Develop a business mindset
NO one was born a successful business person. They all made themselves tobe that. If this breed of business people are not born and are made, you too can equally become one. Anyone with a desire to become successful and has conceptualised the same in their mind and are willing to put in the required effort, can indeed become a change maker in their business.
What I have known, believed, and understood from the entrepreneurship and business coaching sessions I have had and the responses and feedback from the masses who have gone through such coaching, is that if you strongly want to be, you can eventually become if you are determined enough to sweat it out. We all think in a similar fashion. I call such kind of a mind, the ordinary mind. This is common in many. You don’t require any effort to think in that direction. What’s used here is common sense which ordinarily produces common results.
In developing a business mindset, you need to separate yourself from ordinary understanding and become more specific and deliberate in your approach to thoughts, ideas, concepts, ideologies and philosophies. Simply put, a business mindset is a way of thinking where you view problems as opportunities, embrace risk and uncertainty, as you take ownership of your life. Those with an entrepreneurship mindset always take ownership of their actions and thoughts.
It is, therefore, important to understand the process of developing a business mindset. I will discuss seven steps to developing a business mindset.
Break away from the comfort zone
You’re never comfortable in your comfort zone. That’s false comfort. In fact, nothing grows there. Progress and comfort are poles apart. A business-minded person is never satisfied by any transitional position. They are always restless, thinking of ways of solving current and emergent challenges. Their mind is always at work. Never be comfortable with a position that brings no or mediocre results. Business must not be easy. It must be difficult to force you to exercise your mind.
Look for a mentor whose business acumen you admire
Most people take the issue of mentorship lightly and yet it’s something all serious and successful people understand and embrace. A mentor is someone whose experience and advice you cherish. This is a person who can take you through the paces of what you what to achieve since they are experienced. Mentors are important in both personal development and entrepreneurship.
Mentors assist you to establish your own unique business. They take you through the wiring of a business mind that succeeds. These are people who have gone through the thinking process you want to engage in. If you want to venture into the milk-based drink manufacturing business, you must identify those that have made it in the same industry for advice and mentorship.
See opportunities in adversities
All the challenges people face in the world can be turned into business proposals and business empires by some. Train your mind to see business opportunities in every situation. Business is the provision of relevant solutions to people’s challenges. It all starts with the thinking process before its application. There must be some conception in the mind before actualisation.
Covid-19 is a worldwide pandemic, but the mask and sanitiser manufacturers have made big monies and great business empires. In the tech business, Facebook, Microsoft Teams, Zoom and other virtual meetings related applications become phenomenal during lockdown.
Do not fear failure
Most people get defeated in the mind before they even attempt doing it. Fear of failure prevents trying. Failure is part of success. Those who have succeeded in life and business failed countless times before they stumbled on success. There is nothing wrong with failing as long as you are picking crucial business and life lessons from there. The most important thing is to fail forward.
Set clear goals
Goal setting is a step towards planned success. Business people are crystal clear in their minds of what they want to achieve in whatever they do. Without clearly defined goals, it is difficult to move forward and at most know whether you have achieved that which you must. Goals work as signposts that remind you of your targets and the effort that you need to put in to achieve such.
Discipline
In developing a business mindset, discipline is key. Most people fail in their businesses due to lack of it. Discipline is action or inaction that is regulated to be in accordance with a particular system of governance. At a personal level you have to set your own standards that you must religiously adhere to, that’s discipline. You must have your own rules around money, business, marketing, integrity and all the aspects relating to your business.
Update your mental database
A business mind is a busy mind. Don’t allow your mind to be loaded with irrelevance. Always upgrade your mental software and keep current. Business dynamics always change and you must also update and upgrade. What used to work then is no longer applicable now. Telegrams used to be the in thing then but all were replaced by more convenient and faster ways of communication. If your mind remains static you will be overtaken and become irrelevant. A business mind needs to be always current and prepared to solve current challenges.
Conclusion
A business mindset is key in the making of a successful business person and the beauty of it is all can be learnt as explained.
◆ The writer, Dr Kudzanai Vere is an entrepreneur, author of four books, business and personal development, multiple award-winning entrepreneurship and business coach. Dr Vere has coached more than 5 000 entrepreneurs globally and continues to impact people in the areas of entrepreneurship, business and personal development. He is the CEO of Kudfort Group. Contact Dr Kudzanai Vere for transformational entrepreneurship and business coaching and training on kudzanai@kudfort.co.zw or +263 719 592232.