When I started business 2 years ago, the biggest thing I have to change is my mindset. It was never an easy switch but I am constantly learning and improving.
I'm going to share a couple of mindset shifts I have to make throughout my journey of entrepreneurship.
Mindset #1: Take Full Ownership And Responsibility
The biggest thing I learned is that nobody cares about my business as much as I do. I know that I can't blame anyone but myself when things are not happening or going as smoothly as I expect it to go. As entrepreneurs, we must take full ownership of our actions (or inactions) and the results they create.
“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.”
Ownership is taken. Nobody can appoint or give you ownership. It's about you saying I'm going to make this happen no matter what. Here's what I will do and here's how I will track or measure my progress.
Action Step: What are the areas in your life that you could take full responsibility or ownership?
Mindset #2: Live To Add Value
Are you adding value to the people around you in what you do or create?
Constantly ask yourself that question. And it's okay if the biggest motivation of you creating your own product or business is about the money $$$ but eventually it would be a good idea to switch that motivation to be less of yourself and more about helping others.
There are so many different ways you could add value to the world. You can create a product or service, write a book or record a podcast or video. The goal is to help our fellow friends to live better lives, to become better parents, better teachers, better sons, better daughters, better siblings etc.
Action Step: Think of ways on how you can add value to people around you through your talents or gifts from God.
Mindset #3: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
Step out of your comfort zone and do things that will stretch you. If you are not doing things that are challenging you, you are not growing. Period. Everyone knows that entrepreneurship is not easy. In fact, nothing comes easy in the world. To succeed in any area of your life, it requires discipline and effort. To have what others do not have, you have to be willing to do the things others are not willing to do.
Action Step: Do something that makes you uncomfortable daily.
Mindset #4: Take One Step At A Time
Sometimes it is two steps forward and three steps backward. I could not count how many times I felt stuck. You might be experiencing something similar too, but I wanted to share with you that I'm with you and it is very normal to feel that way. Your business might not be growing but you might be learning from your mistakes or growing internally. For every peak, there would be a valley. And in those valleys we grow and stretch.
The graph below shows the life of an entrepreneur. If your life is similar to the graph, you are on the right track. Wouldn't it be boring if your life is just one straight graph without all the highs and lows?
Mindset #5: Be In It For The Long Haul
Not a single successful entrepreneur, athlete, artist, songwriter, model or photographer is an overnight success. Everyone goes through the process of improving oneself to be where they are today. Success comes from committing your time and energy in doing the mundane and unsexy things in life. Jeff Bezos beautifully said:
“In order for innovative ideas to bear fruit, companies need to be willing to wait for 5–7 years, and most companies don’t take that time horizon.”
Closing Thoughts
As I reflect and write about my entrepreneurship journey, I'm also constantly reminding myself and learning from them. Humans are not perfect. Don't blame yourself if you are not perfect in different areas of your life. What's more important is that you grow and learn from your mistakes and experiences and constantly strive to improve yourself in all areas of your life whether in family, career, business, health, relationships or finances.
Don't 'try entrepreneurship', you are either all in or not at all. Entrepreneurship is not for everyone. You have to develop the right mindset to be able to survive entrepreneurship. It requires passion, work ethic, discipline and most importantly emotional quotient.