Secrets to Success
Secrets to Success
Warning: Danger
in the comfort zoneAre things pretty stable and steady for you right now? Are you feeling comfortable? Ever think to yourself that you'd like to start a business part or full time, but justify your decision to continue to work a less than thrilling job saying to yourself, "It's good enough, I'm getting by pretty well."
If you've answered yes to any of these questions, or if you're thinking "Someday ... when things change, I'll be able to start my own business." Then I've got to stretch my virtual hands off this page, grab you by the shoulders and shake you out of fantasy-land and back to reality.
I don't want to see you end up living a life of "should'ves" and "could'ves" letting countless opportunities pass you by like so many potential entrepreneurs do. If you've ever experienced that nagging feeling deep in your gut about a great idea that would make you money while helping fulfill the needs of other people, I've got news for you -- you're an entrepreneur in waiting!
The next time those entrepreneurial thoughts flash across your mind, remember; you're here for a reason. A very important reason. You're gifted with very special talents and unique abilities. Step up and apply them. Those talents will not only make your life more fulfilling as you put them to use, you'll also discover that you've significantly impacted the lives of others with benefits they otherwise never would've experienced.
Stop making excuses! Comfort is the No. 1 killer of entrepreneurial dreams, right behind listening to well meaning, but negative, friends and family.
Take the time to clearly identify all your strengths. Develop the most important ones. Link them together with a single focus, align your ideas with your greatest strengths and you'll have the fuel that will break you out of your comfort zone and propel you into a successful start-up venture.
Need a little more excitement in your motivation? Think about this. You know those things that you're so passionate about, the things that have you hopping out of bed first thing in the morning? The activities that you're so happy to do that you don't even need to get paid to do them? These are the key components to your long-term success. Not just your success in entrepreneurial endeavors, but your success in creating a compelling and fulfilling life. If you use the right system for planning your transition, those very same passions can be part of your everyday life.
If you think all these things only have to do with your "personal" life and are separate from your business life, you're robbing yourself of a passionate and rewarding life that you were meant to live every single day.
How can I be so sure? Because I've seen friends and family members work their lives away waiting for "someday" to arrive. I've coached hundreds of business leaders and achievers who've lived half or three-quarters of their working years feeling like they're stuck in a business, thinking it's too late to change their destiny. And most importantly, because I've faced the same thing myself.
"But I have kids and a responsibility," you say, "I can't make that that type of change now," you justify. I hear this from new clients all the time. My answer is simple but true ... There are no unreasonable goals, only un-reasonable time frames.
This is where a solid, step-by-step system for planning comes in. Sure you need to eventually think about business plans, transition budgets, niche market analysis, testing, etc. But don't get ahead of yourself. Take things one step at a time. First make sure your past work experience, passions, life experiences, education, communication style and driving values are all lined up with your business ideas.
If you're not sure where to start, there are proven scientific assessments that can help you get rolling. If you have a business coach experienced in successful entrepreneurial ventures, they'll walk you through the rest, referring you to the best resources that will help you along the way.
If you find you're at the point when you know you need to make a change in your career or start own your business but just aren't sure where to start, drop me an e-mail. I'll send you a free action-report that will lay out four foundational action steps that will help you get going. They're straight out of our new REDLine Learning course, "Completing the Entrepreneurial Circle: Getting the Money You Want, Freedom You Need and Destiny You Deserve."
Whatever you chose to do, begin by taking steps to get yourself out of the comfort zone so you can begin moving toward your entrepreneurial dreams today. You can turn your entrepreneurial dreams into a pleasant reality.
John-Paul Micek is a small business strategist
and chief operating officer at RPM Success Group.
Reach him at JPM@RPMsuccess.com
or toll-free at (888) 334-8151.