When was the last time you heard someone talking about the proverbial "next level" in their business? Probably in the last 24 hours! Well, I don't know about you... but I'm a little tired of hearing this phrase over and over again.

When I was in Las Vegas recently with my mastermind colleagues, we originally thought we were there to take our businesses to the "next level." After all, isn't that what mastermind groups are all about? Progress in your business! But, I soon began to notice something each time a colleague stood in front of the room to share... the realization of which leads me to third gift I received in Las Vegas.

Gift #3: The only "next level" is within YOU.

Colleague after colleague, each time someone stood in front of the room and started talking about where they were in their business, it became crystal clear that the only journey we were there to take was the journey within.

Many entrepreneurs (myself included) have made the mistake of thinking that business growth is something that you experience on the outside in terms of increased clients, more money, more web traffic, more referrals, more invitations to speak, more of whatever you desire in your business. And, yes, those things are all outward expressions of growth... but the only thing that SUSTAINS the external growth of a FULFILLING business is the internal growth of your soul.

Sustained, fulfilling growth does NOT come from what you DO in the external world; rather, it comes from the work you do on the inside. Sustained growth and the progress of your business' evolution is less about the business than it is about YOU. As a conscious business owner, the only thing stopping you from all the success you desire is you, not your external circumstance.

Please forgive me if I'm coming on strong here, but I speak from my own experience. If you've been following me for any length of time, or have read my new book, you know that I have been through some very challenging times in my business... on the edge of bankruptcy and struggling to pay my rent. It wasn't until I stopped TRYING to make my business work, (and started to INQUIRE WITHIN about where I needed to grow so that my business COULD grow)... that my business drastically changed for the better. So, now when I catch myself focused on the external aspects of my business, it's a reminder for me that the growth isn't going to occur "out there", the growth is going to occur inside of me. Then, and only then, do I experience the results I desire on the outside.

So, the next time you find yourself wanting to get your business to the "next level"... it's a sign that the time has come for you to go to the next level within yourself. Where do YOU need to go? What's working? What's not working? Why are you unfulfilled with the current state of your business? What would "light you up?" What old thoughts no longer serve you? It is this self-inquiry that leads you down the path to REAL, sustainable and fulfilling success.