Most talk about making more money in business, but I wonder if they really want it, or willing to do what it takes.
There are some skillsets that need to be mastered to succeed in business as well, but I’ll save that for next week.
First thing’s first. You need to have the right mindset AND willingness to take action accordingly. Otherwise, the strategies will be useless to you.
Here are 5 “Be-attitudes,” to give you the foundation to make more money and succeed in your business:
- Be engaged, not entitled! The world doesn’t owe us anything, nor are we entitled to anyone’s business. Only by adding value, and asking for the business, can we hope that others will want to work with us, or buy our product. Don’t be afraid to work hard, especially when you don’t always see the immediate benefit. That will happen. But, there will also be times when business will come to you without any effort. It all balances out when you are consistently taking responsibility for your business, working, and humble enough to know that others can may say “no.”
- Be creating value for others. My whole intention is to give people what they want (and what they need) in a way that they will want to exchange money for it. It doesn’t matter what I value. It only matters what others value, and how I can best deliver on that. If I can’t, then I send them to someone who can. Living by this one concept alone skyrocketed my business. As a side note, this does not mean that I do whatever anyone wants. That’s insane! Instead, I stay focused in areas where I can create the most value that others value the most. This can mean that I adjust my services based on what others need. I focus a lot on cash flow because that is where most entrepreneurs are concerned. I can do a lot more than that, but I serve where I’m most needed.
- Be mission driven, not “commission driven.” Any time I have witnessed someone go into business only to make money, they usually fail. Business has some tough moments and is not for the faint of heart. You must be willing to do what needs to be done when it needs to be done. Therefore, if you don’t like your work, you’ll come to hate it more when you own a business. Work in areas where you feel it’s a privilege to be paid for the work you’re doing. You’ll be happier, more grateful, and you will become a master of your trade more quickly when you do.
- Be patient and never give up! Many businesses spend years becoming an “overnight success.” It took Walt Disney nearly 20 years before the world knew who he was. Robert Kiyosaki was teaching people how to be wealthy for 15 years before he appeared on Oprah and his book sales skyrocketed. Even Oprah was in her line of work for 10 years before she was a national name. Don’t be discouraged if it takes some time to develop. Most businesses go out of business because they give up too soon, not necessarily because they lacked the capital.
- Be focused on relationships. This somewhat ties in to the second point, but is more a general rule of thumb. Businesses thrive on good relationships, and fail when relationships aren’t valued. A good reputation and a strong brand is why people buy your stuff. It’s rarely about the product, and even when it is, it might only be for a short time. Be willing to value others and serve them, even if the reward doesn’t seem to exist in the situation. Karma always pays handsomely to those that are willing to invest in developing good relationships with others.
In summary, be sure to develop the right attitudes and motives in business. When you do, it’s easy to train on the skills. Next week, I’ll share with you the skills that have helped me grow my business quickly in a little over a year.