How would you feel if someone hands you a key to success? If you are an entrepreneur, this article is meant for you.
Primarily, there two kinds on entrepreneurs based on their reason for becoming one, namely:
- The reactionary entrepreneur who puts up his own business because he is tired of working for someone else. He wants to free himself of the doldrums of working 8-to-5, five days a week with little to show for it comes payday. He dreams of earning much more. There is nothing wrong with these reasons except that he is too money-oriented and are fear-driven. Failure to earn as much and as soon can easily make him lose steam fast and most likely to give up prematurely.
- The inspired entrepreneur who puts up his own business for the joy and excitement of it. He is aware of the risks his entrepreneurial venture entails but he is willing to take calculated risks. He finds venturing out of his comfort zone and negotiating uncharted territory challenging rather than frightening. Is he a special man full of bravado? Not really. He may be just an ordinary man but with a positive mindset.
Now, analyse which kind of entrepreneur are you. If you are the inspired type, then you are most likely to succeed. If you think you are the reactionary type, then this article is for you so read on.
Obviously, your goal is to transform yourself from being a reactionary entrepreneur to an inspired one and ensure success in your venture. Here are the steps or secrets to achieve this:
- Define your own success.
Analyze your definitions of success outside of financial consideration and redirect your focus accordingly. Take note that the main difference between a reactionary entrepreneur and the visionary one is their mindset. Therefore, it is important that you start your transformation by changing your purpose in putting up your own business. Do not make raking in money as your primary goal because this is bound to disappoint you prematurely. Do not expect your income to grow exponentially just because you now own a business. Consider entrepreneurship as a means, not the end, in attaining your goals. Take a holistic approach to understanding your definition of success in owning a business. These may include having a balanced life so you have more time to devote to your family or to provide them with a brighter future; or to have the freedom to travel and see places you only dream of; or to be able to help others in better more meaningful ways, etc. By envisioning clearly what you want your life to be like will help you create goals for achieving success.
Understand the business you are in.
Groping around and playing it by ear is not the wisest option you should take. However, you can only understand your business by understanding yourself first. Check your motivation. Analyze what in your business frightens you, inspires you, or confuses you. Defining these unknowns enables you to focus your energy to correcting or eliminating them. Now, you can treat them proactively instead of reactively.
- Look ahead.
Open your arms to the unknown. Be flexible and keep your ears close to the ground so you can anticipate trends and do not get caught unprepared. Embrace changes and accept the fact that they are inevitable in any business venture. When you prepare your mind for them, they become less forbidding so panic does not set in. If you stay calm, you are far more likely to find a solution than going into frenzy over them. Have the vision for your venture and you will be surprised by the outcome generated when change happens. Try to be a step ahead of competition and be a trail blazer than a mere follower.
- Enjoy the ride.
Treat entrepreneurship as an adventure, a joyride you may say. Do not expect this to be the traditional safe and secure ride for you can never predict your income so like in any journey, just enjoy and appreciate the changes and sceneries happening outside the confines of your work place. These include the new experiences you go through for you will always be learning new things about yourself and your business; the new people you meet; the additional knowledge you gain; the friendships you form, etc.
Therefore, take time to look up from your work desk occasionally and take time to gaze around you. These broaden your horizon and turn your business venture to an adventure rather than a heavy yoke to carry. Treat the setbacks as the inevitable jolts and bounce that are parts of any journey so they should not cause you to give up. Actually, they prove that you are still on the road towards your goals. Your journey as an entrepreneur will be more exciting if you know and accept the realities of changes.
- Lighten your load.
One way to enjoy your entrepreneurial journey is to travel light. Some of these burdens are the limiting beliefs drummed into your mind as a child. Although parents do these with good intentions, you may have never outgrown these restrictions that are intended only for young minds. These result to stifling of your potentials to perform better and your lack of confidence to decide for yourself.
Another burden you may carry is the feeling of unexplained guilt that haunts you whenever you attempt to try anything new or outside the “normal” trend. In most cases, this, too, is traceable to your childhood days when strict obedience was expected of you. This is also true with money. Trying to earn more makes you feel guilty of greed and avarice since money has been associated with evil. Remember that money by itself is neutral. It is your intention or your use of it that makes it good or evil.
- Work smart.
In your work, take the offensive rather the defensive stance. You do this by working smarter instead of harder. Think of ways to do things whereby more is accomplished with lesser energy spent at less possible time. One way is by automating the way you process things. With the proliferation nowadays of time and energy saving technology and services, this should not be a problem. Another effective way is to hire the services of reputable outsourcing company like Mr. Outsource who can take off considerable load in running your business. They do this by providing you with qualified hands to do some of the routine and perfunctory tasks in your operation so you will be free to attend to the more important aspects of running your business like expansion or sourcing for investors. Taking a reactionary stance in running your business make you do wasteful actions to correct limiting beliefs while being offensive leads to inspired actions to eliminate these limiting beliefs.
- Be thankful.
Many entrepreneurs ignore this important step in their quest for success. Without gratitude, success, if ever attained, seldom lasts. Gratitude is the appreciation and celebration of the time and effort you invested and paid for your success. It reinforces your confidence and motivation to accomplish more in the future.
So far, you have done 90% of what you need to be a successful entrepreneurship — learning the secrets. However, even the best of plans, intentions, and the mind-setting are nothing without their implementation. It is now time for you to tackle the remaining 10% to complete the process. Your business begins with you and now.