I have studied many successful entrepreneurs and there is a common theme where they have similar habits and things they do daily that set them up for success. I admire these women and am inspired by their discipline. It is the small disciplined things you do everyday that add up to big things over time and make you successful! Check out these 5 habits to see how you are doing and if you can fit them into your day!
1: Start with a morning routine and stick to it.
This means waking up at the same time every day and setting yourself up for a productive day. This is not hitting the snooze button 5 times. I am not saying you need to get up at 5am you can start your morning routine whenever it is convenient for you. I have gotten up at 5am for over 20 years to hit a workout, eat a healthy breakfast, help get my kids ready for school and get to the office early to read, research for a podcast or tackle some work before my meetings start. Getting up at 5am daily makes me never feel rushed to get to the office and there’s no excuse to miss a workout. Have you ever been around those people that seem to be late everywhere they go? They walk in looking deshelved and not put together like they just woke up? My guess is they have no morning routine to set them up for success and hit the snooze button until the very last minute to roll out of bed and get to work. Do you think these people will come to mind when it’s time to give out promotions at work? I doubt it. Another thing I see alot is when people are clearly unprepared for an early morning meeting. They didn’t look over the notes or come prepared and it shows. If they had a morning routine, they could have incorporated an extra 30 minutes to prepare. These simple actions will make you more successful! One thing I like to do is set my intentions for the day in the morning writing down the big 3 things I need to accomplish that day. I have a large To Do list, but narrow it down to the 3 things that must happen. Once I accomplish the big 3, I feel accomplished! I realize there are days you might be able to get 10 things done, but if you set your expectations to getting only 3 big things accomplished, you won’t feel like a failure if the day gets away from you. I also make my employees tell me their Big 3 things they will accomplish that day on our morning huddle. Just like my morning routine at home, I have one at work as well. We have a 15 minute team huddle on zoom every morning at 8:45am. I have many remote workers so this is a way to hold them accountable to start their work day and have their list of what they will accomplish. It makes them prepare the night before or early that morning for what they will do so when we get off our call at 9am, they aren’t wasting time and are ready to go! Do you have a morning routine that is setting you up for success?
2: Entrepreneurs take care of their body!
Most of the successful entrepreneurs I work with take care of their body. They work out to help relieve stress and reduce the pressure and noise the job brings and it keeps them from getting sluggish for the long hours they often put in at work. They also drink plenty of water and don’t over do it on alcohol so they can be in their peak state every day. They also guard their sleep, getting 8-9 hours of sleep per night. Now, I realize when you are in startup mode that might be more difficult, but a well rested mind and body will serve you very well. I incorporate exercise into my morning routine and also leave enough time to meal prep for the day. It makes me more productive at work to not have to leave and go find lunch and I make healthy meal choices because that is all I brought with me. I make sure our work fridge is stocked with water, I happen to be obsessed with sparkling water which I know is so bougee, but it’s better than drinking caffeine! I also am very guarded with my sleep, putting my phone up at 8:30pm each night and getting to bed by 9pm when I can. Taking care of my body enables me to operate at peak levels at work, after all, I’m not getting any younger! How are you doing on your exercise routine, your nutrition and your sleep habits? We all have room for improvement! Tomorrow is a new day!
3: Entrepreneurs are always learning!
No successful entrepreneur says, “I’ve arrived, I think I’ll kick back and relax” because there is always room for acheivement, always room for more! They crave success and learning new ways of doing things and operating their business. You should always be reading and learning and improving. The more you read, the more your mind can expand to new ideas. I am in a constant pursuit of how to operate D2 as efficiently as possible, get new clients, retain current clients and expand our offerings. The world of marketing changes so quickly, if you don’t adapt and change with it, you fail. I see marketing companies all of the time offering the same old thing for years with no innovation. They are the ones that end up shutting their door. Innovation in marketing is what wins! Do you spend time learning new things in your industry and studying mentors who are where you want to be? Make time each week to learn something new!
4: Entrepreneurs are self motivated.
Successful entrepreneurs don’t have to have someone looking over their shoulder or patting them on the back to make something happen. They do hard work when no one is looking and rarely get any praise when they do. No one sees the long hours, the sleepless nights getting their company up and running. If you need someone to push you to get up early, learn something new, hit the gym, work on the weekends, entrepreneurship is probably not for you. When you are doing what you love to do and making a difference in the world, none of it seems like work. If you are an entrepreneur that struggles with self motivation, you need to invest in a business coach that can help you set goals and hold you accountable. Coaches will see things you cannot see in your business because you are working too close in it and they can often guide you where you need support, who your first hire should be, what things you should outsource and more.
5: Entrepreneurs are willing to take risks.
You have to be willing to take some risks as an entrepreneur. Successful entrepreneurs don’t always play it safe. It is better to make decisions quickly and ACT vs. thinking about it for months or doing nothing. Act and pivot when needed. Launching your business is always a risk but the reward is so sweet when you can be your own boss, work the hours you want to work and make the money you want to make! It’s so satisfying but you do not get there without some risk. Are there things holding you back because you are overthinking them and not acting? What risks do you need to take today to be successful in your business?
If you aspire to be a successful entrepreneur, adopt these 5 habits and watch how these small, disciplined habits can turn into big successes over time!
