According to a July 2012 poll, 4 out of 10 adults are so unhappy with their jobs that they start to dread Monday mornings before the weekend is even over. Does this sound familiar to you? If you’ve left the regular 9-to-5 work week behind so that you can stop dreading Mondays, congratulations on taking the big leap!
Here’s how you can ensure a successful year of growth for your business:
Set an Intention
Call it a resolution. Call it an intention. Call it a mantra, if you will. Regardless of what word you prefer to use, the basic meaning is this: you need to get really clear about what you want to accomplish with your business this year and why you want to accomplish it. To quote one of the world’s most visionary entrepreneurs, Oprah Winfrey: “Before you have an action, there is a reason for you taking that action.”
Get in the Right Mindset
As tennis player, Venus Williams, famously said before heading to the Australian Open, “The mentality I walk on the court with is: I deserve this.” In order to find success in your business, you have to become your own biggest cheerleader. Head into each day knowing that you deserve success. You have what it takes to achieve your goals, even if you aren’t quite there yet.
Surround Yourself with Successful People
When it comes to business (and life in general), it has long been said that you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Surround yourself with people who are generally supportive, successful, and positive.
Get a Coach or Mentor
Entrepreneur and public speaker Lindsay Adamson recommends getting a coach for all areas of your life, including your business. “The most successful people in the world know that the true secret to success is not doing it all on your own,” Adamson says. “We MUST have coaches.” Find a business coach or business mentor who has a proven track record of success, and is willing to share their secrets with you. Although business coaching prices vary, there’s a chance you might be able to write off business-related advising costs as a business expense. Check with your accountant for details.
Similarly, there are plenty of resources available that can help you offload delegatable tasks so you can focus on the aspects of your business that truly require your attention. There are all kinds of renowned companies and even individuals that offer services like website building, online advertising, and email management at reasonable prices.
Stop Fearing Failure
Acclaimed leadership speaker Jim Clemmer wrote this excellent article on a theory called the Law of Averages, which states that any situation is simply the average of all possible outcomes. As a business owner, you have to occasionally take risks – and sometimes you’ll fail. However, success in business isn’t about never failing. It’s about picking yourself back up when you do fail and continuing to try.
If you’ve left the corporate ladder behind so that you can build a business doing work that you love, these tips will help you find continued success in 2017 and beyond. To end with another Oprah Winfrey quote: “The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.”
Photo courtesy of Pixabay by FirmBee