Ep 03 - Game-changing Habits of Successful Business Owners
For most small business owners, the road between who you are and who you’d like to be as an entrepreneur often seems winding, narrow, and much too long. You may have woken up this morning convinced that today will be the day that you get your Steve Jobs on and skyrocket to the top of your field. That is, until the day and all its troubles, meetings, decisions, deadlines and unforeseen circumstances come stampeding in. Next thing you know, you’re closing up shop, drained and baffled, wondering where the time went.
The most encouraging thing about the best success stories, however, is precisely that each one of the world’s most excellent entrepreneurs went through the same hustle to get where they are today. Their successes are built on years of daily grinding--stretching through the unglamourous realities of running a business and persevering through the often grueling exercise of forming habits.
Dear business owner, these are the years that will shape your identity as an entrepreneur, so embrace them as exhausting as they may be. The bright side is that you can start practicing game-changing habits of successful business owners even as early as now. There are no prerequisites other than your determination and your commitment to press on--even when that snooze button feels like your only friend.
Game-changing Habits of Business Owners
Wake up earlier
Starting with this one because it’s classic advice that takes more effort than anyone cares to admit. Successful entrepreneurs seem to wake up before sunrise with a spring in their step and a sparkle in their eyes--a far cry from your groggy, blurry self at 5 in the morning. Be kind to yourself and give it time. It takes persistence, but the rewards are well worth the gargantuan task of consistently getting out of bed at the crack of dawn so that you can take the time to be armed and ready for the day’s work.
Write the little things down
Every inch of your brainspace is valuable mental real estate, so you want to allot most of it to the Big Ticket things--creative marketing strategies, sales forecasts, expansion plans, etc. The little things do matter too, but chances they are likely to be forgotten. Save yourself the brainpower and write them down so that you don’t have to spend too much time trying to remember that little thing you missed.
Pin creativity as crucial to success
If you are of the mindset that creative endeavors are for people with more time on their hands, we humbly suggest that you think again. Many of the world’s top entrepreneurs credit creative endeavors for fueling their ability to bring greater insight and impact in the workplace. Whether it’s preparing meals in the kitchen, playing a musical instrument, painting, sketching, or even dancing--the consensus is that creative work allows you to give your mind a break and recharge at the same time.
Never stop learning
In the same vein, a habit shared by successful business owners is the never ending quest to learn. It’s this teachable mindset that truly sets the game-changers apart once they adopt this mindset that there is always something new to learn. You can sign up for classes to learn new skills. Listen to talks about managing people, improving processes, or utilizing new technology or simply process mistakes or missteps and take the time to reflect on what you can learn from them. In whatever capacity, stay teachable and never drop the habit of learning.
Delegate and appreciate
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was it built by one person alone. One of your greatest strengths as a business owner and a leader will be your ability to know your team members’ strengths and then delegate tasks to them accordingly. You want to be able to trust others to make decisions towards the success of your business with the same energy and passion as you would. Through delegating, you show your team that you trust them and desire for them to grow as well.
Just as crucial in building up your team is appreciation. Encourage them out loud and take the time to honor them in front of everyone else. This builds up their confidence and also affirms that you value their contributions to your business.
Another form of delegation is outsourcing. Virtual assistants can contribute just as much to the success and growth of your business. Make a list of your needs and you will find that there are creative, skilled, and motivated people across the globe who would eagerly embrace your vision and step up to the plate. Need a starting point? Click here to explore this avenue of delegating.
Steward your body as you would steward your business
You are still your most valuable asset- Your business (as well as every other area of your life) deserves the best of you, and so your physical health must be a top priority. Take the time to move and get some form of exercise in regularly. The bonus: exercise also gives you the opportunity to clear your mind and let your thoughts and ideas flow freely.
Clear your Inboxes daily
Inboxes used to be manageable when you only had your emails and text messages to think about. But now that you’ve got multiple Inboxes across a variety of platforms, notifications and messages are bound to escape your notice or get relegated to the bottom of your list. Phil Tee, cofounder and CEO of Moogsoft has this nugget of wisdom to share:
“Communicate with everyone, regardless of any silly notions of hierarchy, and give them the respect they all deserve. I clear my Inbox every day. If someone has taken the time to reach out to me, I want them to know that I appreciate their time and acknowledge whatever the conversation holds. This is a difficult task, as I need to wake up early each morning and set multiple times aside to go through my Inbox each day, but it’s worth it. My team knows that I am available and willing to help improve our work each day.”
Hold your integrity to a high standard
It’s been said that it’s a dog eat dog world out there, but integrity still gets you far regardless of what cliches say. Practice integrity amongst your team, across your business processes and strategies, and in your own personal and professional life. This may mean passing up on really shiny deals once in a while, but press on and trust that people will remember you more for showing integrity than for closing a big deal--and that’s bound to open up far better doors for you and your business.
