Mindset: 6 Keys to Creating Success in Business

When it comes to having success in business, it might well be that your mindset has more to do with your success or failure than you realize. You also may have negative thoughts and limiting beliefs that you’re not aware of. Here are some keys to achieving and keeping a successful business mindset.

1. Focus

Focus is definitely a key to a successful mindset. Continually remind yourself of what your business is about, what its purpose is, and why you’re doing it. Keep focusing on your goals by having them somewhere that you can see them. An accountability partner can help you stay on track.

2. Self-assessment

To achieve a successful mindset, you need to ferret out negative thoughts you may not even know you have. Here are some things to watch out for that may indicate a negative mindset:

Having excessive back-up plans and being over-cautious may mean you are doubtful about your success. Safety nets are understandable, but they can become a tempting escape when things are less than perfect. To be successful, you need to press through those imperfect times, not run from them.

Believe you deserve it. You may think that you really don’t deserve to succeed in business. You just aren’t “that type.” To be successful, though, you need to believe you are that type!

Uncertainty can be a manifestation of a negative thoughts and beliefs – you are not sure of yourself. There are resources out there; you can learn what you need to succeed. You just have to go for it!

3. Think like a CEO

If you want your business to grow into a thriving brand, you need to think like a CEO. You must alter your mindset from the ‘gig-master’ (working from client to client, project to project), which often keeps you way too busy to focus ON your business. In order to grow your business, you have to make time to vision, plan, and strategize for that growth. Find out for yourself if you have the right mindset by taking our Do You Think Like a CEO Assessment.

4. Believe in your product or service

Whether you are selling your services, something from someone else, or a product of your own creation, you need to really love and believe in it to succeed. If you are offering a service, you need to believe that you are offering something unique and valuable. Keep those perceptions and thoughts that say your product or service is absolutely worth it and provides true benefits to your customers and clients.

5. Avoid “I’ll try”…

If someone asked you if you plan to succeed in business, would you say, “I’ll try”? Then you have limiting beliefs holding you back. You need to think more along the lines of “I will” or “I can.” Thinking “I’ll try” is a non-committal mindset that is not conducive to success.

6. Understand a ‘Fixed’ vs ‘Growth’ Mindset

A fixed mindset believes that we’re dealt the hand we’ve been given and there is no room for improvement. For instance, how often have you heard someone say, “I can’t draw.” “I’ll never be any good at math.” Those are fixed statements.

On the flip side, a growth mindset believes that we can learn and grow. The person with this mindset would instead say, “I can’t draw yet.”, or “I’m practicing math problems, so I’ll get better at them.”

Although we all have a fixed mindset to a certain degree, be mindful of your thoughts and pre-conceived notions of your limiting beliefs. You often can get better through things like learning, experience and practice.

If you’re interesting in learning more about growth and fixed mindsets, here’s a good summary of Carol Dweck’s Growth and Fixed Mindsets. (Carol Dweck studies human motivation and was the one who introduced the concept of growth vs fixed mindsets.) It’s a fascinating concept!