What Have You Done Today to Feel Proud? How one question can inspire mompreneurs to take a leap of faith away from baby steps and do something big each day.

By Lisa Druxman

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Come on, put on that Heather Small songto set the mood while reading this column about finding business inspiration as a mompreneur. I was struck with the following advice during my usual morning run, shadowing my son as he rode his bike to school. As I was returning home, I glimpsed a challenging hill I've tackled a few times. But like a horse being drawn back to the stable, I was running toward home thinking of all the e-mails and phone calls that awaited me.

So I asked myself, "What are you going to do today to make you feel proud?" And I turned around and decided to take on that hill. Immediately, I felt proud of myself for deciding to reach beyond my comfort zone. As I climbed that hill, I kept asking myself, "Are this pace and effort something to be proud of?" When they weren't, I reached deep and pushed harder.

In general, my philosophy is to take baby steps each day in all areas of your life, be it parenting, your health, your business or your marriage. If you move a small step forward each day, that's progress. Eventually, you'll get to where you want to go.

But now I think we should take that one step further. Ask yourself each day, "What have I done today to make me feel proud?" Perhaps you'll clean out your closet and donate clothes to Dress For Success. Maybe you'll leave work early to play on the floor with your kids. You might jump ahead on a project that you've been procrastinating about. If each day we did something to be proud of, that would make a big difference in our lives.

As a mompreneur, there's always too much to do and never enough time to do it. Each day, each week runs into another, and we never seem to get ahead. We feel deflated because we can't do it all. Through my columns, I share various time management tips and ways to get more done.

However, I think this particular exercise might bring you the most powerful results. Success builds on success. Each time you accomplish something, it makes the task a lot easier to do the next time. Each day, do something that makes you feel proud.

Lisa Druxman is Entrepreneur.com's "Mompreneur" columnist and the founder and CEO of fitness franchise Stroller Strides. Druxman is also a nationally recognized speaker and author, and is considered an expert in the field of fitness, particularly pre- and postnatal fitness. She hosts a free monthly webinar during which she answers questions from fellow mompreneurs. If you are interested in participating, contact her at lisa@strollerstrides.com.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Business News

Anthropic Is Now One of the Most Valuable Startups of All Time: 'Exponential Growth'

In a new funding round earlier this week, AI startup Anthropic raised $13 billion at a $183 billion valuation.

Leadership

My Business Hit $1 Million — Then a $46,000 Mistake Exposed the Biggest Bottleneck to Explosive Growth

How a costly mistake forced me to confront the real barrier to scaling and the changes that unlocked explosive growth beyond $1 million.

Science & Technology

How AI Is Turning High School Students Into the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

As AI reshapes education, students are turning school problems into products and building the future economy.

Starting a Business

The Hardest Parts of Being a Solopreneur (and How I've Learned to Handle Them)

Solopreneurship is on the rise, offering us freedom and independence — but lasting success depends on tackling its unique challenges with strategy.