Good People,

While out surfing the net for some inspiration I ran across this article by Mark Stevens. Thought you would appreciate the information.

Mark Stevens: The Heat-Seeking Sales Machine

How to Close More Sales

When you move from ‘vacuum salesman’ to trusted advisor you seal more deals.

By Mark Stevens   |   March 31, 2010

Every day, I hear from someone who calls themselves a “software salesman” or an “insurance saleswoman,” and I wonder why they pigeonhole themselves this way.

And then it strikes me: They are product peddlers as opposed to salespeople.

What do I mean by this? Well, a gifted salesperson can sell anything to anyone. Not because they have great products but instead because they are supremely confident about themselves and know they can charm and intrigue virtually everyone they come in contact with.

And the way they perform this magic act, of sorts, is not by touting themselves and bragging about how wonderful they are, but instead by revealing a genuine and unrelenting interest in others. They care about the following:

  • What makes their prospects tick.
  • Why they are passionate about their work.
  • What they value about business

, family, life and friendship.

  • Who they are as “regular” people, as opposed to their executive titles.
  • What their dreams and goals are.

When people recognize that you are truly interested in them, an extraordinary chain reaction occurs. First they think about themselves. Then they think about you, and they appreciate that you have genuine interest in the traits and attributes that make them unique.

They feel engaged. They feel connected to you in a way no sales manual ever discusses or recognizes. They feel a certain intimacy–that is the most powerful sales builder that can ever be unleashed.

None of this is manipulative. It’s based on a legitimate interest in and involvement with others that builds a bridge between you and the client. A bridge of faith, trust, mutual interests, even friendship.

When you obtain this level of intimacy, you can sell the world. But paradoxically, it doesn’t come across as “selling” because there is no product or service at the forefront. Instead, there is a personality, an intelligent and compelling human being, developing a bond with another.

How do you know when you have achieved this special status with your customers and clients? Consider the following checklist:

  • They turn to you for advice on issues outside the realm of business.
  • Your relationship evolves into a form that cannot be defined by an order or a transaction.
  • It is clear to you that the other person truly enjoys your company. Being together transforms from a “have to do” to a “want to do.”

Do you still want to think of yourself as a “real estate salesperson?” Now might be the time to delete that product from your title.
Mark Stevens is the CEO of MSCO, a results-driven management and marketing firm, and the bestselling author of Your Marketing Sucks and God Is a Salesman. He is also a popular media commentator on a host of business matters including marketing, branding, management and sales. He is also the author of the popular marketing blog, Unconventional Thinking.

If you care to make more of this article then you may want to visit www.bring2hlep2.com

You can also join us for Home Meetings…such as the one in Mount Dora, Florida every Monday night starting at 7:30….The address is 4300 Mount Dora, FL 32757 Unit A-205. For more information call 352-455-6700. Find out what all the buzz is about with this inspired concept of taking people out of lack by simply helping each other. So come and of course bring a friend with you.

James O’Connor

Leadership Team

352-455-6700

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Good People,

After the last post I thought you would appreciate this bit of insight by Bob Doyle.

“I’m Thinking… But I’m not Growing Rich!”

By Bob Doyle

 

So you’ve read “Think and Grow Rich”, and you’ve got an intellectual understanding that you “become what you think about”. You have a list of affirmations about wealth, and you recite them every day. But you still have no money. Wealth doesn’t seem to be anywhere around.

What’s the deal here? According to Napoleon Hill, you ought to be filthy stinkin’ rich, right? Well, here’s the real deal: If you’re not “Wealth Conscious”, than all this thinking, and all this affirming isn’t going to bring you wealth. Thinking, and affirming are simply actions you’re taking. But they are just PART of the sequence of creating wealth. If you skip the FIRST step, you simply can’t get anywhere.

So what’s the first step? Being. To attract wealth, you first have to BE wealthy. THEN, you think wealthy thoughts, speak wealthy affirmations, and take wealthy action.

“But how can I BE wealthy if I’m NOT wealthy?” you ask. Logical question, but it’s based on the false assumption that you don’t have wealth. You HAVE wealth. You’re simply not aware of it. You have constructed a physical reality that prevents you from experiencing Wealth. This can all be explained with the science of Quantum Physics.

So let’s look at some very basic concepts of Quantum Physics that will explain what I’m talking about. First, you probably are aware – at least on an intellectual level – that at a subatomic level, we, and everything else in the Universe, is Energy. When you break everything down, we’re all made of the same stuff, and we’re all connected. The Universe is just this huge ocean of Energy, vibrating at various frequencies which gives the illusion of individuation. That is, we experience the illusion of separateness from each other, physical objects, and wealth because our “senses” are decoding the Energy around us in such a way as to create our physical reality. This all happens in our thoughts.

So, to simplify things quickly here for the sake of time (another illusion), “things” only exist because we observe them. It is in our observing that things come into existence. Without our observing, things are simply “waves” – probabilities of existence. Physicists agree on this.

Our beliefs are a very powerful Energy system in our lives. Our beliefs allow or disallow certain experiences in our lives, including wealth.They make up who we are. We “BE” in the world according to our beliefs. If we are being is “someone who is trying to get wealthy by repeating affirmations”, then THAT is what our reality will be. We will just be TRYING to get wealthy.

We have to make the decision that we ARE wealthy, contrary to any external physical evidence. That evidence is an illusion based on the belief systems that have guided who we have been being up to that point.

A truly wealthy person isn’t wealthy because they have money. They have money, because they are wealthy! That’s the distinction that most people have backward!

Here’s an example to illustrate what I mean:

Tony Robbins became a millionaire at a very young age. Then, due to a series of poor judgments, he lost it. But within a year, he had it back. How did he do this? HE NEVER LOST HIS WEALTH. He only lost his money, which is just a symbol of wealth! Because he is “Wealth Conscious”, he literally “magnetically attracts” wealth into his life. He truly can’t help it! It’s who he is! And there are thousand out there like him, who attract wealth simply because it’s who they are. You can make the same decision and have the same results.

Conversely, a person who has grown up with “lack consciousness” can win millions in the lottery and lose it within a year. Their consciousness – their ENERGY – simply can’t maintain the attraction to Wealth because they aren’t “wealthy” in who they are being.

But again, Wealth is a decision. If you aren’t currently experiencing wealth, you first need to realize that abundance is everywhere…in fact it’s all there is. Poverty and lack are the illusions. You can shift your consciousness to Wealth – BE Wealth – by simply making the decision, THEN your thoughts, speech, and action will allow you to experience the wealth that is yours!

This is indeed a complex subject which challenges our core belief systems. But it is those very belief systems that keep a person in a state of lack.

Look at your financial situation today. Look at your core beliefs about Wealth and You, and see if your life isn’t a PERFECT reflection of your beliefs. Then, look where those beliefs may have originated. When you can awaken to yourself that your beliefs create your reality, rather than the other way around, you have the option to truly be free to experience a reality of prosperity that you deserve!

Bob Doyle is the CEO and founder of Boundless Living and the developer of the “Wealth Beyond Reason” program, which provides a continuing education of the physics of wealth, abundance, and joyous living through the Law of Attraction…

Wealth Beyond Reason

If you care to make more of this article then you may want to visit Operation Promised Land often at www.operationpromisedland.org

You can also join us for Home Meetings…such as the one in Mount Dora, Florida every Monday night starting at 7:30….The address is 4300 Mount Dora, FL 32757 Unit A-205. For more information call 352-455-6700. Find out what all the buzz is about with this inspired concept of taking people out of lack by simply helping each other. So come and of course bring a friend with you.

James O’Connor

Leadership Team

352-455-6700

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Good People,

We may have heard and read about thinking rich before. What I would like to do is set up a little warm up to the next post…so hang in there with me.

Six Ways of Thinking Rich

By T. Harv Eker
Author of
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind

Rich people have a way of thinking that is different from poor and middle class people. They think differently about money, wealth, themselves, other people, and life. Let’s examine six crucial differences between how rich people think and how poor or middle class people think.

By doing so, you will have some alternative beliefs in the files of your mind from which to choose. In this way, you can catch yourself thinking as poor people do and quickly switch over to how rich people think.

Remember, beliefs are not right, wrong, true or false, they’re just past opinions which can be changed on your command. The fact is, you can CHOOSE to think in ways that will support you instead of ways that don’t.

1. Rich People Believe “I Create My Life”

Poor people believe “Life happens to me.”

If you want to create wealth, it is imperative that you believe that you are at the steering wheel of your life; that you create every moment of your life, especially your financial life. If you don’t believe this, then you must believe you have little control over your life and that financial success has nothing to do with you. That is not a very rich attitude.

Instead of taking responsibility for what’s going on in their lives, poor people choose to play the role of victim. Of course, any “victim’s” predominant thought process is “poor me.” And presto, through the law of intention that’s literally what they get; “poor,” as in money, me.

Here’s some homework I promise will change your life. For the next seven days, I challenge you not to complain at all. Not just out loud, but in your head too. I’ve given this little challenge to thousands of people and several hundred have personally told me that this exercise completely transformed their lives. I invite you to email me with the results of this experiment. I guarantee you’ll be astonished as to how amazing your life will become when you stop focusing on the “crap.”

It’s time to decide. You can be a victim OR you can be rich, but you can’t be both. It’s time to take back your power and acknowledge the fact that you create every moment of your life. That you create everything that is in your life and everything that is not in it. That you create your wealth and you create your non-wealth and everything in between.

2. Rich People Play the Money Game to Win

Poor people play the money game not to lose.

Poor people play the money game on defense rather than offense. Let me ask you, if you were to play any sport or any game strictly on defense, what are the chances of you winning that game? Most people agree; slim and none.

Yet, that’s exactly how most people play the money game. Their primary concern is survival and security, not wealth and abundance. So, what is your goal? What is your real objective? What is your true intention?

Rich people’s big goal is to have massive wealth and abundance. Poor people’s big goal is to have “enough to pay the bills…” on time would be a miracle! Again, let me remind you of the power of intention. When your objective is to have enough to pay the bills, that’s exactly how much you’ll get; just enough to pay the bills and usually not a cent more. You get what you truly intend to get. If you want to get rich, your goal has to be “rich.” Not just enough to pay the bills and not just enough to be comfortable. Rich, darn it, rich!

3. Rich People Are Committed to Being Rich

Poor people are uncommitted to being rich.

Most of us have good reasons as to why it would be wonderful to be rich, but what about the other side of the coin? Are there reasons why it might not be so great to be rich or go through the process of trying to get rich?

Each of us has a file on wealth in our mind. This file contains our personal beliefs that include why being wealthy would be great. But for many people, their file also includes information as to why being rich might not be so great. These people have mixed internal messages around money and especially wealth.

One part of them says, “Having more money will make life a lot more fun.” But then another part screams, “Yeah, but “I’m going to have to work like a dog! What kind of fun is that?” One part says, “I’ll be able to travel the world.” then the other part responds, “Yeah, and everyone in the world will want something from me.” These mixed messages are one of the biggest reasons that most people never become rich.

In fact, the #1 reason most people don’t get what they want is they don’t know what they want. Rich people are totally clear they want wealth. They are unwavering in their desire. They are fully committed to creating wealth. They will do “whatever it takes” to have wealth as long as it’s moral, legal and ethical. Rich people do not send mixed messages to the universe. Poor people do.

I hate to break the news to you, but getting rich is not a “stroll in the park.” It’s takes focus, expertise, 100% effort, and “never say die” perseverance. You have to really commit to it, both consciously and subconsciously. You have to believe in your heart you can do it and you deserve it. If you are not fully committed to creating wealth, chances are you won’t.

4. Rich People Think Big

Poor people think small.

We once had a trainer teaching at one of our seminars who went from a net worth of $250 thousand to over $600 million in only 3 years. When asked his secret he said, “Everything changed the day I began to think big.” In my book, SpeedWealth, I discuss the “Law of Income” which states that “you will be paid in direct proportion to the value you deliver according to the market place.”
Another way of understanding this is to answer the following question: How many people do you actually serve or affect?

For instance in my business, some trainers enjoy speaking to groups of 20, others are comfortable with 100, others like an audience of 500, still others want 5000 people or more in attendance. Is there is a difference in income between these trainers? You bet there is.

Who are you? How do you want to live your life? How do you want to play the game?

Do you want to play in the big leagues or in little league, in the majors or the minors?

Will you play big or play small? It’s your choice.

But hear this. It’s not about you. It’s about living your mission. It’s about living true to your purpose. It’s about adding your piece of the puzzle to the world. It’s about serving others.

Most of us are so stuck in our egos that everything revolves around “me, me and more me.” But again, it’s not about you, it’s about adding value to other people’s lives. It’s your choice. One road leads to being broke and miserable, the other leads to money, meaning, and fulfillment.

It’s time to stop hiding out and start stepping out. It’s time to stop needing and start leading. It’s time to start being the star that you are. It’s time to share your gifts and value in a BIG way. There could be thousands or even millions of people counting on you. Are you up to the challenge for our society and our children’s sake? Let’s hope so.

5. Rich People Are Bigger Than Their Problems

Poor people are smaller than their problems.

Getting rich is not a stroll in the park. It’s a journey that is full of obstacles, twists, and detours. The simple fact is, success is messy. The road is fraught with pitfalls and that’s why most people don’t take it. They don’t want the hassles, the headaches and the responsibilities. In short, they don’t want the problems.

Therein lies one of the biggest differences between rich people and poor people. Rich and successful people are bigger than their problems while poor and unsuccessful people are smaller than their problems.

Poor people will do almost anything to avoid anything that looks like it could be a problem. They back away from challenges. The irony is that in their quest to make sure they don’t have problems, they have the biggest problem of all… they’re broke and miserable.

The secret to success is not to try to avoid or shrink your problems; it’s to grow yourself so you’re bigger than any problem.

Imagine a “level 2″ character person looking at a “level 5″ problem. Would this problem appear to be big or small? The answer is that from a “level 2″ perspective, a “level 5″ problem would seem BIG.

Now imagine a “level 8″ person looking at the same “level 5″ problem. From this person’s perspective, is this problem big or small? Magically the identical problem is now a SMALL problem.

And for a “level 10″ person, it’s NO problem at all. It’s just an everyday occurrence, like getting dressed or brushing your teeth. Whether you are rich or poor, playing big or playing small, problems do not go away. If you’re breathing, you will always have so-called “problems.”

What’s important to realize is that the size of the problem is never the real issue. What matters is the size of you!
Remember, your wealth can only grow to the extent that you do! The idea is to grow yourself to a place where you can overcome any problems that get in your way of creating wealth and keeping it once you have it.

Rich people do not back away from problems, do not avoid problems and do not complain about problems. Rich people are financial warriors and when a warrior is confronted with a challenge they shout: BRING IT ON!

6. Rich People Focus on Opportunities

Poor people focus on problems.

Rich people see potential growth. Poor people see potential loss.

Rich people focus on the rewards. Poor people focus on the risks.

It’s the age-old question, is the glass half empty or half full? We’re not merely talking about “positive thinking” here, we’re talking about a habitual way of seeing the world. Poor people come from fear. Their minds are constantly scanning for what’s wrong or what could go wrong in any situation. Their primary mindset is “What if it doesn’t work?” or, more bluntly, “It won’t work.” Rich people, as we discussed earlier, take responsibility for creating their life and come from the mindset, “It will work because I’ll make it work.”

In the financial world, as in most other arenas, risk is directly proportionate to reward; generally, the higher the reward, the higher the risk. People with rich mentalities are willing to take that risk.

Rich people expect to succeed. They have confidence in their abilities, they have confidence in their creativity and they believe that should the “doo-doo hit the fan”, they can always make their money back or succeed in another way.

On the other hand, poor people expect to fail. They lack confidence in themselves and in their abilities, and should things not work out, they believe it would be catastrophic.

You have to do something, buy something, or start something in order to succeed financially. You have to see opportunities for profit all around you instead of focusing on ways of losing money.

T. Harv Eker is the author of Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and the creator of the world famous “Millionaire Mind Intensive,” a program which has changed the lives of over 250,000 people so far.

If you care to make more of this article then you may want to visit Operation Promised Land often at www.operationpromisedland.org

You can also join us for Home Meetings…such as the one in Mount Dora, Florida every Monday night starting at 7:30….The address is 4300 Mount Dora, FL 32757 Unit A-205. For more information call 352-455-6700. Find out what all the buzz is about with this inspired concept of taking people out of lack by simply helping each other. So come and of course bring a friend with you.

James O’Connor

Leadership Team

352-455-6700

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Good People,

Thought you might enjoy reading a few quotes from people who have inspired others and changed life through their good works.

Famous Entrepreneur Quotes

Obstacles are things a person sees when he takes his eyes off his goal.” 

E. Joseph Cossman

A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.

John C. Maxwell

The most valuable thing you can make is a mistake – you can’t learn anything from being perfect.

Adam Osborne

The more you are willing to accept responsibility for your actions, the more credibility you will have

Brian Koslow

Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.

Robert H. Schuller

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

Steve Jobs

Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears.

Les Brown

If you listen to your fears, you will die never knowing what a great person you might have been.

Robert H. Schuller

“Whether you think you can or you  can’t, you’re righ.”

Henry Ford

“Watch, listen and learn. You con’t know it all your self. Anyone who thinks they do is destined for mediocrity.”

Donald Trump

“Make each day your masterpiece.”

John Wooden

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed.”

Michael Jordan

“Formal education will make you a living; self education will make you a fortune.”

Jim Rohn

“An entrepreneur tends to bite off a little more than he can chew hoping he’ll quickly learn how to chew it.
- Roy Ash, co-founder of Litton Industries

“The critical ingredient is getting off your butt and doing something. It’s as simple as that. A lot of people have ideas, but there are few who decide to do something about them now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. But today. The true entrepreneur is a doer, not a dreamer.”
- Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese’s 

“The cover-your-butt mentality of the workplace will get you only so far. The follow-your-gut mentality of the entrepreneur has the potential to take you anywhere you want to go or run you right out of business–but it’s a whole lot more fun, don’t you think?”
- Bill Rancic

If you care to make more of this article then you may want to visit Operation Promised Land often at www.operationpromisedland.org

You can also join us for Home Meetings…such as the one in Mount Dora, Florida every Monday night starting at 7:30….The address is 4300 Mount Dora, FL 32757 Unit A-205. For more information call 352-455-6700. Find out what all the buzz is about with this inspired concept of taking people out of lack by simply helping each other. So come and of course bring a friend with you.

James O’Connor

Leadership Team

352-455-6700

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Good People,

Here we are once again working through putting together bits of information we are hoping will satisfy our desire to find solutions to our financial needs. Because of this I thought you might appreciate a fresh way of looking at how to approach life since the way we approach life does determine, in part, our success. I thank you for reading these blogs and for your encouraging comments on the success of the action you have taken because of something you discovered in one of the blogs I have posted. One of the main purposes for these blogs is to provide you useful tools that you find easy to use. Please enjoy the following excerpts from a recent article I found written by Dustin Wax.

September 16th, 2009 in Featured, Lifestyle

Go on a Date with Life

A lot has been written about dating. Some people rally enjoy dating, but for many, dating seems like a horrific trauma. Consider how many people stay in unsatisfying or even outright bad relationships because they’re even more terrified by the prospect of being “out there” again.

Dating can be a chore because it seems so far removed from real life. But I wonder if there aren’t some everyday lessons we can learn from dating. Maybe it’s not that dating is different from the rest of our lives but that it’s an intensified version of our day-to-day lives. We work hard on a date to put our best self forward – but wouldn’t it be nice to put our best self forward throughout the course of our lives? Maybe instead of rejecting that persona, we should embrace it? And maybe, just maybe, if we were used to being our best selves all the time, dating wouldn’t be such a chore, either – we’d just show up and be awesome.

So what can we learn from dating about being our most awesome selves day in and day out? Here are a few things that come to mind:

1. Dress counts.

We all want to be appreciated for who we are, not what we wear, but unfortunately, what we wear often determines whether or not anyone will take time to know who we are. You wouldn’t dream of showing up for a date in torn sweats and a dirty shirt – but I’ve seen people show up for job interviews in similar outfits! Unless you need specialized clothing – a uniform for work, grungy clothes for helping a friend paint a house, etc. – dressing like you’re on your way to a first date means you’ll always put your best face forward.

2. Listen more, talk less.

On a date, being fascinated with what your partner is saying is the best way to make them feel good about themselves – and about you. Asking questions and really paying attention is a great way to demonstrate that you value the person you’re dating. It’s also a great way to show people you aren’t dating that you value them – and to make sure you’re as well-informed as you need to be.

3. Don’t be too needy.

“Desperation,” says a character in the movie Singles, “is the worst perfume.” Spend a date leering or pawing at your date, or explaining how very, very, very, very lonely you are is a sure way to get the brush-off. Nobody likes a loser, and that’s exactly how you come off – winners date people they’re totally into, not whoever will have them. This is true throughout our lives as well – lots of people have noticed how much easier it is to get a job when you already have one (and it’s said that the best job interview is the one you come to straight from work) than when you’re down to plucking couch-cushion change for macaroni money. Of course, you have needs – everyone does – but you can get a lot farther in life making it clear to everyone that you’re driven by your passions and talents, not your needs.

4. Be decisive.

Partners of both sexes like to see their dates make decisions quickly and effectively – it lifts the burden from them, and it shows a confidence that most find attractive. Unfortunately, we often think it’s nice to offer our date a bunch of choices to pick from, thinking that it shows we respect their wishes, when what it really does is throw them into decision paralysis – and increase their anxiety because they’re suddenly fumbling and looking bad in front of you. In life, as in dating, making decisions quickly and firmly, while respecting other’s input, is a sure sign of leadership. Even bad decisions made boldly often turn out to be better than good decisions made hesitantly.

5. Smile a lot.

People like people who smile. More than that, there’s a lot of evidence that the physical act of smiling actually triggers changes in our brain chemistry that make us happier. On a date, that means less stressed, more confident, and more attractive to our partner. In life, that means the same thing – even when we’re not perfectly comfortable, a big smile conveys to others that we are, and often gives us the boost we need to actually become more comfortable.

6. Have an exit strategy.

Not from life – that’s a little morbid. What I mean is this: when you go on a date, you have an idea of how, at various stages, to end it. There’s the perfect “kiss at the door” evening (or “breakfast in bed” night), there’s the pre-planned “emergency” phone call from a friend at 8pm to give you an excuse to bail on a bad date, there’s the $20 spare cash tucked away in case things turn scary and you need a cab, etc. In life’s undertakings, too, it pays to have a couple of escape plans ready, as well as a clear image of what success will look like. Grinding away at a project that no longer has any purpose isn’t very smart, but we often feel compelled to “finish the job” even when it no longer matters to us. Likewise, turning up for a dead-end job day after day is a ticket to depression, at best. As the cliché goes, “plan for the best but prepare for the worst” – go into big projects with a clear idea of how much you’re willing to sacrifice and how little you’re willing to gain to consider it worthwhile.

Dustin Wax

Dustin M. Wax is a freelance writer and project manager at Stepcase Lifehack. He can be reached though his freelancing site at DustinWax.com

ARTICLES BY THIS WRITER »

If you care to make more of this article then you may want to visit Operation Promised Land often at www.operationpromisedland.org

You can also join us for Home Meetings…such as the one in Mount Dora, Florida every Monday night starting at 7:30….The address is 4300 Mount Dora, FL 32757 Unit A-205. For more information call 352-455-6700. Find out what all the buzz is about with this inspired concept of taking people out of lack by simply helping each other. So come and of course bring a friend with you. 

James O’Connor

Leadership Team

352-455-6700

Tagged with:
 

Good People, 

Here we are once again working through putting together bits of information we are hoping will satisfy our desire to find solutions to our financial needs. I thank you for reading these blogs and for your encouraging comments on the success of the action you have taken because of something you discovered in one of the blogs I have posted. One of the main purposes for these blogs is to provide you useful tools that you find easy to use. Please enjoy the following excerpts from a recent article I found.

10 Secrets of Successful Entrepreneurs

How do you know whether you can be a successful entrepreneur, or if you are better off as a salaried employee? While there is no surefire formula for success, studies have shown that successful entrepreneurs share these ten characteristics. Check if you possess any one of them. 

by Isabel M. Isidro
Managing Editor

Running a one-person business is a creative, flexible and challenging way to become your own boss and chart your own future. It takes courage, determination and foresight to decide to become an entrepreneur. From the relatively safe cocoon of the corporate world, where paychecks arrive regularly, you will be venturing into the unchartered territories of business

Is there a way to determine whether you can be a successful entrepreneur, or you are better off to work for somebody else? Alas, there is no formula for success. However, most successful entrepreneurs share these ten characteristics. Check if you possess any one of them:

1. Think success. To attain the kind of success that you want, you need to dream big. Every success story starts with big dreams. You need to have big dreams for yourself – which you want to be somebody rich, famous or fulfilled. You need to have a clear vision of what you want to achieve. But it doesn’t stop in dreaming alone. You should actively visualize success in your mind that you can almost feel it, touch it or it is within your reach. Play this image back at every opportunity. What does it feel to triple your current income? How will your life change? What will your business look like if you achieved the million-dollar mark?

Successful entrepreneurs possess an attitude of openness and faith that you can have what you want if you can simply envision it as the first step on the path of action to acquiring it. A personal development coach shared me her secret to help her continuously visualize her goals for the moment: when climbing stairs, recite your goal with every step you take. So if you want more money, say “I will have money” in every step of the stairs.

2. Be passionate with what you do. You start a business to change any part or all of your life. To attain this change, you need to develop or uncover an intense, personal passion to change the way things are and to live life to the fullest. Success comes easily if you love what you do. Why? Because we are more relentless in our pursuit of goals about things that we love. If you hate your job right now, do you think you will ever be successful at it? Not in a million years! Entrepreneurs who succeed do not mind the fact that they are putting in 15 or 18 hours a day to their business because they absolutely love what they do. Success in business is all about patience and hard work, which can only be attained if you are passionate and crazy with your tasks and activities.

3. Focus on your strengths. Let’s face it; you cannot be everything to everybody. Each of us has our own strengths and weaknesses. To be effective, you need to identify your strengths and concentrate on it. You will become more successful if you are able to channel your efforts to areas that you do best. In business, for example, if you know you have good marketing instincts, then harness this strength and make full use of it. Seek help or assistance in areas that you may be poor at, such as accounting or bookkeeping. To transform your weakness to strength, consider taking hands-on learning or formal training.

4. Never consider the possibility of failure. Ayn Rand, in her novel The Fountainhead, wrote, “It is not in the nature of man – nor of any living entity, to start out by giving up.” As an entrepreneur, you need to fully believe in your goals, and that you can do it. You must believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that you have the ability to recognize and fulfill them. The more you can develop faith in your ability to achieve your goals, the more rapidly you can attain it. However, your confidence should be balanced with calculated risks that you need to take to achieve greater rewards. Successful entrepreneurs are those who analyze and minimize risk in the pursuit of profit. As they always say, “no guts, no glory.”

5. Plan accordingly. You have a vision, and you have enough faith in yourself to believe that you can achieve your vision. But do you know how to get to your vision? To achieve your vision, you need to have concrete goals that will provide the stepping-stone towards your ultimate vision. Put your goals in writing; not doing so just makes them as intangible fantasies. You need to plan each day in such a way that your every action contributes to the attainment of your vision. Do you foresee yourself as the next Martha Stewart of hand-made home furnishings? Perhaps today, you need to see an artist to help you conceptualize the new line of hand-made linens that you hope to launch. Intense goal orientation is the characteristic of every successful entrepreneur. They have a vision, and they know how to get there. Your ability to set goals and make plans for your accomplishment is the skill required to succeed. Plan, plan and plan – because without which failure is guaranteed.

6. Work hard! Every successful entrepreneur works hard, hard and hard. No one achieves success just by sitting and staring at the wall every single day. Brian Tracy puts it out this way, “You work eight hours per day for survival; everything over eight hours per day is for success.” Ask any successful businessperson and they will tell you immediately that they had to work more than 60 hours per week at the start of their businesses. Be prepared to say goodbye to after-office drinks every day, or a regular weekend get-away trip. If you are in a start-up phase, you will have to breathe, eat and drink your business until it can stand on its own. Working hard will be easy if you have a vision, clear goals, and are passionate with what you do.

7. Constantly Look for Ways to Network. In business, you are judged by the company you keep – from your management team, board of directors, and strategic partners. Businesses always need assistance, more so small businesses. Maybe the lady you met in a trade association meeting can help you secure funding, or the gentleman at a conference can provide you with management advise. It is important to form alliances with people who can help you, and whom you can help in return. To succeed in business, you need to possess good networking skills and always be alert to opportunities to expand your contacts.

8. Willingness to Learn. You do not need to be a MBA degree holder or PhD graduate to succeed in your own business. In fact, there are a lot of entrepreneurs who did not even finish secondary education. Studies show that most self-made millionaires have average intelligence. Nonetheless, these people reached their full potentials achieved their financial and personal goals in business because they are willing to learn. To succeed, you must be willing to ask questions, remain curious, interested and open to new knowledge. This willingness to learn becomes more crucial given the rapid changes in technologies and ways of doing business.

9. Persevere and have faith. No one said that the road to success is easy. Despite your good intentions and hard work, sometimes you will fail. Some successful entrepreneurs suffered setbacks and resounding defeats, even bankruptcy, yet managed to quickly stand up to make it big in their fields. Your courage to persist in the face of adversity and ability to bounce back after a temporary disappointment will assure your success. You must learn to pick yourself up and start all over again. Your persistence is the measure of the belief in yourself. Remember, if you persevere, nothing can stop you.

10. Discipline yourself. Thomas Huxley once said, “Do what you should do, when you should do it, whether you like it or not.” Self-discipline is the key to success. The strength of will to force yourself to pay the price of success – doing what others don’t like to do, going the extra mile, fighting and winning the lonely battle with yourself.

If you care to make more of this article then you may want to visit Operation Promised Land often at www.operationpromisedland.org

You can also join us for Home Meetings…such as the one in Mount Dora, Florida every Monday night starting at 7:30….The address is 4300 Mount Dora, FL 32757 Unit A-205. For more information call 352-455-6700. Find out what all the buzz is about with this inspired concept of taking people out of lack by simply helping each other. So come and of course bring a friend with you.

James O’Connor

Leadership Team

352-455-6700

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