Instead of locking my doors, I warmly invite my mistakes in for a nice cup of coffee!
Have you found yourself yelling obscenities, chucking a brand new pen at the wall, or even fiercely shaking your fist at the air?
CONGRATULATIONS you are most likely guilty of committing a mistake. STOP there. Leave the anger and frustration for the next person. We all make mistakes and the key is learning from them and applying them to the future. After I started my first business I had made 5 mistakes and thought to myself “perfect now that I got the mistakes out of the way I am good to go.” Hmmmm. More like “perfect now I am ready for more mistakes”. Making mistakes when you own your own business is like getting cold every time it snows. IT JUST HAPPENS. Instead of fearing mistakes or becoming discouraged when you make mistakes, use them as fuel. I am thankful for the times I have messed up because they have taught me that I am strong enough to push forward, and I am passionate enough to overcome obstacles.
Below you will find a list of some of the mistakes I have committed. Yes, I know I just admitted I am not perfect. Although this is hard to handle, I think coming clean will really help my image. Just kidding, at age 6 I realized this truth after missing my game winning soccer goal. Let’s not be afraid to admit we’re not perfect. Stay encouraged and be grateful you are making mistakes. The day I stop making mistakes will be the day I have stopped pushing the limits.
Common Mistakes of Small Business Bosses:
LOVING YOUR DESK
How will people know about your product or service if you’re hulled up in your office, hidden behind 12 empty Starbucks cups? You have to get out there, meet people, network, and share what you are working on!
HOURS = RESULTS
There was a time when I would base a good day on how many hours I got in. I now realize it is not the hours, but the quality of time. Execution, not hours is key. Instead of hanging with your buddies and saying “yea I worked 80 hours last week”, say “I worked 40 hours last week and crushed it!”
ENTREPRENEUR SYNDROME
Instead of focusing on what actually needs done, you are constantly generating new ideas. This may feel exciting, but often leads to paralysis. I used to come up with 10 new ideas every day and start on all of them. Now I have a notepad that I write the ideas down on. This allows me to actually complete the task I am working on and then reference my idea notepad for my next project.
FORGET HEALTH, PASS THE COOKIES
The success of your business is directly determined by how you treat yourself. Make time for the gym and healthy eating. Your body may enjoy eating a burger and fries but your productivity craves a healthy meal. Just ask Sir Richard Branson founder of Virgin Group.
NOT WORKING WITH A COACH
You could be the founder of your company, but at what point are you limiting your NEXTLEVEL? Superstar athletes use coaches for a reason. Every dreamer needs a planner to keep him or her on course for success.
Take 10 minutes out of your day and create a personal list of 5 mistakes you have made. Reflect on this list and consider sharing it with your co-workers or maybe even a stranger. Sharing is caring…right?! Adios.. time to make new mistakes… even if it is ordering the Pike Place brew at Starbucks.
Joshua R. Schneider is the CEO and founder of Prime3Coaching, taking businesses and individuals to their #NEXTLEVEL. Through coaching, consulting, and reality speaking, Josh is creating a #NEXTLEVEL generation. His passion was derived from his own discontentment. He despised his first job as an accountant and chose to go after what he truly desired. Gone are the days of just going to work, performing and going home. The #NEXTLEVEL generation doesn’t just crush it at work; they’ve discovered the need to go to work on themselves too.
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