Have you fed your golden goose today?

As an entrepreneur, you are the golden goose whose hard work produces the golden eggs of your business. But is it possible to work too hard? Absolutely. Working longer and harder without taking care of yourself can end up hurting you and your bottom line.

Pam Shewitz discovered this for herself through a remarkable story of success. The owner of the Ladies' Workout Express franchise in Westport, Pam joined one of my Mastermind groups for an intensive six- meeting session this summer. She brought to the group the goal of signing up 50 new members in eight weeks!

On hearing her challenge, the Mastermind group gasped in unison. It was a truly ambitious goal, particularly as July and August are traditionally the slow season for the fitness business.

But Pam, a dedicated entrepreneur, immediately set about applying the tools she'd learnt in the group to beef up her business. She recorded her progress on a whiteboard in the gym's reception area. As a member of her gym, I had the privilege of watching that list grow. It was amazing, each time I worked out more names had been added to the growing list. Incredibly, Pam succeeded in signing up 27 new members!

Pam was thrilled with her success, but she was also disappointed not to have met her goal of 50 new clients.

"At the next Mastermind meeting I was really just expecting to be given a list of next steps to reach my goal," Pam said.

But what she heard was something quite different. The group while celebrating her amazing achievement, reminded her to, "Take care of yourself."

In her quest for success, Pam had forgotten to take time to feed the goose that was producing the golden eggs. And the group that had supported her in her challenge was now giving her the goal, and the permission, to do something for herself.

It came as a relief to Pam to learn that she could practice self-care and still run a business. Energized by the positive reinforcement of the women in the group, she discovered and embraced the missing pieces in her life.

For Pam, it meant committing to an hour of meditation each day. Feeling the marked improvement in her energy level, Pam added five workout sessions per week as her next commitment. From there she set a goal of doing something creative twice a week. The cumulative effect of these activities was an energized and magnetic Pam.

It's not a coincidence that 27 prospects felt the attraction when they walked in the door and decided to sign up as members.

As golden geese, we all need feeding. What are you hungry for?