Our habits, to a large extent, define our lives. If you form the wrong ones, then success as an entrepreneur is going to be impossible. Scrolling through your Facebook feed, compulsively checking email and smoking are bad habits. But there are good ones, too; that’s why so many self-help books place such emphasis on the power of habituation!
Entrepreneurs are especially susceptible to their habits. If you’re an entrepreneur, or aspire to become one, there are five which stand out as critical.
Making Time
If you let it, your business will devour every waking moment, and leave you feeling depleted, stressed, and overwhelmed. Effective entrepreneurs take structured breaks – even if it’s just for a few minutes – to unplug. This might consist of a weightlifting session, a walk in the park, or even a five minute stretch of guided medication. When you return to work, you’ll often find that you have a new perspective on that niggling problem that’s been bugging you all day. This applies especially to entrepreneurs, where a great deal can hinge upon making informed decisions.
Recording
A pen-and-paper journal, usually kept on a bedside table, is a fantastic means of planning the tasks of the following day. But it’s also essential for getting those flashes of inspiration down before they disappear. Taking the time to write ideas down might also prompt other ideas to flash into being through associative thinking.
Getting Up Early
Rising early has been repeatedly linked with success. If you’ve in the office before everyone else, then you do several things at once. Firstly, you allow yourself time to deal with all of the tasks that might be stressing you out. It’ll also allow you to talk to colleagues as they arrive. Finally, it’ll set an example to those colleagues – after all, if you’re not committed to the business, then why should they be?
Building Relationships
Success in business relies on talking to people, and building trust over time. This applies just as much to the interpersonal relationships which exist within your business as it does to the external relationships you have with suppliers and customers. Often, loyalty is rewarded automatically; if you’re placing sizeable orders with RS Components, for example, you’ll become a valued customer, and thus enjoy superior quotes.
But not every organisation has the resources to provide such incentives automatically. If you find that your business relies on certain valuable collaborators, and you’re providing them with repeat business, it’s worth building a rapport with them. That way, you be in a position to negotiate on price, and you’ll be apprised of any opportunities that might arise.
Do what you love
All of these habits are difficult to form if the business you’re committed to developing isn’t inspiring. After all, it’s tough to get out of bed, or stay late at the office, if you aren’t absolutely on board with your idea. For this reason, it’s worth asking yourself what you really want to be doing with your time before you get started!
Enthusiasm, of course, isn’t a guarantee of success – just think of the restaurants that have been driven into the ground by well-meaning, though inept, foodies. But a lack of enthusiasm is sure to kill your business dreams before they’ve a chance to get off the ground. If you want to give yourself the best possible chance, therefore, make sure you’re doing something you really enjoy.
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