It is true; it is never easy to build a sustainable business, during challenging economic times. If you were once an employee, and just started your business, you would be aware of how overwhelming it can be. However, there isn’t much of a choice if you want to fulfil your dreams, reach your goals or follow your heart. There is one thing that all successful entrepreneurs have in common, and that is they all had a significant shift in mindset. But what about those who want to be entrepreneurs but don’t have a shift of mindset?

10 Things You’re Doing Wrong and How to Stop

1. Not delegating. For some entrepreneurs, delegating a task can be difficult, because they simply don’t know how to delegate. As an effective thought leader, you need to understand that delegation is the key to entrepreneurial success. According to the former US President Ronald Reagan, “You should surround yourself with the best people you can find.” By finding the help, you can trust you will find the freedom you need to grow your business. According to Forbes article Letting Go – How to Truly Delegate, delegation frees up time for planning and organisation.

2. Failure to address disappointment. When someone you delegate work to fails to deliver work on time, you need to remember that as the owner of the business, your job is both to teach and to lead. Instead of resorting to doing the task yourself, manage the failure positively. Careful coaching is a vital tool to have in your entrepreneurial toolkit.

3. Not staying focused. Being your own boss gives you a sense of freedom. However, maintaining focus and productivity levels is an issue for some. Being disciplined will help you and benefit your business. It’s important to keep in mind that self-leadership involves a lot of self-control. Sarah Cornforth, The Productivity Princess, says you need to jump start your brain and here are some great ways you can do that.

4. You don’t say NO. As you push hard to become successful, you will (not may but will) find yourself getting pulled in different directions. Therefore it’s vital that you say NO from time to time. Often, we say yes when we really should say NO and we do that because we’re afraid of missing out, someone else getting the work, being seen like ‘we can’t do the job’. Remember that to say yes to greater things; you need to learn how to say no to the less important ones.

5. Fail to set priorities. Your time is your most precious resource. And as a business person, it can be the most expensive service you can offer. However, when you put everything on the same priority level, it turns out that you prioritise nothing. Learn how to manage time strategically, and how to prioritise tasks effectively.

6. Wear too many hats. Doing more work than your time and energy can accommodate can only lead to burnout. In a recent post How To Avoid Business Burnout, I provide you with some great tips on how you can avoid getting yourself into this scary health cycle.

7. Stay in your comfort zone. They say that life happens at the end of your comfort zone. Not accepting the ‘uncomfortable’ will only make a difficult situation more difficult. Whereas by actively embracing awkward situations, you will travel the path less travelled. Don’t be afraid of challenges. Your business won’t grow if you don’t take risks.

8. Work based on emotions. There are times when we would just rather commit to someone to finish something, and it’s important that you see it through. You’ve heard the saying, don’t bring your work home? Well, the same goes for don’t take it to the office. Mistakes happen when you do that can impact on your integrity. Your client needs you to be at the top of your game and if you’re not. Do something about it!

9. Over complicate everything. What is this fascination we have with wanting to make things more complicated? Does it make us look like we’ve been more thorough? Do we feel like we’ve achieved something or do we think if we make it more complicated, no one else will steal your idea? We’ve all heard of less is more and the KISS principle, why don’t we practice them, it will help your client and ultimately you.

10. Bite off more than we can chew. It’s the thrill of the chase, the blood rushing risk taking, the unpredictability of it all. Entrepreneurs think differently to everyone else; they also work differently to everyone else, they work better under pressure and produce great results for their business. Biting off more than you can chew, should be looked upon as a positive, provided you are strategic about how big of a bite you take.

What other things are you doing wrong in your business? Please leave your comment in the comments section below.

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