Starting your own business can be a lengthy process. First-time entrepreneurs commonly rush to see results at the detriment of their company. But this habit will rarely drive the desired final outcome. If you want to start a successful business, you will need to learn how to think big and start small.
The only way to achieve this is by getting into the right state of mind, knowing your ‘why’, planning ahead and working hard. While this is easy to say, putting it into practice can be a lot harder than you think. Hopefully, these three actionable tips will help you realize that running a busines doesn’t have to be scarier than a horror flick.
Break Down Your Objective
In order to keep your ultimate goal in mind, try to break it down into smaller and easy to measure objectives that you can complete easily and often. Being organized is essential for success, so put together a spreadsheet where you can quickly visualize your final objective and how you’re going to get there, one small step at a time.
Visit this spreadsheet as frequently as possible. It will help you see how you are getting closer to your final goal but also if you get behind in your shorter-term objectives. With this initiative, you will be more productive and more organized than if you have to refer to your business plan.
Reward Yourself
One of the main reasons for failure is a lack of motivation. While the beginnings are exciting and enthusiastic, self-motivation tends to vanish in time. A good functional tip is to reward yourself every time you fulfill one of your short-term objectives. This will keep your energy levels up to give your best in the next run.
How you reward yourself is entirely up to you. Nobody knows you better than you, so you’re the best person to judge what will keep you going. It doesn’t need to be a huge prize: A small remuneration, a morning off work, a special drink on Friday night or perhaps a small treat in your favorite restaurant are just some ideas.
Safeguard Your Learnings
In every step of your entrepreneurial adventure, you will come across new things to learn. You will never stop learning, and that’s great! Don’t let daily routines and stress make you forget that you are constantly learning.
You should definitely take notes on your new learnings. These records will be extremely precious in the future. Your personal learnings will be ten times more relevant for your business progress than any other advice you can find out there, so don’t underestimate them.
Image: Flickr / Gerlos