Being an entrepreneur isn’t for the faint-hearted. It takes skill, guts, and grit to doggedly pursue success until you achieve it. You don’t just need the ambition, you need the drive, the tenacity to move forward and get things done.
That’s not always easy. Most people are naturally inclined towards comfort rather than effort. In fact, in many cases, people quit their day jobs and try starting a small business because they’re after a more relaxed lifestyle.
Here are some tips that would push you forward to strive for success.
1. Be Different
Avoidance is a common trend. People tend to avoid discomfort as much as possible. Shy people would rather stay in their homes than network with others. Social people would rather hang out and party instead of taking time from their social calendars to build a business.
Being different is important. You need to let go of all hesitation and work hard. Be different, don’t follow the normal trends. If all your friends like sleeping in, be that annoying morning-person who’s bright-eyed and bushy tailed in the early hours of the day, ready to take one any challenge.
2. Focus and Be Enthusiastic
It’s difficult to motivate yourself; we’re a society of indulgence, after all. Every innovation is geared towards achieving more comfort. Shunning the habit of indulgence can be hard but set a target and get work done. If you have resolved to master a language in three months, focus on that goal and don’t procrastinate. If you’re a small business owner looking to launch a new marketing campaign, don’t let yourself be distracted and achieve what you set out to do.
Simply focusing on work, however, can be stressful. Instead, focus with enthusiasm. Be optimistic about the outcome of your efforts and look forward to the hard work involved. It’s like going out for a long run. It takes effort and determination. You sweat and your muscles strain. But if you keep going, if you cross that three mile barrier, then cross the four mile barrier, and keep going ahead, the reward is wonderful. Take that attitude to work when you’re starting a small business. Set targets to cross and while they might be difficult, they won’t be impossible.
3. Remove Distractions
It’s ridiculously easy to get distracted these days. You might be facing a deadline, working furiously on a project when your cellphone buzzes with a Facebook update from a friend. The temptation to log on and check is immense, especially if a cursory glance tells you that the content is interesting. If you give into the temptation and check, you lose your momentum and therefore, your productivity. Distractions are a bane of productivity.
Shut out the outside world when you’re working. Set limits and let others know that they can only contact you if there’s an emergency. Log off your social networking apps and remove all temptation. Only when you focus, you maintain a good level of productivity. Start working towards your goals seriously and you’ll see success. By motivating yourself and being disciplined in your work ethic, you can move forward and reach new heights.
