From the Inside Out: Success in Business Begins Within

You have a business. What are your major concerns? Profit obviously, new business and marketing most likely running a close second, staffing and keeping a great team firing on all cylinders will be up there, and of course putting out the daily fires that plague any company or entrepreneur. This list could go on to fill this entire magazine, and most likely the newsstand where you bought it.

But one thing that is usually missing from your top ten business concerns is an introspective look at yourself as the engine of your business. Not a review of how you look on the outside, but actually taking the time to look at how your mind is preconditioned to make decisions and plans on a daily basis.

I’ve spent many years running several businesses, but until I took the time to study the internal mindset required for external success, I had a ceiling set on what my results would be. It was as if I was pre-programmed to only reach a certain level of achievement in any venture I was involved with. If I got over that level momentarily, I would subconsciously underachieve to regain the success level I believed was my limit. Some of this may sound far-fetched, but when you really think about it, it’s true of everyone.
I call this: your Money Blueprint.

My breakthrough came when a good hearted (and very wealthy) friend of my father gave me a pearl of wisdom; in order to be rich, you have to think like the rich. Do as they do, speak as they speak, act as they act. There is a recurring pattern of thought and behavior evident in rich business people. And, it’s their internal processes that allow them to reach higher than most. Mirroring these processes can give you the tools to achieve that higher level.

As I continued to probe this concept and observe the successful people I knew, I was able to clearly define certain attitudes, behaviors and reactions common among the world’s most successful people. I have put these together in what I call Wealth Files.
17 of them to be exact. When I say files, think of it this way. You have an occurrence in your business life; say you have a week of amazing sales. Your mind then goes to that ‘achievement’ file in your head and decides what to do next. Your file may simply say ‘go purchase more of that same product that sold so well!’, or it may ask you to dissect the situation. Was it the product? Was it a new sales team? Have local incomes shot up? How then can I best use this profit to grow my business to the next level? What is that level? And on it goes. Do you see what I’m saying here? Your propensity to succeed is based on your reaction to situations that can either lead your business to simply survive, or thrive.

While I can’t possibly cover all my Wealth Files in this article, I’ve collected a few that I feel are the most crucial in business today.

Wealth file #1

Rich people believe “I create my life”
Poor people believe “Life happens to me”

If you’re going to be the next Wall Street success story or even just the retail king or queen in your city, it is imperative you understand that you control everything that occurs in your business. Everything. AC breaks? Your fault. High sales this month? You did it. Marketing campaign not working? Your fault. You need to truly believe that it is you and only you that can create your success, mediocrity or failure. If you don’t believe you are the creator of your life, you will be unable to create the success you desire.

What are some signs that you are stuck in the “life happens to me” trap?

Blame is one. Stop trying to blame other people or external events for your failure. Take responsibility, learn from errors, and make opportunities from problems.

Another sign is justification. “Money’s not that important”. “I have enough to survive”. “I have priorities other than money”. Actually, money is extremely important and you need to have that attitude. Think about it. If you told your spouse they weren’t important, would they hang around long? No. So, if the present isn’t moving towards your dreams, then things aren’t okay. Don’t justify them.

Finally we have complaining. Complaining makes you a problem magnet, plain and simple. Stop talking about past negatives, and start planning future positives.

To conclude this file, just remember this. You are the one in control. No one, and nothing else has that power.

Wealth File #11

Poor people choose to get paid on time
Rich people choose to get paid on results

This one is simple. The myth of the steady paycheck being a road to wealth is simply untrue. In business, riches nearly always stem from risk. And risk is willing to get paid on results. A percentage based income has potential to be huge, whereas a time based income has a ceiling. Running your own business is a good start, but you need to always be thinking of ways you can be paid in a way that has the potential to skyrocket.

Wealth file # 17

Rich people constantly learn and grow
Poor people think they already know

“If you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.”
That’s a great quote from author Jim Rohn. Basically the concept here is that you need to be committed to being a life-long learner. If your way of doing things was the key to success, than you would be writing this article, and others would read it. That being said, even as a multimillionaire, I’m constantly looking for even the tiniest new piece of information that can improve the way I do business. So read a book, take a course, join a networking group or just talk with your peers about their approaches to business challenges. You’ll be amazed at the power and freedom that come with being an open receptacle for the knowledge and experience of others.

Those are just a few of the files that I’ve identified as important to every business person. Some of them seem so obvious, but most of us simply don’t follow them. It takes a conscious effort to work on building yourself and improving the way you think in order to achieve your goals.

After all, the best investment you can ever make in your business is you.