I have found that success in business doesn’t only come from theories and formulas, but from understanding the bigger picture. When I studied business at university, my professors were always keen on theories and diagrams, but they always failed to apply it to a real entrepreneurial life situation about starting or running a business. After a lot of head scratches, I found that business can’t only be focused on analytic approaches. Business needs to also be viewed spiritually, mentally, and creatively.
These ideas are a collection of my own experiences and fellow friend entrepreneurs that deeply vouch for them. I am currently focusing my energy on ideas two and seven.
*When I speak of business in this post, I also refer to blogs as a business.
*** This post may contain affiliate links, please read the disclosure here.
1. Create a vision board
You may have heard this tip in the past, BUT IT WORKS! Creating a vision board helps you focus your energy on the goals you want to achieve and also adds the visual aspect of it to help you become more motivated. Your goals now undertake a visual representation and are more attainable than when they are in your mind. One of my good friends, Milana actually created a vision board when she started her Youtube channel. In one of our recent conversations, she told me that her first vision board has been completed and she reached all the goals she put down. Isn’t crazy how powerful our mind can be?’
HOW TO CREATE A VISION BOARD?
There are many ways you can do it. You can have a crafty afternoon with some old magazines and a notebook. First, you write down all your goals in the notebook, then you cut out images that represent your goals& write quotes that fit within your goals. The overall skill level and beauty of your end product does not matter; what matters is that you put down and visualize what you want to achieve.
Another way to create a vision board is through Pinterest. You make a board dedicated to your goals and start adding content that describes your goals. In the caption of the picture, you can also write your specific goals. This option is often more visually appealing if you’re not big on arts and crafts. This is my personal approach because everything in my life has become strictly digital.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
Your future goals and their visual representation will be embedded in you, this will result in a higher drive and motivation because now you see exactly what you’re working for. Get that vision board done, and look at it often to remind yourself why you’re working so hard.
My vision board:
2. Never stop learning
I think this is the most important tip of them all: never stop learning. Learning shouldn’t stop once your business is doing well. Learning should be increased because you’re doing well and you can do even better. There is so much information available for you and new skills you can learn in a click of a button. This is my personal favorite because I often find myself saying “I already know this topic” and I don’t think I need more knowledge. But, I changed my mind once I did give the learning new skills in a subject I know a shoot. Due to that realization, I have learned the key points I’ve been missing from my business strategy.
WHERE CAN I LEARN MORE?
When it comes to learning and gaining new skills there are two places I always go to, Skillshare & Coursera. Both of these websites offer a great number of useful resources to learn new skills and teach you more about any subject.
Skillshare is my go-to source to learn/enhance skills like editing, photography, design, and writing. They offer hundreds of courses that are taught by industry professionals, so you know you’re in good hands. You can try it completely for FREE and gain access to over 1000 FREE classes that will teach you amazing new skills. I’m currently learning Facebook Ads for Beginners, and so far there is a lot I didn’t know but excited to undertake. Try Skillshare here.
Coursera is also an amazing website I love because the classes offered are taught by top academics from high-end Universities such as Stanford, Penn and the University of Toronto. There are also 28 other countries that offer courses through their Universities. Additionally, if you take and complete a course you will receive a certificate that you can use to further your expertise in your field. I highly recommend you try Coursera! You can try it for FREE and expand your knowledge further. Try Coursera here.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
Learning is the key to success. You don’t just become good at something without learning it first. Taking on new skills and completing courses can be directly applied to your business and help you take new approaches or improve existing ones.
3. Take a risk
Are you a risk-taker? If you feel that you’re stuck and your business is not where you want it to be, maybe you are overdue for a change. Sometimes taking a risk in your business and stepping out of your comfort zone will allow you to analyze your current approach and help you find a new way to take your business to the next level. You don’t grow in comfort zones.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
As I mentioned before, no one grows in comfort zones. By taking a risk you’re understanding that something is currently not working but doing something completely different may become a huge reward for your business.
4. Balance
Balance is an essential element for your success. Knowing when to separate work and pleasure is extremely important for a healthy mind and a successful business. If your current state is working 15+ hours a day ( I’m guilty) you have to make some adjustments. Yes, growing your business is extremely important, but self-care is also extremely important. Take time out of your day and devote it to tasks that do not involve your business. You will quickly see how your mind is able to create new ideas because you let yourself breathe a little. Remember, your business is important but so are YOU!
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
Balancing your schedule and not just doing work 24/7 will allow you to gain new energies and viewpoints to later invest back into your business.
5. Be relatable
Being relatable to your clients/ customers/ readers strongly impacts the progress of your business. You and your business are one, and upkeeping and developing this connection is vital because if the customer does not see how you and your business merge together they will feel a disconnect between you and your business.
HOW TO BE MORE RELATABLE
Look at your business, what aspects of your business you are insanely passionate about? Once you find the things you’re passionate about, start applying them in relation to your customers. People can see when you’re passionate and that gives you a sense of authority because they believe what you’re saying.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
Once your customers/readers/clients see how much you relate to your business and how much you offer, they will be more likely to want to work with you.
6. Welcome change
Welcoming change is a positive view towards growing your business. When you allow change to happen and you approach it with positive energy you allow yourself to try something new and apply the risk-taking aspects we talked about earlier. Change is scary, but it is also an invitation to a new opportunity.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
Allowing new changes to come means that you’re understanding that your business is not static and that sometimes a different direction or a new direction is necessary for you to accomplish your goals. Your business will start taking shape once you start looking at it as a fluid and not a static entity, nothing can stay the same forever.
7. Mindset
This is my favorite tip, your mindset. Your mindset will make or break your business. The mental energy you put towards your business has the highest impact on your business. The more negative you are the less likely you are to succeed. Changing your mindset to positivity and welcoming new views about your business will greatly impact your business. I strongly believe in the law of attraction and have seen results from keeping a positive mindset. Yes, it can be hard sometimes, but you gotta push through!
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
If you think positively, have passions, and invest your energy in good vibes you will see that these thoughts will manifest results. Of course, it is not enough to have a positive mind to be successful, but it is the FOUNDATION!
8. Organize yourself
If everything around you is cluttered, how will you find what you’re looking for? If your environment or your mind is not organized you will have a harder time focusing your energy towards your business. Of course, life happens and we have to figure it out as we go, but organizing your life and your mind will create an everlasting impact. When you declutter your space and your mind you’re opening yourself to new information. The organization could be physical or it could be mental, it’s whatever you feel needs your attention more at the moment.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
Organization will change the direction you take. When you create a new feng shui in your life, it will bring new energy to the mix and you will be able to make your decisions more soundly. It will also improve your productivity and time management.
Statistic: Using the correct organizational tools can improve time management by 38%.
9. Don’t do it for the money
This one I heard way too many times, but it is true. When you’re running your business you should never think of “money” as the almighty goal. When you focus on the monetary outcome of your business and not the value you bring to your business, you will focus your energy on the wrong things. Of course, money means that what you do is profitable but you cannot focus your energy on it as the main goal. Focus on your message, your value, and your dream for the business.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
When you focus your energy on your business and not towards profits, you will become better at what you do. Money should be looked at as the reward for your hard work but not the only goal.
10. It’s ok to fail
Once you accept failure you have nothing to lose. Failure is your own state of mind! Just because you failed in one thing does not mean you should just give up. Failure tests our strengths and ambitions. If you give up when you fail, maybe you’re not cut out for running your own business. Failure is natural and its part of every success story, so be happy you failed because now can easily get back up and start again.
HOW WILL IT IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS?
Once you accept failure you will see that you’re suddenly extremely motivated and ready to take over the world. Failure is a small set back if you’re truly passionate and ambitious towards something. If you will get past your failure you will build a successful business.
Some of these tips may not be your conventional ideas for business, but they are extremely important. In order to succeed you need to focus yourself and put your energy towards your goals.