Success Survival Tips
Do you have what it takes to succeed at owning and operating
your own business?
Your life is the reflection of all the choices you have made up
to this point. Ten years from now the same will be true. You are
the product of your own choosing. Your future relies on the
choices you make. You may be one of the few and are satisfied
with where you are today, personally and professionally. Then
again you may be part of the majority who is not. But either way
you are where you are because you have chosen to be there. If
you're not satisfied, it's time to make an adjustment to your
life's choices.
When speaking of starting your own business or anything else in
life, having the desire to accomplish your goal is not enough,
however it is a starting point.
Follow these 7 Success Survival Tips:
1) Follow Opportunity Instead of Savoring Security.
This is the hardest one of all. Most of us were brought up to
seek out and cling to the security of the 9-5 job. What happens
when you mention to your family that you want to leave the
security of your pension and go out on your own. They will
probably advise you to be sure, to step carefully, to take your
time. Some may even advise you against it completely. Are they
financially independent? Did they have what it takes to go out
on their own? Are they living the life that they want? One way
to avoid getting caught up in this security trap is to set a
confirmed time that you will leave your job. Real worth and
wealth is generated from within you. It comes from being
prepared, knowing how to spot, act upon and capitalize from
opportunities.
2) Get Things Done.
What do you want for your work? You want results. The results of
your hard work are everything. You either succeed or fail. You
make money or go under. Does this mean you should not get into
daily routines? Of course not. As long as your routine is
helping you get a profitable result, then they are not
considered ruts, but pathways to success. Think of it this way.
Efficiency is getting the job done right, Effectiveness is
getting the right job done.
3) Making a Profit, Not a Living.
If you are still an employee, you probably know how much you
will be bringing home next week. But with your own business, you
have to remember to focus on making a profit and that means high
sales and low overhead. No one signs your check now. To survive
you must be focused on how you will make a profit today,
tomorrow and next week. You must find ways to keep costs down to
the exception of affecting your profit making capabilities.
4) Look For Opportunity, Not Mistakes.
Success is the result of making good decisions. Good decisions
are made from good judgement. Good judgement comes from
experience. Experience comes from bad decisions. This doesn't
mean you should try to make mistakes for experience. The key is
to gain experience from the mistakes and success of others. Seek
out others in your field. Study and understand why they are
succeeding or failing. Don't expect to make all the right
decisions and don't let the fear of making mistakes inhibit you
from pursuing new opportunities. Those who never make mistakes
are probably working for those who weren't afraid of making them.
5) Know What People Want, Instead of Wanting What You Know.
What it all comes down to. Knowing the who, what, where and why
of your target customers. The success of your business is not
the sum total of the knowledge you have gained, it still is and
always will be, the "sale". Success is determined by what
products sell and how well they sell. It isn't what you know
that counts, it's what your customers want. If you lose sight of
this fact, you are doomed to failure. Never lose sight of the
fact that marketing your customers' wants is your number one
priority.
6) Keep the Vision Alive.
Never lose sight of your end goal or your dream of success.
Where do you want to be in ten years? What do you want to be
doing? I know how hard it is trying to get the daily job done
sometimes, but keep your vision alive and let it steer you in
your search for success. Let it be the drive that keeps you
going. Every morning before you start, do something that will
bring you a little closer to your dream.
7) Work, Patience and Sacrifice.
Lets face it, if it were easy, everybody would succeed. To
succeed you must dedicate yourself to doing what needs done not
working on the clock. You must have the patience and persistence
to tough out the hard times, and oh yes, there are hard times.
Be prepared to sacrifice your time and too often your social and
personal life in the pursuit of success. Nobody said it was an
easy road to follow, and if they did.....They were lying!