Are You Satisfied? No, we're not talking about the big meal you had a few hours ago. We're talking turn-of-the-century, down-to-the-nitty-gritty, is-my-business-everything-i-hoped-it'd-be satisfied.

Once upon a time, I asked every entrepreneur I interviewed ifthey were satisfied with their accomplishments. And withoutexception, they were not. Absolutely not. It was as if I'dinquired about criminal activity Or the prospect of death. Finally,I stopped asking. Here were great icons of entrepreneurship--manywith companies worth tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars,all constructed from nothing--and satisfaction was still a dirtyword. They might admit to being successful. But if they weresatisfied, they wouldn't say the word. Perhaps they thoughtadmitting it would sound too boastful. Maybe they wereafraid oftempting fate.

But with the year 2000 approaching, Entrepreneur decidedit was time to ask again, just in case the answers had changed. Areentrepreneurs satisfied with their businesses? Their lives?

In a word, yes. From Wunderkind and seasoned pros, theword came down, resounding and positive: Yes. It was yes,regardless of age or the size of their ventures; yes, regardless ofpast challenges or future expectations. It was absolutelyyes. Here's why . . .