It’s easy to think we need to add things to our life if we want to hit our goals – more time, more money, more resources, more, more, more. But, sometimes we don’t even realize how many things we’ve got plugged in that are unnecessary or have a negative effect. The truth of the matter is that in order to get the more you’re hoping for, you may need to give up on a few things first to make room for what’s better.
See if any of these 9 things resonate with you…
1. Give up on the short-term mindset.
Far too many people want that quick fix. If I just had more athletes. If I just got more likes. If I just had more money. If I just… These things are all short-term thinking. What’s your why as a business owner? Who do you want to become as a person? And what do you want to become as a business? Back into these things by determining what needs to happen to make these a reality. And start thinking bigger and for the long-term today. Dream a little.
2. Give up on thinking you’re alone and don’t have people to lean on.
It’s a fact that business owners are some of the loneliest people on the planet because typically there are very few people in their worlds who understand what they’re really going through – the pressures, the stress, the joys, the challenges. In this industry, there are plenty of good people who will get in the trenches with you. Our M3 groups are a great start if you want accountability and community support. With building a business comes inevitable pressure. You don’t have to walk this road alone.
3. Give up on your excuses.
We all have them. For why we’re not this, or that, or better, or more, or different. We all know these excuses have to stop. We don’t like it when we hear excuses from other people, so why do we allow ourselves to make them? Only you are responsible for the choices you make and the direction your life takes. I can promise you that people far less smart than you threw away their excuses and went for it. And they are now reaping the rewards of not being held back by fear, or uncertainty, or feelings of inadequacy. Everybody is scared at some level. Embrace your fear and go for it. Own your choices, your business, and your life; because no one else will.
4. Give up on blaming someone or something else for not being where you’d like to be.
One key difference between the successful and all the rest is the ability to take responsibility for all of your actions, reactions, and lack of actions. No one else is making you scroll through that news feed (again), no one else is keeping your bottom line in the red, no one else is making you react in anger, or fear, or whatever emotion you choose in the moment. You may not know exactly how to make a change, but everything is possible if you commit yourself to learning and growing one step at a time.
5. Give up on your dependency to social media.
Start by paying attention to how much you check your different social media accounts – Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter. How many times per day? Many people would lose count after 50. We just want that quick fix. You may have seen the Millennials video by Simon Sinek where he talks about how social media notifications cause our brains to release dopamine. This is the very same chemical that is released with drugs, gambling, cigarettes, and alcohol. It’s what causes addiction, which is to say we can literally become addicted to our smartphones. For many, this is probably not a surprise. It’s scary how much our phones are ruling our lives. Today, at a minimum, start paying attention to this. And, as a side note, if you’re on your phone while driving, for the love, please stop. Throw your phone in the back seat so you minimize the temptation. You have people who you matter to. A lot.
6. Give up on hoping there’s a magic bullet.
We watch gym owners every day attach onto the latest and greatest crazes. They think something like this, “If it works for him/her like they say it does, surely it’s gotta work for me!” Problem is there really are no magic bullets, and they can’t see all the work that went into making it so successful for the other person. And, the other problem is that that statement sounds like it comes from a desperate place of grasping at straws hoping that one tiny straw you grab is the magic one that will eliminate all headaches. Here’s the truth… it never does. Don’t go for the shiny objects; instead go for the tried and true options that require plain old fashioned work every day to make it happen. Not as sexy, but much more effective. Do the little things every day, and let the compound effect do what it does best of multiplying those little things to equal big success.
7. Give up on trying to get everyone to like you.
We humans are funny folks. We like what we like, and have a very difficult time with what (and who) we don’t like. Often it’s just because we’ve created something in our minds that we now believe about a certain person or thing; but for whatever reason, it’s what we do. That said, you’re never, and I mean never, going to please everyone. So, definitely listen to the voice of your customer, but then run your business in such a way that you can lay your head on the pillow at night and rest easy. It’s a losing battle to try to make happy the ones who just don’t want to be happy.
8. Give up on being the martyr.
As a business owner, you’ve got it rough. No one will deny you that. There are long hours, unhappy customers, unmet expectations, scary bank accounts, trying to figure out how to wear 50 hats… to name just a few of the challenges of owning a business. But the successful people press on, and don’t fall prey to the sword of martyrdom. At the end of the day, people are selfish. They don’t really care about how hard life is for you. They just want a good product delivered every time. So, instead of complaining or being negative with your team and/or athletes, lean into your community of business owners when things are hard, because they will understand. It may feel good for the moment to be a martyr with those in your business, but that feeling is not worth it for the long-term. Give your clients your best.
9. Give up on dreaming small dreams.
It’s definitely not that we dream too big… if we only knew (and believed in) how much potential we actually have, our dreams would multiply exponentially. Think of the person you respect the most. Now, let me tell you something… you have just as much potential as them. What is it that you really want? Who is it that you really want to be? None of that is out of the question. It’s all within your reach… if you apply yourself, and If you are willing to accept the sacrifices it will take to get there. It won’t be overnight, but if you work at it every day, before you know it, you’ll be living all those things that only used to be a dream.
Oh, and one more that’s a bonus tip…. We’ve all heard it said, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” Apply this last one and you’ll win every time, every if you don’t come in “first place”.
Give up on quitting.
Winners are not quitters. They may not always get it right, but one thing is for certain, they do not quit. They know when to adjust course. They know when to go faster, or slow down. They know when to bring in experts to help with things they don’t understand. But they do not quit. They don’t walk away when things get tough, but they buckle down and focus all the more. They know their tendencies can be to get discouraged, so they surround themselves with people who will motivate them and push them to be the best version of themselves. A quote from The Slight Edge (which is an incredible book, by the way) goes like this… “It’s in the last 20 percent of the time we invest in a discipline that [the majority] of the rewards come.” How true is this?? Far too often we give up before we actually reap the rewards. Put your fingers back on the grindstone and keep at it. A little while down the road, you’ll be really glad you did.
Success is simple, but it’s not easy.
This post was written by Julie Weldon (julie@321goproject.com).