When you become an entrepreneur, a lot of things change. It’s very easy to see the immediate external changes: you don’t receive a set salary at the end of the month because you receive income as often as your business model allows you; you don’t receive money from one source, but from multiple; your agenda is defined by you and not by your boss; you don’t work at their location, but you work where you want to; taxes and administration are no longer invisible because they are your responsibility.
My dear friend Harma had a lifelong dream to set up her own business. Now the day has arrived, and her business is born. She has her first customers. She has registered with the Chamber of Commerce. The changes around her are very noticeable, and she’s wondering what is happening inside. The external changes are more noticeable and obvious. She can see the business changes, but she’s wondering who is she becoming.
We asked:
Just a question, when you started your business in 2007, and I know in the times before that there were also big transformations in many areas in your life, did you also have the feeling as if you were entering a totally new course in the outside world and also in your inside world? Parts of yourself you did not know yet or didn’t even know existed? Just wondering. When I became an entrepreneur, I felt like I was totally re-inventing myself and my life in all aspects, internal and external?
The short answer is yes. Yes, my entire world changed. Clearly the outside changed and definitely the inside also did. Indeed, I discovered many aspects of myself that I never knew even existed. And I’m not alone in this gigantic transformation. This is a pattern I see repeated in all my fellow entrepreneurs. In fact, those entrepreneurs who inspire me are the ones that show us how an inner transformation facilitates their massive success.
In order to thrive as an entrepreneur, you will need to trade employee inner traits and allow entrepreneurial traits to emerge. You will change your mind, let go of patterns of thought, and adopt new ones. In fact, these new patterns of thought are already latent in you. If you are pursuing entrepreneurship, you have these inner qualities already, even if they are dormant.
These inner changes will not only protect you from the dangers of the entrepreneurial jungle, but they will also allow you to actually fulfil your potential.
- Adios Belonging. Welcome Soaring Like an Eagle.
Successful entrepreneurs don’t belong to any one group. They are on a mission. Concentrate on your personal mission and your success will be unavoidable.
- Adios Pleasing. Welcome Caring.
Your business was created to solve a problem. If not, you’ll have a very hard time making money. If you just please your customers, you won’t solve his or her fundamental problem. Go beyond pleasing your customers and instead care deeply for their own transformation and for providing a meaningful solution to their problem.
- Adios Common Sense. Welcome Uncommon Sense.
Great businesses didn’t make sense until they’ve proved everyone wrong with their innovative services or delivery models. Think of DHL or Domino’s Pizza. Who would have thought that delivering packages worldwide in less than 24 hours would be possible? Or delivering pizzas within 30 minutes? Allow yourself to be and to act weird. Uniqueness leads to success. Listen to your inner guidance to make the impossible possible.
- Adios Blame. Welcome Radical Personal Responsibility.
No one is coming to your aid. This is true everywhere. Security is a fallacy. We tend to forget this in a corporate setting. In an office setting, it’s easy to blame your boss or the economy and wait for your salary. As an entrepreneur, you don’t have that luxury. You need to take the driver’s seat and make choices.
- Adios Fear of Mistakes. Welcome Embracing Learning.
If you are afraid of making mistakes in a corporate setting, you won’t be promoted. However, if you do that as an entrepreneur, you’ll go bankrupt. On the contrary, if you embrace all the opportunities you have to learn, you and your business will bloom.
- Adios”I have to.” Welcome “I choose to and I want to.”
Obligation limits energy. It brings you from Monday to Friday. True motivation excites you. It carries you 24/7. True motivation charges you with energy and enthusiasm and leads you to thrive no matter what the challenges are.
- Adios Procrastination. Welcome Speed of Implementation.
In the entrepreneurial jungle, you don’t have time to think about it. You must be fast when implementing your projects. Will this lead you to mistakes? Of course! And that is terrific. Mistakes will teach you. Mistakes will accelerate your success.
- Adios Security. Welcome Fear as a Friend.
When you are safe, you have no incentive to move or innovate. When you fear failure, bankruptcy, ridicule, etc., you will get your act together. Don’t be afraid of fear. Fear can be your best friend. Listen to your fear. What does it say? Does it have recommendations? Make it your best advisor. You’ll see that fear can be a great ally.
- Adios Knowing. Welcome Learning.
Knowing can be devastating for entrepreneurs. Maintaining a beginner mindset will allow you to see the nuances of the changes that will affect your business. Keep curious. Keep learning. Keep growing.
- Adios Certainty. Welcome Resourcefulness.
Do you know that the Romans were never able to conquer Germania? Why? The Romans were the military might of their time. In Germania, there was not even one city. Germania had no establishments to fight a war with Rome, but they were resourceful even without obvious resources. They brilliantly used the abilities and tools they had. It’s never about how little you have. It’s always about the imagination to do whatever it takes with what you do have.
- Adios “Fine.” Welcome Hunger.
Don’t be fine. Be hungry. Don’t ever be satisfied. Keep looking for the next frontier. Keep that fire burning inside you. You will touch more lives. You will make more impact in the world. Stay hungry.
- Adios “The Blues.” Welcome Resilience.
Make it your business to learn resilience. There is no time for the blues. You are on a mission. You must learn to bounce back. You must learn how to love rejection: it’s always an invitation to be more creative. You must learn to love all results: so-called failures and so-called successes. Resilience is the one skill that will make your business great and you happy.
How can you develop these inner skills?
To build these strengths, you have to embrace the idea of building the plane while flying. You won’t ever have the perfect entrepreneurial mindset. You’ll have moments of genius and moments of learning. How you have more genius moments? Having more learning moments. So you’ll need to implement the action/reflection cycle. Remember that the one thing that changes your neuron pathways is action.
- Take on projects that fit your mission and challenge you to expand that mission.
- Do your best.
- Analyze the results to see what is working and to see what you need to learn.
- Look for the mentors that will accelerate that learning (if you feel that’s me, let’s talk)
- Choose a new project that will build new skills and fit your mission.
- Continue repeating this cycle forever.
When you do this, you will not only build a business that provides a great service to humanity but that is also a vehicle for personal transformation, a vehicle for becoming better than yesterday.
Now, I would love to hear from you.
I would love to hear your wisdom.
What inner strengths have you developed since becoming an entrepreneur?
Inspire us!
Please, share your wisdom directly in the comments below. Let’s start a wave of vibrancy, excitement, enthusiasm for life. Let’s live fully!
Add as much detail as possible in your reply. Remember, your voice may be of great help to someone else. Your voice might be the one thing that will finally touch the heart of that one person. Please do share your wisdom.
Share your thoughts and ideas directly in the comments.
Thank you so much for reading, watching, and sharing your insights.
I’m very grateful for your support!
Make your week wonderful!
With love,
Blanca.
Author “Conscious Money Making”
Business Coach of the EMERGE Program.
Blanca Vergara
Author & Business Coach
Photo by Danielle MacInnes on Unsplash