Growing a successful business is something every entrepreneur and business owner aspires to. So why do so few actually succeed and experience business success?
Having worked closely with very successful business owners and entrepreneurs, and having built my own successful business, I’m here to tell you it isn’t easy.
True success comes from two things: Knowing the business and/or marketing strategy that’s perfect for you, and mastering your inner blocks and mindset.
Both are easier said than done.
And to further complicate things, there’s another BIG problem entrepreneurs often face: Being able to figure out precisely WHERE you are stuck.
Are you using the wrong business or marketing strategy? Or is there a mindset block in the way?
I’ll be frank: Trying to diagnose precisely where you’re stuck is extremely difficult to do yourself (in many ways, it’s a lot easier to work with a coach).
But my Business Success Checklist will help you start. (Really, it’s more of a diagnostic tool to help you pinpoint where you’re getting stuck in your quest for growing a successful business.)
Consider this a starting place for getting clarity on what’s blocking you from growing a successful business … and of course, what you can do to turn things around.
Successful entrepreneurs approach their business differently than ones who aren’t as successful.
Business Success Diagnosis Tool: Get out a piece of paper and a pen, and answer the following questions.
1. Do you know what business success actually looks like for YOU?
If you don’t know what your version of success looks like, it’s going to be difficult to actually achieve it. (In fact, it’s possible you could be living your success right now and not even know it!)
Take a few minutes to pause and envision what business success looks like to you. Now compare that picture to your current life.
Where are the differences? The similarities? Can you build a bridge from where you are now to where you want to be?
Here’s another post to help you dig into this deeper:
[Goal Setting Checklist] A Simple System to Make Your Dreams Come True
(Plus, if you haven’t grabbed my “How to Start a Business You Love AND that Loves You Back” free book, I’d highly encourage you to do so.)
2. Are you committed to your business success?
Here’s the thing: Success takes work. And perseverance. And doing things you maybe don’t want to do.
EVEN (or maybe ESPECIALLY) when you’re not seeing any signs of it actually paying off.
So how do you keep going even during the darkest times? A lot of it has to do with how your commitment level.
Check in with yourself:
How committed are you to having a successful business? Truly?
Another way of getting at your commitment level is to ask yourself this:
What are you willing to do?
Are you willing to turn Facebook off and write that blog post?
Are you willing to show up at an event to network?
Are you willing to pick up the phone and make sales calls?
Or are you finding yourself full of excuses?
There’s no wrong or right answer here. There’s no shaming or judgment or making yourself feel bad.
There’s only truth. Because in the truth lies the answer to what you’re experiencing.
For more on this, check out these blog posts:
[Video] Flip It! Are You Trading Your Success For Safety?
[Video] Flip It! Your Success: Are You Taking it For Granted?
[Video] Flip It! Do You Break Commitments to Yourself?
[Video] Flip It! Why Resistance Is Your Best Friend
3. Have you created a container for your business success?
One key attribute all successful people have is that they’ve created a container for their success. Their environment, their daily habits, who they surround themselves with … everything is aligned in a way that lets them focus on their genius work as much as possible.
What about you? How do you start your day? What are your daily habits? Do you feel supported as you pursue success?
Or do you find yourself constantly sucked into drama or distractions or other people’s priorities?
Successful people focus on taking action toward their goals and dreams every day, even if those steps are tiny (and maybe even feel insufficient). Every day they do at least one thing designed to move them closer to having a successful business.
Have you set up your day so you can do the same?
These posts can help:
[Video] Flip It! Could Changing One Habit Change Your Life?
Love-Based Money podcast: Episode 72 – Sneaky Blocks to Your Success
[Video] Flip It! Stop Checking Email First Thing in the Morning
[Video] Flip It! How Successful People Start Their Day
4. Are you feeling discouraged, because you think your business success is never going to happen?
I get it. We’ve all been there. We feel like we’re doing everything right, but nothing is happening.
But, here’s the thing: this is what sets successful people apart from those who aren’t successful.
They keep taking action even if it doesn’t look like they’re getting anywhere.
When I start to get frustrated, I either want to throw in the towel or start tweaking my strategy. What I’ve learned is that’s a sure sign of Resistance rearing its ugly head.
And, when Resistance is showing up, that means I’m on the right path.
For myself, what I need to do is keep moving forward and taking action and allowing myself to feel all that Resistance, so it moves through me.
But, for you, Resistance may show up differently.
What’s important is to feel it and let it move through you, so you can keep taking action.
These posts can also help:
[Video] Flip It! Why You Can’t Rush Transformation Step 1
[Video] Flip It! Are You Trying to Uplevel Your Business Too Soon?
[Video] Flip It! Is Who You Are Getting In the Way of Your Big Dream?
5. Have you suffered a setback or failure?
This one sucks. It just does.
And it happens to everyone.
Another key trait of successful people is they don’t let their failures or setbacks derail them or keep them down. They get back up, dust themselves off, and keep going.
Is it easy? No. But, if you want to be successful, it’s what you need to do.
Take care of yourself. Feel all the feelings — the disappointment, anger, resentment, grief, and anything else that’s coming up.
Then, get back to work.
These posts may also help:
[Video] Flip It! How Do You Pick Yourself Up After You Fail?
[Video] Flip It: Are You Letting Your Critics Win?
Love-Based Money podcast: Episode 68 – The Messy Side of Success
Feel Like “Burning Down” Your Business? Read This. (Part 1)
6. Is your business strategy right for YOU?
In the personal transformation industry (which I’ve been a part of for many years), it’s not uncommon to get so caught up in the mindset piece that the external strategy gets lost.
But, the reality is, the external strategy is just as important.
If you don’t know what you’re supposed to be doing, how can you take action? And if you’re taking the wrong action, you’re not going to see any success either.
There are a lot of posts on the blog to help make sure you have the right business strategy. I would especially encourage you to look at your business model. If you’re building the wrong business for you, it can be hugely stressful.
You can also check out these posts:
[Online Business Models] 3 Steps to Help You Choose the Right One for You
[Best Business Models] Top 10 Signs That It’s Time to Shift Your Business Model
7 Hot Predictions for Business Success in 2018
7. Is your marketing strategy right for you?
Without marketing, it’s going to be impossible to grow your business. And, just like having the right business strategy, making sure you have the right marketing strategy (along with right messaging and ideal clients)is key.
