As an entrepreneur, I definitely know that it is not easy, but it is so rewarding. Being an individual that has implemented and led major projects and served thousands of individuals over the year, I thought being an entrepreneur would be easy. I was so wrong and quickly realized that starting a new business is not for the faint of heart.
It is a shift of mindset in a different way, where you are the business owner, setting the goals, creating the plans to help you achieve them, and then doing the necessary work. And, this includes learning to say “no” when you feel a suggestion or business course will deflect you off the path toward your goal.
Being a successful entrepreneur can be so rewarding and a great way to build a beautiful life for yourself. It’s also a lot of work and can be challenging at times. By following the tips outlined in this post, I want to share with you ways to building an entrepreneurial mindset that will help you succeed.
First, you need to have passion and purpose for what you are doing.
I like to say that our passions will always ignite our purpose, and drive us to doing what we do. It’s our WHYs for doing things in the first place, and it can come in many forms: helping people, creating something new or unique, or simply doing something that makes your heart sing. If something doesn’t make your pulse race with excitement and joy when thinking about it (even if it’s just for a split second), then maybe it isn’t worth pursuing after all.
Purpose is so very different from passion because it’s the central motivating aims of your life—the reasons you get up in the morning. It gives you the butterflies in your belly and is what you wake up wanting to do each day. Your purpose is bigger than yourself; maybe even bigger than your business itself! It guides your life decisions, influence your behavior, shape your goals, offer a sense of direction, and create meaning in your life.
Next your mindset must be that of a growth mindset and it will change as you grow.
Understand that we become a newer version of ourselves as we grow. If you don’t see change in you as the months and years go by, you are growing. Know that your mindset will change as you grown but only if you let it.
And in order to grow as an entrepreneur you need to have that entrepreneur mindset. Having an entrepreneurial mindset means that you have a core set of skills that enable you to identify and make the most of opportunities, overcome and learn from your setbacks, and succeed in a variety of settings. You also must stay focused on the things that matter most for your business and what makes your business unique.
As an entrepreneur you must have that big-picture thinking that helps you achieve your goals. Successful entrepreneurs embrace challenges, mistakes, and failure as opportunities to develop new skill sets to help them succeed in the future.
What I have learned in starting my business is that to be successful, I must continue to have that same mindset that I have in my career but more streamlined so as to have a successful business. The right mindset can be just as important as hitting sales objectives or producing sustainable business models. And, having doubts along the journey keeps us human, but knowing how to nip them in the bud can make you a great entrepreneur.
Also, remembering to get out of our own way and know that it is not a race. Take time to not rush things and reflect often where you want to be in 5 years or 10 years from now, and make sure those goals are attainable within that timeframe so they don’t seem impossible when they’re far away in the future.
Have the ability to confront limiting beliefs and don’t let fear hold you back.
Let me just say this, that being a successful entrepreneur you are going to have to teach yourself to be your own coach and biggest cheerleader. Understand that entrepreneurial success will come from your ability to control your own thoughts and confront any limiting beliefs that you place on yourself. When you do it makes it easier to navigate the failures and disappointments inherent in going it on your own.
On to fear. Remember that fear is natural and can be helpful and can often come from an inner voice telling us what could go wrong instead of what could go right. We need to learn how to quiet this inner critic so we can listen only to our own thoughts–the ones that tell us what we want and how much time we need in order for them come true!
There are lots of ways people have found success overcoming their fears: by taking small steps toward achieving their goals (even if those steps are just baby ones), doing things that scare them every day until they get used to being scared but no longer letting it stop them from doing anything else ever again…and getting support from friends or family members who understand what you’re going through so they can help remind each other why it’s important not only survive but thrive as well!
Redefine what failure means.
As you build and scale your business you are going to have failures, but you must remember that they do not define you, but refine you. True failure is not trying at all. A good way that I handle failures are by doing failure dialogues. I do this by writing them down in my journal and talking with trusted friends and leaders. I ask myself those important questions that allow me to be transparent with myself and it helps me not focus on the failure but the solution that will lead to other opportunities.
Try not to compare yourself with others.
I can not stress this enough, how important it is to not compare yourself with others. As an entrepreneur, there are a lot of things you have to deal with. You need to be able to manage your time and resources efficiently so that you can get stuff done without falling behind on anything. This can be difficult when there are so many distractions in the world today–especially if those distractions come from other people.
When someone is successful in their business, it’s easy for us all to feel like we should emulate them or try and do what they do as well–but this isn’t always possible or even practical! Instead, focus on what makes sense for YOUR business instead of worrying about what others are doing with theirs (and vice versa).
Use those that are doing things well as your research subjects. Research what they are doing, and see how those strategies can be revamped and fit in your business plans to serve your customers and clients.
Working for yourself takes courage, but it’s worth it!
There’s no denying that starting your own business is hard work. You’ll have to make sacrifices, be patient and persistent, be willing to learn and fail–and then do it all over again. But the payoff is worth it: working for yourself means having control over your life and being able to set your own schedule.
Lastly, if you are just starting out or continuously scaling your business, you must not let fear hold you back. You can do it! And remember that if things don’t work out at first, there’s no need to give up. Just keep trying until something clicks. Being an entrepreneur is a process, so enjoy the journey and what comes with it. Celebrate your big and small wins, position yourself strategically, and continue to add value to those you are serving.
You got this and I believe in you. You have a POWERFUL PURPOSE and go out and use it each day.
Comments +