can abruptly change things for the worse. If you're mentally prepared to set new goals and are open to new ways to do business, your mind will be better prepared to act quickly, in case of emergency.

Whether you use automation, employees, outsourcing or Virtual Assistants to take some (or all) of the workload you presently do off your shoulders, prepare yourself for giving up some control. Most entrepreneurs have a real problem with letting go of the things they built themselves. Guess what? The chores, duties and repetitive work your business requires actually take away from your ability to work ON your business. Don't fall into the trap of letting the urgent crowd out the important. Delegate work to people who are paid to deal with time-consuming tasks that need to be done - just not by you.

You may also need to decide if "drilling down" deeper into your niche or drilling a new one altogether is the way to go. Only you will be able to determine if what you are doing is truly satisfying to you, as a long-term pursuit. If you really love your niche, but can't see a way to increase your business doing what you do now, get help. Brainstorm with other people, even if they're not in your line of work. There can be some surprising insights from people who don't have your preconceived notions about how to do what you do.

Solid financial and legal counseling can prevent problems from cropping up, and minimize weaknesses and threats to your business. You may have done everything on your own to start your business, but as soon as you can afford it, get your bookkeeping, taxes and legal exposure looked at by professionals. Lawyers and accountants can be the key to you taking your business to the next level. Not having them on your team can mean real trouble, if you're doing something wrong and don't know it.

Regular reviews of your business, away from the daily tasks you may be doing, can give you a perspective on your operation that may not occur to you while you're slaving away. The time you spend looking at the big picture helps relieve the eyestrain caused by staring at a computer screen all day long, too!