Everybody has everyday habits, some good and some bad. As a business owner you need to streamline and optimise those habits to become a success. Here are five you need to embrace to keep you on top of your game:
1. Accessible Language
Making sure your key message is accessible to everyone is imperative. If the common man or woman doesn’t understand what you’re selling or the ideas you’re promoting then they simply won’t invest in it.
Successful entrepreneurs ensure their message is simple and precise, expressing their point in the most accessible terms to guarantee it’s understood. To achieve this they are continually updating their vocabulary and you can too! Why not try the word a day challenge? Aim to learn a new word every day, including its simpler synonyms.
There are plenty of apps and tools out there to help you achieve this. Take a look at Dictionary.com for example and sign up to their Word of the Day email. This will help give you the language to express your message in the simplest way.
2. Embrace The New
To embrace new ideas, you mustn’t get attached to antiquated ways of thinking. Always keep your mind open to accept innovative concepts or suggestions. Whether they’re new ideas from a prospective business partner or simply to enhance your life with an item or way of thinking to make everyday tasks more time efficient or cost effective.
There are plenty of ways you can augment your life with new things. From embracing new technologies to simply using a new app or purchasing a new piece of equipment, there’s an array of novel methods to save yourself time or money.
3. Maintain Authority (whilst remaining down to earth)
Maintaining authority can be as simple as staying true to your word. If you say you’re going to do something, do it. From choosing a tie to adjusting the sugars in your tea to making an executive decision – it all counts. By all means take into account others opinions but ensure you’re confident that what you end up doing is the best course of action after weighing up the alternatives made by others.
As a business owner, others are constantly asking after you so to ensure you stay in line with your business objectives you will need to ask yourself:
A) Is this in line with my objectives?
B) Can you make it in line with your objectives?
If the answer is no to both, simply decline the request. To remain authoritative is to make your priorities paramount.
4. Set Goals
To make sure your business objectives remain at the forefront of your mind, create long term and achievable short term goals. This will keep you motivated as you tick off each short term goal and also ensure your long term business goal is always in focus.
Once your goals are set on paper, prioritise each goal in accordance to its importance and break each down into smaller manageable and achievable chunks. Each week set daily goals and create a to-do list to keep you in line and give every day structure.
5. Make Decisions
Great decision makers are greatly successful, fact. To be a great decision maker it – surprisingly -takes lots of decision making! After all, you learn from your mistakes and you have to make lots of mistakes before you learn – so don’t shy away from important decisions. The longer you leave a decision, the likelier the decision will be made for you, and then your authority takes a hit, too.
To make decisions you need to follow habit 3: Maintain Authority. Don’t become paralysed by the decision making process, instead weigh up opinions and make the choice that makes the most sense whilst taking into account and embracing new/other ideas (habit 2). You must also follow habit 4 - Set Goals - by making decisions that are in line with your objectives. In time decision making will be one of your most successful habits. You’d better get practicing!
Combine these 5 attributes and you’ll be solidly set on a path to success! Drop any of your old habits that you feel may be holding you back and embrace the new.
