What is Blocking Your Success?

 

      I ran across this article in Entrepreneur magazine this week and boy did some of these look familiar. I don't know about you but I think there is a little but if an Entrepreneur in all of us. I preach this at the beauty schools when I am invited to speak to their students. Never, ever forget you will always be 100% responsible for You Incorporated. You are the CEO, chief cook and bottle washer of your corporation, your career. No one is going to put as much effort into you, as you. The funny thing is even knowing these blockers, on any given day I am still guilty of one of two. So what's stopping you?

1. You don't complete a task before you start a new one. Me? Boy is this one ever true. Entrepreneurs are idea people, thing is we have lots of ideas. It's the follow through that gets our hair in a knot. Entrepreneurs simply have a hard time finishing a project, no matter the time or the resources.  They can't focus. Maybe we are too attached to the project? The OCD perfectionist in us gets the better of us and we fear the project won't be good enough, or if we just spend more time it would be perfect. So we struggle for that perfection afraid we cannot change things later. They quote Seth Godin for his book Linchpin, excellent book by the way. He writes "The only purpose of starting is to finish, and while projects we do are never really finished, they must ship". If it's close enough it's close enough, ship it.

2 You micromanage everything.  You've started your own business because you know you are the only one that can do the job as well as you. This believe is a recipe for disaster. You just can't do it all and if you expect to grow your business you must step back, lead and trust those around you. If you don't currently have one get yourself a support team. Remember it is unsuccessful entrepreneurs that insist on doing everything themselves, not the other way around.

3 You're Always right. Entrepreneurs have a really hard time admitting they are wrong or have made a mistake. Mistakes after all are learning opportunities. When you've got a few, or more out of the way you develop strong enough shoulders to support them like a back pack. Don't hide from things that haven't gone according to plan. You only lose out if you miss the lesson. Being wrong is one step closer to being right the next time. Empty your back pack, ask for advice or counsel and move on.

 

4 You ask questions but don't really want to know the answer. Everyone knows this person, some quite well. This entrepreneur only listens long enough to hear if you are going to agree with them. They never take constructive criticism well. Honestly it is unfortunate that some only surround themselves with people that agree with them. The number one lesson in team building is to put together a diverse group dynamic with room for different perspectives and plenty of debate. I' m sure you've heard the saying you can't solve a problem with the same thinking that created it? Check your ego at the door and truly listen to others.

5. You always find a reason to not move forward. We know this person, plenty of us have been this person at one time or another. The economy is not good, the timing isn't right. I don't have enough money, or support, or nail polish. The cold hard truth is there is never the perfect time for anything. You just have to decide to move forward, take the next step. Have some faith, gather your courage and get out of your way.