The idea of pursuing a lifelong career is starting to sour among members of the present generation. You’re with them, as you always liked the idea of controlling your own destiny.
If you’re going to take the plunge into entrepreneurship, you’ve got to jump in the deep end with the mindset that you are going to do everything you can to win.
If you want to achieve big things in business like Mark Stiffler has (he earned a spot in the Philadelphia Business Hall of Fame for building a successful sales management company that supercharged the results of companies worldwide), commit the principles below to memory, and act on them everyday.
This way, you’ll get to where you’ll want to go faster rather than going through the tortuous process of trial and error.
Let’s get into it below…
Heck yes or no – which is it?
Before starting out on any journey in business, you need a guiding principle that will keep you from chasing the wrong things. In your case, we suggest applying the ‘heck yes or no’ test to any opportunity that comes your way.
Many pursue biz ops suggested to them by others, regardless whether they are passionate about them or not.
While you should be careful about following your passions (it would be a shame to have a beloved hobby become a loathed aspect of your everyday routine), ensure the business goals you work towards make you say ‘heck yeah’ when you think about them.
This is where you want to be, as it will provide the inner drive you’ll need to keep going when times get tough.
Begin the end in mind
Once you have zeroed in on the opportunity you want to pursue, you need to sit down and envision how your life is going to look two to five years down the road.
If you neglect to do this, chances are good you’ll end up working inside your business, tunring it into just another job rather than a vehicle for positive world change or your own personal freedom.
When you start out in business, write your goals down in a notebook and review your progress quarterly. This way, you’ll be able to make timely changes that will get you back on track if you start to slip into inefficient work habits.
Learn how to set priorities
On any given work day, there will be dozens of action items competing for your attention. Without proper analysis, each will seem equally important, which will only serve to spike your stress levels.
You’ll also stumble from one task to the next with no regard to their actual importance, eroding your effectiveness.
By sitting down the evening before and drafting a tight to-do list of no more than three action items, you’ll be able to make real progress toward your larger goals.
Most ‘urgent’ tasks that come up during the day should be outsourced or delegated, so be sure to hire your first employee or contractor when you can afford to do so.
