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Have you plunged into the unpredictable, dizzying and wonderful world of entrepreneurship? Are you experiencing challenges, feeling alone and wondering if you are certifiably crazy for taking that big step? Even long-term entrepreneurs go through this cycle of self-inquiry and self-doubt. There are no established rules and proven processes for being a successful entrepreneur; if there were, it wouldn’t be an entrepreneurial pursuit.
I have been a passionate and proactive entrepreneur since 1979. I hope my experiences and lessons learned will keep you on your path and help you have more fun, get more accomplished, have more free time and experience more inner joy from living the life of your dreams.
Hot Tips for Entrepreneurs
- Success is Never Final
The pathway of entrepreneurship is never ending. Learn to be happy with the process of walking the path rather than fixating on specific end-points as your sources of enjoyment. Happiness and joy are an “inside game” and can only be experienced in the present moment. New opportunities and ideas will always pop up from your imagination and from your interactions with people. Continuous learning and improvement is a practical neuroscience consequence of how entrepreneur’s brains are wired.
- Identify Your Strengths and Limitations
A comprehensive inventory of your strengths and limitations is a best practice for successful entrepreneurs. Consider enlisting a trusted advisor who will give you candid and honest feedback. Qualities to identify should include your values, core competencies, skills, knowledge, passion, and “hot buttons” (e.g. subjects and situations that bring the best and worst out of you). Determine how your brain is wired to learn and think. Statistically validated instruments are available online to provide reliable information.
- Trusted Advisors Leapfrog You Forward
Trusted advisors share your values and vision. They are rarely as passionate as you are, so be grateful for their support and commitment. Establish the rewards (intrinsic and/or extrinsic)they receive from joining your team. Trusted advisors help you prioritize the most important ways to use your strengths; they help you get other essentials accomplished through their services and recommendations. Trusted advisors provide quality control and reality checks on a continuous basis. Your trusted advisors should have brain strengths, knowledge and skill sets different from yours.
- Take Care of Your Mind and Body
Entrepreneurs often get so passionate about their dreams, they neglect getting rest, eating properly, exercising and taking care of their overall well being. What’s the sense of creating a new enterprise if you get into the stress-distress-disease cycle? Having a spouse, friend or trusted advisor in the health field will help keep your mind-body-spirit in balance.
- Make Relationships High Priority
Remind yourself of the importance of relationships with people you love and care about. Your focus and enthusiasm for your entrepreneurial dream can blind you to the misunderstandings and hurt caused by ignoring people you care about. An effective strategy is to include maintaining rich and deep relationships with your spouse, family and friends in your overall picture of success.
- Be Honest With Yourself
From time to time, stop and reexamine your dream, passion (“fire in the belly”), goals and how you use your time. If your heart and mind are in alignment, you can trust what you’re doing. If in doubt, use your trusted advisors as a sounding board.
- The Universe Works in Your Favor
I believe in the power of the human brain and the human heart; when connected with one another, only good things occur. The shared values and vision of your trusted advisor team, coupled with diverse knowledge and brainpower, forms the vital connections for creating new, valuable and sustainable enterprises. Your values, vision and work will attract millions of people who become your future customers.
In conclusion, the entrepreneurial spirit is essential to keep the world moving in a positive direction. Working in the realm of what’s possible through imagination and hard work is a challenging and rewarding endeavor. Believe in yourself, your trusted advisors and the good that comes when connecting brain and heart power for a common cause.
Related articles
- Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Successful Entrepreneur? (brainpathways.net)
