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A new profile of the domestic small business climate in USA Today says that potential wealth isn’t the No. 1 motivator for small business owners, including those in trucking.

More than financial rewards, many small business owners seek more personal rewards, such as  creative expression and overall satisfaction.

The results apply to small business owners in various industries, whether they’re trucking companies hiring or something else entirely.

“For small business owners – like many young people entering the workforce — opening their own business is about quality of life and a sense of independence,” the article stated.

“When you’re a small business owner and want to make things happen, they do happen,” says Octavio Pina, 54, an Allstate agency owner in Santa Ana, Calif. “It gives you a sense of accomplishment knowing that if you do this, you’ll arrive at the point you want to be. You’re making things happen for yourself and your family.”

The USA Today study drew on federal data and a national survey of small business owners.

It seeked to understand the “health and vitality” of the U.S. small business sector.

The study found high levels of optimism (scoring 79 out of a possible 100) and innovation (73). What do small business owners get out of this working environment? Nearly half of the more than 2,600 who were surveyed said being their own boss gives them enjoyment. More than a third cite flexible work hours. And nearly a quarter get satisfaction from creating something all their own or following their passion. The real surprise? Just one in five point to money as one of their top two motivators.

The article goes on to say that other small business owners say they’re inspired by their own ability to control their destiny.

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If you want to be successful, work yourself into a frenzy. Or so we’ve been led to believe, anyway.

But one psychologist, Emma Seppala, says something quite the opposite in her new book, “The Happiness Track: How to Apply the Science of Happiness to Accelerate Your Success.” Business Insider highlighted Seppala’s Top 6 pointers for living a happier, more successful life.

The good news is, Seppala’s pointers are easy enough for all of us to do, anyplace, anytime. So the next time you’re working at your CDL trucking job, try to work some of these approaches into your day. You’ll be happy you did.

1. Live in the moment

In today’s working world, we’re encouraged to work nonstop in order to stay on top of everything. We’re also constantly checking things off our to-do lists. But research suggests that when we’re focused on the present, we’re much more productive and more charismatic.

2. Be resilient

If we can train ourselves to be more resilient to the setbacks in our lives, we’re more likely to bounce back from them, a 2004 study suggests. The study found that resilient people were able to recover faster (as measured by their heart rate and blood pressure) when they used positive emotions to respond to a stressful experience.

3. Keep calm

In 2014, Seppala and her colleagues conducted a small study of 21 veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Half of them were assigned to do breathing meditation, and the other half received no intervention. The group that did the meditation reported lower PTSD symptoms and anxiety a month and even a year later.

4. Do more of nothing

In Western society, we have this ingrained notion that we need to constantly be doing something, or we’re not being productive. But in fact, research suggests that we are most creative when we’re not at our peak alertness. The findings suggest that we’re at our mental best when we’re not especially alert or focused. So if we want to be creative, we need to give ourselves more time off.

5. Be good to yourself

Research suggests that a fear of failure can lead you to choke up, make you more likely to give up, and lead to poor decisions such as cheating or making questionable investments. It may also make it harder to pursue the career you want. Instead, Seppala said, be kind to yourself and observe your negative thoughts from a distance without letting yourself really dwell on them.

6. Be compassionate

Finally, we often assume that we should be looking out for ourselves first and foremost. But in fact, research suggests that you’re better off nurturing supportive relationships with others. If you have good relationships with your boss, colleagues, or employees, you’re more likely to inspire loyalty, which in turn makes everyone more productive, Seppala said.

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5 top tips for owner operators | Owner operator truck driving jobsEditor’s note: This is Part 1 of a multi-part feature to help owner operators get the most from their business.

Terry Martin of Oakley Trucking, Little Rock, Ark., has held an owner operator trucking job for the last 20 years. He knows a thing or two about what it takes to thrive in owner operator trucking jobs long-term.

It’s not easy, he says, but with the right business practices, it can be done. Here are Martin’s top 5 tips for running your business more profitably as an owner operator, in his own words.

1. First thing, you gotta want to work.

If you’re not running, you’re not making any money. Chances are, you bought a big truck and you have a big truck payment. If that truck ain’t running, you ain’t making any money. You’ve got to want to work. I grew up on a farm. We worked from sunup to sundown. That’s just what I know, from being out here on the road, too.

2. Establish a strong preventative maintenance program.

Doing the little things, like making sure your truck’s greased and your tires have adequate air pressure, will make or break you. Preventative maintenance is crucial. Put some money aside for it. Because if you break down on the road, it’s going to cost you and it’s going to cost you big. There are a lot of little things an owner operator can catch before things start going wrong. Your batteries start aging, change them. Check the tire pressure and tread depth. If you have good air pressure, that will save you on fuel.

3. Find a good company that’s a good company for you.

They’re out there. Talk to other owner operators on the road and ask their opinions. Talk to the company and see how long owner operators typically stay there. If they have a high turnover ratio, that’s not too promising. Different companies do different things. Find a company that’s going to take care of you and keep you running.

4. Drive responsibly so you’ll get decent fuel mileage.

Try to maximize your fuel mileage as much as you can, because that’s where you’ll make a lot of your money. You can save a lot of money just by saving on fuel. The more you can cut down on your fuel costs, the more money you’ll put in your pocket.

5. Last thing, keep yourself healthy.

If you’re getting sick and not passing your physical, you can’t afford to be down. Eat right and try to get some exercise. When you’re not healthy and you’re not allowed to drive, you’re not going to be making a living.

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In a recent Forbes.com article, writer Bill Georgemphasizes that “authenticity has become the gold standard of leadership.”

But he maintains that many business owners misunderstand what it means to lead authentically. That applies to trucking company executives as well. In a November 10 article, George sought to clarify the definition of an authentic leader and reiterate why you should strive to be one in today’s business climate, no matter what your industry may be.

George writes:

Authentic leadership is built on your character, not your style. My mentor Warren Bennis said, “Leadership is character. It is not just a superficial question of style. It has to do with who we are as human beings and the forces that shaped us.

Authentic leaders are real and genuine. You cannot “fake it till you make it” by putting on a show as a leader or being a chameleon in your style. People sense very quickly who is authentic and who is not. Some leaders may pull it off for a while, but ultimately they will not gain the trust of their teammates, especially when dealing with difficult situations.

Authentic leaders are constantly growing. They do not have a rigid view of themselves and their leadership. Becoming authentic is a developmental state that enables leaders to progress through multiple roles, as they learn and grow from their experiences.

Authentic leaders match their behavior to their context, an essential part of emotional intelligence (EQ). They do not burst out with whatever they may be thinking or feeling. Rather, they exhibit self-monitoring, understand how they are being perceived, and use emotional intelligence (EQ) to communicate effectively.

Authentic leaders are not perfect, nor do they try to be. They make mistakes, but they are willing to admit their errors and learn from them.

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