It’s not uncommon to look at successful people and wonder how they do it. It takes a lot more than luck to be successful in business and in life. In fact, the most successful people tend to take a different approach to the world. They typically have different habits and traits when compared to people who might not have as much success. If you’re ready to take your company to the next level or are looking to get ahead, it helps to hone a few traits and to focus on building up certain habits.
Knowing When to Say No
There are a lot of things out there that can distract your from your goals. There’s also the assumption that to get ahead, you need to accept every offer that comes your way. The reality is that, if you say yes to everything, you are likely to burn out or to put in less than your best. Taking on a project you’re not interested in or trying to grow your business in a direction that’s not a natural fit can do more harm than good in the long run. Instead of agreeing to every offer or deciding to take on every project that comes your way, ask yourself if the offer or project on the table is something that really matters to you or something you’ll want to invest in 100%. If the answer is no, politely decline. You might look at saying “no” as shutting a door on opportunity, but it’s really opening the door to opportunities that better suit you.
Developing Focus
The most successful people out there aren’t the people that multi-task or those who feel they need to juggle multiple projects at the same time. Instead, they’re the people who focus on one thing at one time. It’s much better to put all of your attention on one project and do a fantastic job than to focus on several projects and do a not so great job on each of them.
Developing focus also means knowing when to block things out. Try to get in the habit of checking communications just once or twice a day. Constant email pings pull you away from what’s important. Give yourself 20 minutes or so for email at the start and end of your day and maybe 20 minutes for social media once a day and see how much more you’re able to accomplish.
Listening
Successful business people know when to seek out the advice of others and know how to listen to that advice, even if it’s not something they want to hear. While there’s a myth of the solo, successful entrepreneur out there, the truth is that behind every successful business owner, there’s actually a team of people. Listening to the opinions of your mentors, getting input from a virtual CFO, and developing an admin team to help you through the day to day are all keys to your success.
Putting Together a Plan
Having a strategic business plan is an important component for success. But, that’s not the only type of planning that’s important for success. Even having a simple to do list to guide you through your day can help you accomplish goals and stay on track. When you know what needs to be completed each day, you’re likely to buckle down and complete it, rather than let distractions take over.
Focus on Relationships
Focusing on developing relationships with the people you work with goes hand in hand with listening to others. The more connected you are to those around you, the more support you’ll have when needed and the more secure you’ll feel about taking the next steps on the path to success.
Establishing long-term relationships is a crucial part of the business philosophy at New Direction Capital. Contact us today for more details on how we can help you and your business plan of long-term growth and success.
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