Do you have the right business mindset?
It’s the dream of many to be in business for themselves. They long to be a business owner in charge of their time and efforts.
Unlike many business owners in the past who pursued get-rich-quick schemes in hopes of instant wealth, most entrepreneurs today understand that long-term commitment and effort are required for true long-term success. The new business owner prepares for the journey to success by becoming ready for long hours, sleepless nights, and missed vacations… all valid expectations of entrepreneurship. They might also be prepared for those unpredicted expenses and re-starts that most often accompany a new start-up business.
We recently shared our thoughts on the importance of a business mindset on The Digital Agency Show podcast by Ugurus.
In short, the new business owner will learn from history what to expect in starting a new business. The successes and failures of those who have gone before serving as models for the new startup. And, there is nothing wrong with any of this preparation. In fact, anyone who jumps into a business without preparation is a fool. What is lacking, though, in many cases, is a proper mindset for success. So just what is a mindset? One simple definition says it’s a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.
Mindset makes the difference.
It’s all comes down to your beliefs, attitude, and passion. Are you flexible and willing to create new habits for success?
Most often, there are really no differences between one business owner and another when it comes to abilities. Each one is capable of doing whatever they want with their business. The difference, when it comes to success, is in the mindset. One is willing to establish the correct habits for success and to maintain balance in commitment and effort when understanding and responding to situations and difficulties.
The textbook on business success.
Many will know the textbook for business in great detail and will profess that they have a proper business mindset and fully understand the recipe for success. They claim to understand the business model fully and are experts in their chosen field. They maintain that they are prepared for anything that comes along. They may even say that they are not afraid to fail.
But are they willing to take risks? Many experiences in business are adventures into the unknown, and going into the unknown is always risky. The textbook on business cannot, and it never will be, inclusive of all the potential bumps in the road and detours for the entrepreneur.
So, the question becomes, do their actions match their rhetoric? Again, they assert to possess all the knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to achieve uncompromised success. But when difficulties arise, or challenges appear on the horizon, they cower in fear. Instead of taking action, they back away…to evaluate the situation??
It’s simple fear! We fear failure, loss, not being up to the challenge. It’s these fears that keep the entrepreneur from taking bold action on their instincts and stops them cold in their tracks— fear that keeps them from continuing the pursuit of their dreams and goals.
We can try to blame this fear on many things. But most will say it’s really just a lack of self-confidence!
Is your vision big enough?
Or, is it a lack of vision? Were the goals and action plan lofty enough to spur the entrepreneur onward in the face of difficulties?
Without proper vision, there will be no success. If you don’t know what your success looks like, you will never know if you’re on your way, if you’re close, or if you’re still miles away. How can you achieve something when you don’t know what it’s supposed to look like?
Again, look at the definition of a mindset: it’s a habitual or characteristic mental attitude that determines how you will interpret and respond to situations.
Fear comes when we admit failure. But when the mindset says that failure is not an option because you have a clear vision of the goal and are not focused on the consequences of trying, then a setback or two will be just part of the plan. You take action and move forward—quitting is not in your vocabulary, and risk becomes an everyday thing.
As you move forward and grow, risk-taking becomes less risky! It’s called being flexible and adapting. A rigid business plan is doomed for failure. But a plan that incorporates change and is flexible—and involves risk is more likely to succeed. Just look at some of the greatest successes of the 21st Century—Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, and others. They all faced failure, but yet they took action, endured, and… the rest is history.
Remember, as you get closer and closer to your goal, the picture (vision) will become clearer and clearer…growth will conquer failure. When starting on the journey to success in your business, it’s important to realize that your success depends largely on your mindset, not just good ideas and hard work. Begin your journey by creating the necessary mindset for success and then trust yourself and your abilities.
Winning or losing is nothing more than a state of mind… Which will you choose?
Massive action.
One can study the business textbook and understand all the possibilities involved in starting and running a successful business. But, in truth, they are only looking at the minimum requirements to achieve success and avoid failure.
Creating a mindset for success entails understanding that it will require extraordinary effort, above and beyond the minimums, to truly reach your goals. In other words, one should create the mindset that I will do whatever it takes, regardless of the effort involved, to achieve my dreams. And it starts with setting goals at the highest levels without regard for possibilities and impossibilities.
The 10X Rule.
In his recent book, The 10X Rule, author Grant Cardone states that “when people start limiting the amount of success they desire, I assure you they will limit what will be required of them in order to achieve success and will fail miserably at doing what it takes to keep it.”
He goes on to say that you should set your goals ten times higher than what you think you want them to be and then you must expend ten times the effort you think it will take to get there. He says, “massive thoughts must be followed by massive actions.”
Massive action is pursuing your goals with passion and dedication and taking measured steps to put yourself in that position to achieve massive results.
Massive action is the result of a focused and unconquerable effort toward an identified and detailed goal or purpose. Thinking outside the box and pursuing the goal in a singular manner, …that is throwing tradition out the window and doing what it takes…is the mindset needed to begin moving courageously and quickly toward the goal: toward success!
Five tips for massive change:
- Start with a clear, unadulterated vision of your goals
- Be flexible—measure results and adjust on the fly
- Time is money—be in control of your time
- Knowledge is only powerful when applied through action.
- Get started today!
Time to get started!
Inertia is defined as the tendency to do nothing or remain unchanged. Isaac Newton’s First Law of Motion describes the same idea like this: “A body at rest will remain at rest, and a body in motion will remain in motion unless it is acted upon by an external force.” Once you begin to move in the direction of your success, you will find it easier and easier to gain momentum.
So, find one thing to start on today. It’s a simple exercise, but valuable. Choose one simple task to start moving you out of your comfort zone. Maybe it’s to start making calls to potential clients or talking with someone about financing. Maybe you’ve been putting off talking with an internet expert about your business ideas… maybe it’s as simple as organizing your desk or workspace.
Pick any one task…one action step…to begin the journey. Schedule the task, allot time to complete it and then do it. And see it through to completion. Then on to the next one…before you know it, you’ll be well on your way to massive results!
Famous author and life-coach Anthony Robbins also supports this concept. He once quoted, “the path to success is to take massive, determined action.”
Be a mover and a shaker—massive action leads to massive results!
“Nothing happens until something moves”–Albert Einstein.
