Guest Post by Stacy Karacostas
The longer I’ve been in business, the more I’ve realized there are major differences between entrepreneurs who are successful, and those who aren’t. So I decided to make a list of the top ten and share these important insights with you…
- Successful business owners know there is always something more to learn. They make a point of reading books, taking classes, attending seminars, and looking at what others in their industry (or other industries) are doing.
Or, in the words of Jim Rohn, “Rich people have big libraries;
poor people have big TV’s.”
- They understand the power of delegating and outsourcing. You’d be hard pressed to find a millionaire who’s made it there all by themselves. Most have at least one assistant (virtual or in-house), many have teams of people they can rely on.
- Powerhouse business-owners are stingy with their time. Sure, we’ve all heard the phrase time is money. But when was the last time you calculated the value of every minute of your day? Or looked at how much time you actually spend being productive versus busy? Once you do, I guarantee you’ll change the way you use your time.
- They stay focused on the things that actually make money. You’re just not going to find a $2000/hour consultant doing their own filing or bookkeeping or Web design. Not when those tasks can be hired out at a fraction of the cost. Instead they stay focused on tasks that generate revenue or grow their business.
- Super-successful entrepreneurs take massive action. Because massive action produces massive results. By the same token, a little action produces small results. And no action at all…well, you get the picture.
- They don’t think in terms of failures and problems, only learning experiences and opportunities. It’s all about taking calculated risks, and if need be, failing forward. But nothing ventured truly is nothing gained. And there are never any guarantees a product, service, program or business is going to be successful.
- Smart business owners are always looking for ways to improve their offerings. Most millionaires don’t ever stop and rest on their laurels. Instead they are searching for ways to expand their current market share or break into new markets.
- Successful entrepreneurs typically don’t want to be involved in the day-to-day aspects of running a business. But they also know they can’t expect their business to suddenly start running itself. So they create processes, set up explicit expectations and create systems to manage workflow and keep employees and contractors on track.
- Savvy business owners pay attention to the numbers so they know when to cut their losses. And they don’t get personally attached to ideas. When something’s not working, not making money, or not helping them meet their goals, they have no qualms about making a change.
- Entrepreneurs earning six and seven figures don’t just go about running or growing their businesses willy nilly. They have goals. And they make plans to reach those goals. Which is why they become so successful.
If you want to become highly-successful, then the best thing you can do is mimic those who have already made it big—starting with these ten ideas.
What are your thoughts? Any other traits you’ve noticed? Please do share by leaving a comment below…
Join Stacy Karacostas on Success Institute, March 1, 2011 at 1:30pm CST, for the “Secrets of Outsourcing Your Way to Success without All the Stress “Original Post from The Unchained Entrepreneur
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