What You Really Need To Succeed.

What you really need to succeed.

One of the biggest mistakes that aspirant entrepreneurs make is that they set material objectives before they set emotional objectives.

They think of, dream of, how much they are going to sell, how much money they are going to make and often this becomes so important that principles, values and decency are compromised, and sometimes trashed in the chase for profit, or in the struggle for survival.

Remember that true success is not in what you got. True success lies in how you got what you got and how people feel about how you got what you got, and ultimately how you feel about yourself.

So in order to have sustainable success decide on the character of your business before you set out to conquer the market. Define the core values that you will use as guiding principles to control your behaviour on your journey.

The character of your business will determine the reputation of your business. The reputation of your business will determine the support for your business.

It is necessary to know where you want to go - (Vision and Objectives). It is necessary to know what you are going to do - (Mission). It is necessary to know when and how you are going to do it – (Strategy). But....

It is your behaviour, the way that you do what you do, that will determine the ultimate level of success of your venture.

Defining the character of your business sets the ground rules for how you treat your customers, your suppliers, your employees and yourself.

The golden rule is that we do not do business with the company with the best, or the cheapest, products. We do business with the company that makes us feel good about the experience.

Set your Values before you set your Vision. Your Vision should not compromise your values but should support them. Identify what is important to you? Your relationships? Your marriage? Your health? Your Peace of mind?

Then ask yourself these three key questions.

How does, what you do affect the things that are important to you?

How does, how you do what you do affect the things that are important to you?

Is it worth it?

What does it matter if you gain the world but lose your ability to enjoy the gain?

What does it matter that you have conquered the field but have no-one with whom to share the victory?

What is the point of financial gain at the expense of your family relationships.

Often in the chase to achieve we lose everything of real value.

I know a man who, by exte
al measure is very successful, big business, assets worth many millions yet he is emotionally bankrupt. I remember him telling me one day that when he dies he will leave so much money that his family won't be able to spend it all. The problem was that his family had long ago left, they couldn't compete with his business. He was divorced and had no family life. He hadn't been there to watch his children grow, they were strangers to him and he a stranger to them.

It has been said - Know yourself. It has been said - Be true to yourself.

I think that these statements should rather read – Know who you want to be – Be true to your values and your vision of your future. Define, and commit to be true to, your character before you set out to conquer the world.