In Business - Changing Envy to Repect, Ambition and Determination

I have this friend....and she's a real friend. One of those that is always there when needed, doesn't interfere or try to give advice when it's not wanted and knows me, perhaps, better than anyone. That kind of friend is so valuable and hard to find. Needless to say, I view that friendship as a gift. Who wouldn't?But this friend has always had a knack for being successful at everything she does. And I mean anything. She has owned a service bureau, she is a writer of a published book, she owns multiple companies and worked for a major player in the desktop publishing software industry, successfully making changes in the company that were all great changes. She also started a way cool website that always people to vote on topics that are very controversial. And now, she owns a building that she couldn't seem to sell off, so she is starting a business in that building that will, undoubtedly, become a huge success.I always loved her dearly, but also, this part of me was always envious of her. Envious of her brilliant ideas, ability to work so hard and so smart at achieving her goals, and her ability to somehow, always find or create the resources to make her dreams and goals work. I never treated her as though I envied her. But I did envy her. Who wouldn't?Then, when my husband and I decided to do a business, I found myself doubting my ability to be as successful as my friend. I thought, "what if we don't have what it takes? What if we aren't as talented as her and this is not the road we should have taken?" And I compared our past to hers. We had stayed "safe" and secure in our long-time jobs, and yes, we did appreciate those jobs and were luckier than most in having those jobs. But we wanted more. A lot more! And we wouldn't get it unless we left that "comfort zone" and ventured out to own our own business and change our quality of life. Very scary. And very daunting to say the least.My husband and I took advantage of a personal development program we ran across and all of a sudden, I was able to view this friend in a whole new light. She already was implementing all the teachings they offered and that, and nothing else, was the key to her success-in life, in ventures and in her unbelievably unselfish form of friendship. And now I could take that envy and transform it to respect and determination to get us where we wanted to go.We all know that to start a business and have the advantages of being self-employed, you have to spend a little or, in most cases, a lot. If it's a retail business, for example, you have to lease or buy a store front, furnish it with counters, shelves, cash register, decor and more importantly, stock it. We couldn't hope to do that. We weren't hurting, but we most certainly didn't have a savings account that would allow that kind of venture. What we did have, though, was a small amount to get started down a new, exciting and positive road. No matter what your business venture, I want to say that you CAN transform that envy into something that will take you as far as you want to go. And that adventure is unbelievable!