Feb 14, 2018
6 Things to Never Forget As a First Time Entrepreneur
Does being your own boss sound appealing?
Thanks to the internet, gig economy, and low costs it’s never been easier to become an entrepreneur. 10 years ago it would have been impossible to do what we have access to now. You can start a blog, publish a book or grow an Amazon business with minimal costs.
Of course, becoming an entrepreneur vs a successful entrepreneur is a different story. Whether you start with a side hustle or build a company there are some universal rules that will help you succeed.
Last year I left my six-figure job to turn my passion for writing into a full-time career. I have learned some valuable lessons in my 10 month journey and want to share with you so you can avoid the mistakes I made.
Get Clear on What You Are Trying to Accomplish
Clarity is so important to achieve your goals. You can’t go all in if you aren’t 100% clear on what you are trying to accomplish. This happened to me and it sucks. It drains your energy, leaves you scattered, and on bad days feeling hopeless. The worst is when you feel like you worked all day only to look back and feel like nothing got done.
Without clarity it’s really easy to jump from task to task never really accomplishing anything. Spend time every day, week, and month getting really clear on your objectives.
Each day dedicate a few minutes to writing out what your priorities are for the day. I found it super helpful to meditate for ten minutes and imagine the day going perfectly. Also, you will find it beneficial to do this each Sunday and at the end of the month to clarify upcoming goals.
Focus on Yourself
As an entrepreneur you are inevitably trying to solve a problem for a group of people. Your work should always focus on, “How can I help more people with this specific problem.”
While you should focus on your customer it is so vital to not forget about number one, yourself. If you stop caring for your mind and body you will never create the best product for your consumer.
Spend time each day looking after your physical and mental health. The easiest way to do this is with a consistent morning routine. If done properly your morning routine can shape your entire day by…
- Focusing on your why
- Gaining clarity on what you need to accomplish in the short and long term with journaling
- Spending time reading, journaling, and meditating
- Exercising and getting the creative juices flowing
Do The Hard Stuff First
In Brian Tracy’s book, “Eat the Frog” he talks about the importance of doing the hard stuff first each morning. Spend this time on projects, problems, or situations that are giving you the most challenges.
Your brain is the most refreshed and creative in the morning. Don’t waste your time and creativity by checking emails, going on social media, or doing meaningless tasks like organizing your desktop.
“The more important and valuable the task is to you, the more you will be motivated to overcome procrastination and launch yourself in to the job. — Brian Tracy
Never Stop Learning
I’ve found it’s easy to get busy creating and recreating that you sometimes forget that you need to be consuming information as well. You can always learn more about your industry by spending time reading blogs, books or popular websites. But you should also read or consumer information that is entirely unrelated to sometimes spark creative, new ideas.
As Elon Musk’s ex-wife said in a Business Insider interview: “Choose one thing and become a master of it. Choose a second thing and become a master of that. When you become a master of two worlds (say, engineering and business), you can bring them together in a way that will a) introduce hot ideas to each other, so they can have idea sex and make idea babies that no one has seen before and b) create a competitive advantage because you can move between worlds, speak both languages, connect the tribes, mash the elements to spark fresh creative insight until you wake up with the epiphany that changes your life.”
It’s easy to get consumed in what you are doing — your industry, your customers, your mission and your goals. But don’t be afraid to pull back to learn something new and find an idea you might never have thought of.
Don’t Settle
The world is changing faster than ever. You can’t afford to settle in your current situation, no matter how good it’s going. Amazon is one of the biggest companies ever and they are still putting out new ideas constantly. Sure, not all of them will work but you can’t get comfortable. Remember when Blockbuster video did?
Always find ways to add value, create new projects, get more customers, and solve more problems.
“Work like there is someone working twenty-four hours a day to take it all away from you.” — Mark Cuban
Create an End Time
It’s natural for time entrepreneurs to want to prove themselves to the world. They want “hustle” 24/7 and make Gary Vee proud. But if you go non-stop, 24/7 eventually you will burn out. Trust me, I did.
There is only so much caffeine in the world. Without recharging you will never create your best work. Chose quality over quantity by creating an end time. Just like you have a wake-up time you should have an end time. This could be to spend with family, read or relax before bed.
Stop feeling guilty about recharging as it will give you the energy needed to create the best possible products.
Call to Action
If you want different results and want to live a life that is unlike others you have to be willing to do different things. I’ve made it easier with my “Success Cheat Sheet” which will show you the daily habits and morning routine that will help you reach your goals sooner.
