Entrepreneurs Think Different That Small Business Owners
I talk a lot about the nuts and bolts of starting or buying and running a small business. In my coaching and consulting business, my clients and I work together a lot on streamlining their systems to allow them more personal freedom and increased income. But there is much more to understand.
Entrepreneurs and small business owners tend to think differently. Small business owners often start their companies after having been employees in that industry. They frequently maintain that employee mindset. Entrepreneurs dream big, start several businesses from scratch, plan for the future sale of business and are always looking for the next opportunity.
The small business owner tends not to work on their business but rather they work in it and get very married to it. The downside is that when the economy gets tight the small business owners often end up in survival mode. For the entrepreneur, the down economy is just another opportunity waiting for them.
To be more entrepreneurial, small business owners need to create a real vision of what they want their business and personal life to look like. That vision needs to be very rich with detail and how their business will support their personal goals. Do you want more time to pursue scuba diving trips? Do you want money to send your children to Ivy League colleges? Do you want to be a keynote speaker? Start writing down your BIG DREAM.
If you are creating your vision for your business and your life and practical thoughts intrude, push them away! Asking yourself what you really want and writing it down makes no room for being practical. Practical is about the “how” not the “what”. You will get to that later. If you are an author and you dream of being on Oprah, write that down. If you are a stay-at-home mom who wants to earn a passive second income so you can devote more quality time to your kids, write that down. Just putting your dreams on paper is the first step to making them a reality.
Try to spend some time each day just experiencing what that big dream would feel like. Most professional athletes like Tiger Woods spend time visualizing the perfect putt, the perfect pass, the perfect no-hitter. They work with coaches who walk them through this process. If it works for them, why not you?
Get out of survival thinking and start acknowledging your biggest visions of success. Entrepreneurs dream really big and take chances. Start changing your mindset now and begin thinking like an entrepreneur.
With 30 years of consulting experience, Steven Schlagel offers training and coaching for startups, entrepreneurs and small business owners. Check his site for more articles to increase your success!
Tags: entrepreneur, Motivation, small business owner, success, vision, visualization