What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur, build a growing company or be a newly minted business owner? Beyond skill, a great team, great products or services, money, serious planning and dedication, there are a few key actions that frequently come up when you talk to successful hustlers.
Toot Your Horn
Ever find yourself envious of others who have no problem talking about themselves? We don’t mean the over the top braggers who lead with their ego. It’s important to be humble but another to be a brash and a jerk. You need to toot your own horn. If you are afraid to promote yourself and your business, you are not hustling. Stay humble, hustle hard. Tooting your horn pushes you out of your comfort zone. It doesn’t always feel good but the results can be powerful. You need to make a conscious effort to promote yourself and your business, tell people what you are doing and be confident when sharing your accomplishments. Self promote like nobody’s business.
Have Bounce Back Ability
You are going to face rejection at various times as an entrepreneur. No one likes it. It feels personal and could be paralyzing. You are not alone. Hustlers have bounce back ability. They don’t get embarrassed or upset when things go wrong or don’t work out the way they planned. They keep going even when negative things happen. They push through, make the calls, look around the corner to what is next, they make it happen no matter what. You need to block out the negative people and the opinions of others when they say you can’t do something. Be strong, be flexible and have bounce back ability.
Don’t Be Afraid to Say NO
Opportunities abound and as a business hustler, you will be presented with many of them. You need to not chase the next big thing or the shiny objects. Be discerning and don’t be afraid to say no. Trust your gut. If the opportunity isn’t right for you, say no. If the time is not right, say no. If it doesn’t fit your brand or your plans for your business, say no. The most successful hustlers are not afraid to say no and stand by their decision.
Knock Down Doors
You can’t stand on the other side of the door waiting for someone to just open it. You have to make things happen for yourself. Knocking on the door sometimes is not enough, you have to knock down the door to get on the other side. It’s this "do whatever it takes" hustle that will make you a top entrepreneur. It takes times and a lot of sweat equity. There will inevitably be times when you need to knock on more doors than others, and sometimes you will need to knock them down. It's the hustle early on that will have the long term payout.
Soak Up the Small Wins
Building a thriving business takes patience, hustle and time. Unfortunately, we all underestimate the amount of time it takes to actually build a business from the ground up. Along the way, you will experience small victories. The key is to stop and enjoy those small wins when they happen. It’s those small victories that will hold you up when the road seems endless. The big wins will shine a bright light that will dim quickly but soaking up the small wins time after time will infuse a long lasting glow.
To be on the top, be successful in your own right, stay the course and take action today, tomorrow and the next. Hustle hard and stay humble.
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