Would you like the next 5 years to look drastically different than the last 5?
If so, then let me ask you a very important question: Are you interested in changing your life and reaching those goals and dreams you have for yourself, or are you committed to changing your life and reaching those dreams and goals that you set for yourself?
I ask you this because there is a big difference between being interested in something and committed to something. Being interested in something means you will do it when it is convenient. Being committed to something means that you’re going to continue with your plan long after the emotional decision to reach that goal has left. So in order for us to reach our goals, in order to be truly committed to them, we must treat our business like a business.
There are 5 things that will determine if we are treating our business with a committed mindset. We can work our business full time or part time but we can’t work our business sometimes. That’s called a hobby and hobbies don’t pay very much. If we want to be taken seriously, we must treat our business seriously. That means giving it the respect it deserves. The respect we deserve. Aren’t our goals and dreams worth that?
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Know WHY you are building your business. Why are you doing the business? What is the result you hope to gain from doing those activities necessary to succeed? What is the ultimate reason for you to do what you wish to do? And it can’t just be about money. It’s not about the money. Instead, what will the additional income provide for you? What will that do for your lifestyle? What freedom will that bring for you? Whether it be getting out of debt, being able to put your kids in private school, more activities for them, more time freedom, purchasing a new home…..those are worth working for. Not simply additional income. Get very clear as to why you are going to discipline yourself to reach your goals.
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Are you coachable? Are you willing to be a student as well as a teacher? Regardless of which profession one is in, those that are most successful, keep a student mindset. They know they don’t have all the answers. They know there is much to learn from others, from those that have gone before them, etc. Having accountability partners and coaches is part of the process of becoming successful. Even the best professional ball player, golfer, etc have coaches. If we ever have the mindset that we know it all, or have no more to learn, we have just signed our death sentence in business. No growth can come from that mindset.
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Planning/Calendaring Activities. If it is not on your calendar, it doesn’t exist. The most successful people have everything calendared – including personal time! Why? It allows them to be focused and live in the moment. It allows them to plan and live life intentionally. If we don’t, then life will control us. We will react instead of respond. It’s important to make some hard choices in our pursuit of reaching our long terms goals that can dramatically change our life: we must choose what to stop doing. We can’t just add to our calendar new activities without also deleting some. If what you are doing does not move you towards your goals, then it is time (perhaps temporarily) to stop doing them. How much do you volunteer? What could you delegate to others that you are currently doing? How much television are you watching? Determine what your goals are, then what amount of time you are willing to put towards those goals each week, what activities must be done to support those goals, what you will take off your plate and then plan accordingly. The key is to not deviate from the plan. Focus on activity rather than results. The results will come with disciplined, focused effort on the right activities.
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How are you doing on your own Personal Development? John Maxwell wrote in his book, “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership” about the Law of the Lid, that we can only grow in correlation to what our skill level is. The more we grow as individuals, the more we increase our skills (interpersonal skills, communication skills, organizational skills, relationship skills, etc) the better our life will be. The more people we will attract to us. The more peaceful and in control of our own lives we will be. The more compassion and understanding we will have for others. The better communicator we will be, etc. If you think about those you admire (in any profession), what are the skills they possess that you feel makes them a good leader? A person of influence? Until you also acquire & sharpen those skills, you won’t have the success they have. Read books on personal development, listen to audios, attend workshops, seminars, programs…..be a constant learner and feed your mind all that you can to grow as a person. And then apply those skills to your life and business and watch your life & business transform into the vision you hold in your mind!
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What is your mindset? Do you have a ‘no matter what’ attitude? Can you be objective and not let every little thing get to you personally or throw you off track? Be aware that disappointments are bound to occur, that there are ups and downs in any thing we do, and stay objective about what happens and continue to move forward regardless. This is part of growing in our personal development. Not allowing outside forces to influence our attitude and behaviors is a skill that we must learn and develop. It isn’t easy, yet it is vital for success as an entrepreneur. Having the proper mindset is by far the most challenging, yet most important of all 5 aspects to treating our business like a business. For those that master this, success is certain.
Following these 5 steps, being conscious of them and practicing them each and every day, will undoubtedly enable us to reach our goals. For those that have a heart for others, for making a difference, for contribution, they tend to do far better and get far better results than those that are simply focused on their own goals and have a WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) attitude. This isn’t about us, it’s about making a difference for others. When we practice the right disciplines, with the right mindset and with our heart in the right place, imagine the life we can have! imagine the impact we could have on those around us!
Those that are committed to their business, those that wake up every morning with intention, with purpose inspired by their reason for moving towards their goals, are the ones destined to reach them.