Why are some business owners more successful than others? Their belief systems are different from the “wishers” or the “posers.” The successful business owners make a decision to go for what they want and they do it – no excuses.
1. Work your butt off!
When you look at successful business owners, it’s tempting to think they had it easy or they were lucky. That is complete crap. They worked like crazy people.
2. Stop complaining about what you don’t have.
If there is something you want and you don’t have it, work your butt off (see #1) until you get it or until it is no longer important.
3. Create a plan.
Sustainable success does not come by accident. It comes from making a decision about what you want to do and developing a strategic plan to make it happen! (This post has business planning advice.) Dave Ramsey was a millionaire and lost it all before he was 30. He made a plan for his life, for his dreams and his business. He worked his butt off (see #1) and has one of the top three syndicated, privately owned radio programs in the world. Need help with your strategic planning? Contact me here.
4. Choose to whom you will listen.
There are a ton of people who don’t want you to succeed: family, friends, colleagues, competitors, weird people, mistaken people, bloggers, teachers, professors, coaches and mentors. Some of your nay-sayers will be people you like, love, respect and admire. Some of the negative Nellies may be smarter than you. Stop listening to them! Did you know that 3 time Olympic Gold Medal Champion Josh Davis was told by his first swim coach to quit swimming because “you will never be successful?” Josh said, “I had to make a choice. Choose a new sport or choose a new coach. I chose a new coach.”
5. Stop wasting time.
Every time you say yes to one thing, you are saying no to something else. Is that networking event really that important? What would happen if you took those three hours (commute, the meeting, networking before after, commute home) and poured yourself into sales calls, marketing yourself online, developing a new product, writing an ebook, writing a blog post, contacting former customers or seeking advice? What about television? Did you know that Chris Brogan doesn’t own a television? How important is it to find out which crazy woman the Bachelor chose vs making traction to your dreams?
6. Do something you love.
You own your business. You call the shots. Why do you want to work with jerks? Because you have to in order to make money? BS! When you are miserable, other people don’t want to be around you. Do you think that could hurt your sales? A bit? No matter how hard you try to hide it, your attitudes, feelings and beliefs are visible for everyone to see. Newsflash: people are attracted to other people who are happy and full of spirit and life. Work with people you love, doing things you love and your business will grow.
So what are you going to do?
Look for Part 2 tomorrow.
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The biggest thing I struggle with is wanting to be liked by everyone, but you’re ABSOLUTELY spot on in this post. Every time I form a partnership with another business, that is a competitor of theirs I am choosing to never work with. If I partner with a business and I have a friend that competes with them, that too closes some doors, if not burns that bridge entirely.
BUT THAT’S OK!
I can’t be so afraid to ruffle the feathers that I take no action at all (see #1 lol) and I have to just work my butt off to make the things I want to happen, happen.
It takes prayer, faith in myself and a plan. None of which comes easy, but if this was easy, everyone would be doing it.
The few, the proud, the SMB.
Alicia!
I loved all 5 points and totally agree! If I’d listened to all the smart, but negative nellies in my sphere, I woulda never made it to my 13th year in business! Over time, I learned to turn down the volume on my personal and business relationships that sucked the life and positivity from me. As well, I sought out positive, supportive friends and colleagues with whom I could mutually share in ‘joy stories’ and successes.
I also agree re: #5 – Stop Wasting Time! I continue to work on this; in recent years, I’ve trimmed activities, initiatives and partnerships that were energy and time-sucking and focused in on the ROI and relationship nurturing initiatives that add value. It’s a combination of those efforts that drive immediate revenue and those that I envision WILL drive revenue, market share and extended, business-centered results that works for me.
Note: these decisions are not always black and white. It pays to zero in on relationships with people you trust, who are kind, who are savvy and who are generous, even if the ROI isn’t always immediate. It WILL come. At the same time, we must make sure our seasonal business ‘crops’ are tended to and that we not only meet the bills but are building our revenues/profits in immediate and compelling ways in order to sustain our presence in the business community.
So much that can be said on this topic. You boiled it down so emphatically, passionately and pragmatically.
Thank you for your continued streams of business-centered posts!
Your fan,
Jacqui