Going into business for yourself is a big move. There are numerous reasons to do so. Some people want freedom, some want to make a lot of money, some think – know – that they can do it better than the last mob they worked for. Whatever the reason, going into business for yourself is one of the biggest decisions you can ever make. It is also one of the best decisions that you can ever make.

Finally, you will be in control of your own destiny, you get to make the decisions, you get to navigate the ship and steer it and feed the crew and fix the leaks. Sounds daunting? It is. But it’s also rewarding in ways you can only understand once you’ve taken the jump and started your own thing. And you won’t be working for a pain in the neck boss but you just may be working for a crazy boss. Let’s face it, you have to be slightly mad to start your own business. But where would we be without the likes of Branson, Gates, Jobs and others?

Want to be like Branson?

Here’s a great way to start out on the right foot: ask yourself ‘why?’…

• Why am I starting this business?
• Why will this business succeed?
• Why am I not content doing what I am doing now?

Write your answers down. Then review them. Think hard about what you’ve discovered.

Next, ask ‘what?’…

• What do I want to achieve?
• What do I want to get out of running this business?
• What is it about me that will see me be successful?

And here’s the big one:

• What is my definite purpose?

In his amazing book “Think and grow rich”, Napoleon Hill determined that answering this one question is the key to becoming successful in business and in life. He is not wrong. Without knowing why you are doing what you are doing how can you possibly succeed? It’s like trying to get from A to B in a car you’ve never driven, without a map, in the dark.

Andrew Carnegie, one of the richest men of all time and a believer in a definite purpose

It may sound simple to define your definite purpose. In my experience it isn’t. Even if you end up with a definite purpose that seems quite obvious, the process of actually thinking about it is invaluable.

My definite purpose is: to create wealth for the benefit of my family and the fulfillment of a happy and rewarding life.

It took quite a bit of thinking to reach this definite purpose. Now that I have it, it guides everything I do. I have it printed and laminated and stuck on the wall near my bed. I read it every morning and every night. In addition to my definite purpose I have also written a number of goals that are on the wall too, these have a lot more detail (this is a subject of a future post).

Once, you have taken the necessary time to consider why and what, you have to consider how. All the dreams, goals, desires and thoughts are nothing without action, without execution, but before you can do anything you need a plan and this is your how.

Your plan (or plans) don’t have to be part of professional documents, they don’t have to be written eloquently but they do have to be real and they have to be yours. You must believe in your plans and your ability to execute your plans in order for you to reach your goals. The plans I am talking about are not those inside your business, not the marketing plans or the sales strategies or the business plans you will write and review numerous times. I mean the plans that underlie everything. The plans that determine how you will run each business, what you will do with the money you make, where you will live, what you will buy, who you will support. Once you truly know what you want in life you can set out to achieve it.

Be definite.

Be daring.

Asking why, what and how and taking the time to think about your own answers to these questions will lead you toward success.

Here are a few resources:

• “Think and grow rich” by Napoleon Hill – the book!
• About Andrew Carnegie (WikiPedia) – a great bio about a great businessman
• Action Coach – Think Believe Dream Dare – a short article to remind you that you can do it
• Daily affirmation exercises – this blog post takes the definite purpose to a very detailed level. It may work for you. My definite purpose is somewhat broad but it works for me, you might need/want something more tightly defined.
• “Think and grow rich” on YouTube

Three words to change your life:

1. Goals
2. Intent
3. Action

Here are a few things that I have learned (or am learning) that are important to understand if you want to succeed and remain sane.

Prepared to be disliked

If you are a manager, a business owner, a leader of any description, and you have the power to decide strategy, tactics, which path to follow, who stay and who goes, then you cannot be liked by everyone. Being liked and being a good leader are not necessarily mutually exclusive but one cannot let how one is preceived dictate the decisions that are made. It is for this reason that commissioned officers and enlisted men are kept apart – the officers’ decisions cannot be compromised by their feelings for their unit. If you are a leader you are going to make decisions that your subordinates will not like. Deal with it. Your decisions are made for the greater good and that’s just how things are.

Do you think Lee Iacocca was liked by all of his staff?

Richard Branson seems pretty popular but I bet he has pissed off a few people in the past.

Would Churchill have led Britain to victory if he tried to keep every happy and himself well-liked?

Sometimes you just have to do it yourself

People always say “let go” or “let someone else take care of it”. Unfortunately, if you have a dream then it’s entirely up to you to see that your dream gets accomplished. Leaving the work to someone else is a total cop-out. Sure, surround yourself with good people. Employ people better, smarter and faster than you. But understand that no-one has the drive that you have. And even if they somehow do then you will still have to get your hands dirty more often than you want to in order to get things done.

This all sounds very business-orientated but it needn’t be solely about business. Pick any of your goals that you have found assistance in achieving. Do you really think those people that are assisting you are pushing as hard as you are? If things aren’t going right who should be fixing things?

Smell the roses

It is often said by people who achieve lofty goals that the journey was actually more exciting than the achievement itself. Climbing Everest was more important than merely reaching the pinnacle. Learning a new language was more important than speaking fluently on a visit to Europe. You get the idea.

Sometimes we become so fixated on our goals and on what we are doing to achieve them that we don’t take the time to step back and see what we’ve achieved already. Nor do we simply take time off to rest and recouperate. A journey is no journey at all if you can’t enjoy it.

Slow and steady wins the race

Be like the tortoise not like the hare.

The current financial climate is exposing millions of people who over-extended themselves trying to get somewhere too quickly. Whether it was the greed of the traders or the ignorance of the mortgagees taking on impossible contracts. Warren Buffett has long said that “wealth is the transfer of money from the impatient to the patient” (I may have paraphrased). Who am I to disagree?

Don’t stress out with how things are going right now. You have a detailed plan. You have milestones. You have contingencies. Right?

Stick to it. Success will come when you’ve done exactly what you should have done and not a moment sooner.

Everyday in the gym, in the street, at work, at home, we see people doing what they are good at and not paying any attention to the skills that they lack. How can anyone improve their lot in life with this approach?

How many books do you read?
When did you last go to a seminar?
Do you have a list of things that you could be better at or want to learn?

This year I have a few goals (I may not achieve them but I’ll certainly being giving it my best). Here’s my (incomplete) list:

• learn to touch type
• learn to speak French (and Italian)
• read a book every two weeks (at least)
• attend 3-4 industry seminars
• learn more about what it is to be a good father
• improve my push-ups

What are you going to do this year?

No excuses!

Number 1 – Understand what it means to eat sensibly

Educate yourself on sensible nutritional practices. A correct understanding of the importance of all nutrients – protein, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals – in your diet cannot be understated. To fully take control of your diet you must also be aware of the affects of certain foods on your metabolism, hormones, blood sugar and other vital bodily processes.

There is a lot of literature out there and not all of it is helpful. Often taking a commonsense approach is best. You will often instinctively know which foods are healthy and which are not. In the same way, you will often be able to weed out the fad diet books from those that make sense, are scientifically proven and can help you.

Don’t get caught up with fad diets. They don’t work! That said, be aware that some books with ‘diet’ in the title actually provide the kind of information you need. Take a look at “Enter The Zone” by Barry Sears, PhD. and “The Paleo Diet” by Loren Cordain, PhD., these are two of the best nutrition books around. Keep an open mind and learn as much as you can.

Number 2 – Set yourself some goals

Set yourself some sensible goals with regard to your health and fitness. The key word here is sensible. Read more »