What High Performers Do When Things Get Tough

The last decade of entrepreneurship has taken place within a rapidly changing environment of growth, struggle, triumph and confusion. The cornerstones relied upon in the past for small business stability and growth have crumbled, leaving an expensive hodgepodge of misguided efforts and bipolar business strategies. 

Fundamentally, sales and marketing behaviors are no longer the same. Technology changes have made accurate access to complex business answers easier than ever. Data systems are faster and more people have smarter phones with faster access to the internet. Things we used to wonder about are now quickly answered by an audio search on Google. Business is no longer about having inside access to sales information.

Social changes make it easier than ever to build and maintain relationships that matter. External boundaries such as time zones, location and means of communication have rapidly evolved. People can now share pictures, video, quick thoughts or even their current location with thousands of individuals with just a few clicks of a button. Business is now about rich conversations with an audience all over the world

These changes are here to stay. You can talk all you want about the “good old days” but don’t fool yourself. The old ways of doing business just don’t work anymore. Which is why many businesses are struggling right now.  

The experts all too often tell you about what used to work, which can leave you all the more confused and frustrated. If you’re like a lot of entrepreneurs, you’re not entirely sure what to do. That’s frustrating --  not knowing how to drive business growth.

It’s scary to see what you’ve built threatened by something you can’t change.

But the answer isn’t as far away as you might think. Over four years while examining 1,000 high performers across business, math, science, politics and sports, my company uncovered four distinct qualities that successful entrepreneurs harness in times of confusion or change.     

We looked for common character traits or personality trends to clarify why they were successful over their competitors in a given industry. It came down to four philosophies and a different way of looking at the world around them:

These four attitudes can help you adapt your existing methodologies and strategies for the changes happening in the business environment around you:

1. High performers understand that radical results demand extreme behavior-  

They don’t mind being extreme. Toppling a dictator is hard work. It takes sacrifice, intention and raw emotion. The same extreme behavior that can overthrow a government can help you overtake competitors in your industry.  

But doing a little more isn’t enough. You need to do a heck of a lot more. Remember that at your next off-site planning session. Being extreme is a winning strategy -- not wacky.

2. High performers understand that discipline looks a lot like insanity along the way-  

They are disciplined. The tactics that used to work after two or three tries now take 10 to 15 attempts. Sticking with it has never been more important than right now.  In a society where access to answers is just a smartphone away, you have to be tireless in your execution and consistent in how you change perceptions around you.

Just because everyone around you is telling you to be reasonable, get a real job or listen to the data doesn’t mean that they are right. Success always looks like failure until it doesn’t.

3. High performers believe that giving more value is strength not a sign of weakness- 

They have a giving mind-set. Kindness is so rare that when we see it, we are moved at a deeply personal level. Giving value beyond what people have paid for is a way for you to reposition your company amid the confusing marketing in your industry.  It creates an experience your customers won’t forget.

Being unforgettable is the best way to earn increased wallet share from consumers. It’s the answer to better prospect engagement and sticky marketing measures  It starts with your giving a lot more than those around you expect.

4. High performers know that the more logical things appear to be the less they really are- 

These leaders have a human strategy. Information isn’t what is important. People are much more than names and numbers on a spreadsheet. To be truly effective, you have to pull at the human heart strings. You have to be emotionally intelligent. You have to be able to read between the lines.

The same irrational behavior that you find inexcusable in others is the default wiring for how you make all your decisions. You’re no different. Understanding that humanity is a powerful force for connection and relationship.

Face it: The rules have changed. Business is different now. You can try to fight it and continue to struggle or you can invest in others and take advantage of an environment that is ready for heroes like you to emerge. Confusion is a choice. Choose to be amazing. Be extreme, disciplined, giving and human.

3 Reasons Why You'll Never Be Super Successful

Are you like me, wishing you were making more money?

Not that I’m unhappy. Because I’m not, and hopefully neither are you. My 10-person company is doing pretty well. We sell customer relationship management (CRM) software and services. Our clients hire us to implement, customize and train them on how to best use these systems. We profit, but I want more. I have higher aspirations. I have tuition, mortgage and food bills to pay. I want to save more for retirement. These are all the same issues that you have.

So why am I not making more money? Why aren’t you? Looking around at my more successful clients I think I know at least three reasons.

I’m not a good manager

 Ever wonder why CEOs make millions? It’s mainly because they have the skills to motivate and manage tens of thousands of people in the direction they want them to go. I have clients who run companies 20 times the size of mine with ease and grace. They’ve created organizational structures and management layers that are effective. Their employees love them and work hard. They inspire, lead, listen and sympathize. They can be tough. They can be fair. They’re all about people.

I’m not. I am incapable of managing that kind of organization. I can barely keep control of the 10 people I supervise. I know they’re not as productive as they could be. I like to do, not manage. I have little patience. I don’t have empathy. I like them all but I’m not that interested in their problems. I just want them to do their work. This is not leadership. This is barely management. And I’m suffering because of it. Are you the same?

I am not greedy enough

 I have a much lower threshold of acceptable wealth than other business owners who are more financially successful. I don’t aspire to have millions in the bank and own lots of houses, expensive cars and private planes. I want enough to be comfortable, to afford a nice dinner when I want or a good vacation with my family without thinking about it.

As long as ESPN is up and running and there’s beer in the house, I’m pretty much content with life. I’m that way in my business too. I cave easily. I don’t haggle for those few extra bucks. I’m not as aggressive as I could be to close that next deal, crush the competition or make that strategic acquisition. I’m not a true-blue entrepreneur. I’m just a small business owner.

By definition, I’m less inclined to take big risks. Which means I’m less inclined to reap big rewards. I make no apologies. I have a great home life and a nice little business. But those guys you read about who are making millions? They risked. They sacrificed. Many of them chose greed over other things in life. And some of them got they wanted. Are you greedy enough to get what you want? To sacrifice?

I stop at adequate

 I try to do my best job. But sometimes my best isn’t always the best. I could invest resources into doing better implementations, training better, creating better CRM systems for my customers. Some people strive to always be better because there’s always room for improvement. Me? I often stop at good enough. It gets the job done. That way I can get home to my family, to my life, to ESPN.

This is not an excuse. It’s a lifestyle. Having this attitude is what separates me from those who really change the world and potentially make a lot of money in the process. Do you stop at adequate? Is good enough just good enough for you?

These reasons aren’t always true. Sometimes a guy finds himself in an important managerial position by chance, or people with little interest in money fall into a boatload of cash. Sometimes you wonder how that mediocre Italian restaurant could be so successful all these years and you realize it’s just luck or location. But for the most part people that are financially successful in their businesses have achieved that success for good reason. Well, at least three good reasons.

Feeling Down ? Here Are 3 Ways to Stay Motivated

Saying entrepreneurship is a difficult and lonely road is an understatement. Being a founder of a company can at times seem downright impossible.

There are a lot of big no's, people snickering at your ideas and the big tear you let out when you realize 90 percent of first-time startups fail. Don’t lose hope. There are plenty of ways to stay motivated during this process.

Here are three things you can do to lift your spirits when you are feeling down:

1. Start a support group-

I decided to share my business idea among my college peers and guess what? I found myself listening to other people having ideas about launching their own venture but were too afraid to act. After a few sessions of getting feedback from one another, I proposed we get together weekly to work on our endeavors.

Aside from researching our industries and meeting with mentors, we also had fun. We would hold dinner gatherings to not only laugh and kickback but also confide in one another about the obstacles we face.

2. Pick up a hobby you are terrible at-

That’s right, the heading was not a typo. People equate entrepreneurship to perfection, but nothing you do will ever be completely perfect.

By taking on an unfamiliar activity, you become motivated to get better and are more disciplined in the area. Also, it gets you more comfortable being uncomfortable without serious repercussions.

Besides, who said you can’t have fun and laugh at yourself? I remember when I first started writing and performing spoken word. I was awful. But now, I can say I'm more confident in myself, as I improved with practice.

3. Create a wall of positivity-

As a college student attending business school (the land of everyone doing their own thing), I surround myself with a bunch of go-getters.

Even though I am with these people almost every day, it took me my entire freshman year to realize they have one thing in common: They all have entire walls embellished with things they find inspirational.

If you are thinking of having your own motivational wall, don't go to an art store and spend $500. Instead, start with printing out pictures or quotes. You'll remind yourself of why you are the right person to pursue your passion.

When you are struggling with your worst days, be sure to take a breath and remember that your situation or failure is not a reflection of who you are. Also, remember you have adopted a lifestyle of taking chances, while someone else has declined that challenge. That in itself is reason enough to continue on with your business and life purpose. You only live once, so live out loud and be proud.

How to Be More Creative, Wherever You Work

Wish you could quit your job and run your own business? So does most of the country.

Fifty five percent of employed U.S. adults would leave their traditional jobs to be self-employed if they could be sure of their financial stability, according to a recent study. That's almost 78 million people.

What do these individuals want that their current jobs aren't offering them? Apparently, creativity: 36 percent of employed adults want to quit their current jobs to pursue a more creative position. They're even ready to sacrifice their paychecks, with 29 percent saying they would be willing to take a pay cut for a job that allowed them to be more creative.

"In today's world, there are so many more opportunities to be self-employed," says Mika Salmi, CEO of CreativeLive, the online education network that commissioned the survey. Salmi says creativity at work can take many forms – working in an office filled with innovative people, building a career in a creative field or pursuing artistic passions by selling art, clothing and handmade creations online on sites like eBay and Etsy. Finding an outlet for your creativity at work can result in truly innovative ideas and approaches, while also fulfilling your artistic needs.  

Here are five ways to get those creative, innovative juices flowing, whether you're at a big company or self-employed.

Give yourself a jolt- Sometimes you just need to make a small change in your life to become more creative. Keeping a journal, singing in the shower and drinking coffee are all little tweaks that can help get you out of a creative rut. Or, you can make more profound shifts, like training yourself to stay open to risks and allowing yourself to fail. Whether it's stepping away from the computer or surrounding yourself with creative people, it's up to you to unlock your creativity.

Embrace your weirdness-  Some of the most successful people are also the most eccentric. Want proof? Check out Marissa Mayer's eccentric sleeping schedule and Ludwig van Beethoven's love for composing in the bathtub. Take cues from these highly creative people with truly bizarre habits and embrace your quirks to inspire innovation. 

Doodle- The scribbles in the margins of your notebooks are more than just child's play. Many of history's greatest thinkers, from Steve Jobs to John F. Kennedy, have been avid doodlers. These quick sketches help unlock creativity, enhancing recall and lighting up neural networks that allow for cognitive breakthroughs. It's an easy way to incorporate creativity into everyday life and increase your productivity in any office.

Analyze your ideas- It's not enough just to be creative – you need data and analysis to back your innovative ideas. Christine Perkett dubbed this fusion “Creatalitics” and gave an excellent definition for the term: “[Creatalitic thinkers] combine really creative and innovative ideas -- those ‘dreams and visions’ with data and analysis -- the ‘blazes of insight’ that tell them if their creations go beyond initial appeal and into the world of actionable value to the company’s bottom line.” No matter how exciting your creative ideas are, they always need to be put to the test to make sure they are worth your client's investment.

Goof off- Feeling stifled in your workplace? Breaking unproductive patterns by goofing off, playing with clay and planning for free time can help spark creative thought at work. Corporation are increasingly letting go of their rigid structures to give employees time to have fun and ultimately be more productive and innovative.

5 Simple Cures to Work Smarter and Save Time

You’ve heard the expression “work smarter, not harder” before, but what does that mean exactly? When your inbox is packed, there's a giant stack on your desk and the phone keeps ringing, how are you supposed to get it all done smarter?

The truth is many of our common ways of doing things aren’t actually productive. When you focus too heavily on the act of doing over the brilliance of planning, you can be spinning your wheels with a lot of extra activities that aren’t driving any results. That means lots of time wasted on things that aren’t worth your attention, or that could be handled in a more efficient manner.

As Benjamin Franklin said, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Here are five simple cures to help you work smarter in the days ahead:

1. Structure-

The wealthiest entrepreneurs know that having some structure to your schedule creates a routine of success. If you’re running around willy-nilly stomping out fires instead of planning your business’s future, you’re going to burn out and fall behind. The key to an effective workday is setting some structure in place. Get up at the same time Monday through Friday and carve out a routine, for instance; wake up, work out, eat breakfast, answer emails, phone calls, block out time for actual planning and work, check your email again, phone calls again, then be done for the day.

When you break out of your structure and start answering emails and phone calls all day and all night, you are actually wasting a lot of time. Having structure allows you to prioritize your day, trains your staff and clients when they’re going to have access to you and also allows you to carve out dedicated time for family, friends and yourself. Structure makes you a smart entrepreneur.

2. Drop the myth of multitasking-

 Perhaps for a few of the world’s most talented mothers, there is such a thing as multitasking. But for the rest of us mere mortals, drop the idea that you can multitask and be effective. The brain isn’t wired to do two tasks well at once. Focus on talking, typing, working or thinking, but don’t try to do more than one. You end up wasting more time trying to correct your words or rewrite your email. Your brain is losing efficiency each time it jumps to a new task. Focus on one thing at a time, complete it fully, then move to the next. This will help you gain much more time in the long run.

3. Urgent does not necessarily mean important-

 Part of being an entrepreneur is using sound judgment. You have to know your business model and products. You have to trust your judgment to hire vendors and staff. Apply that same sense of good judgment to the urgent vs. important tasks that arise everyday. Part of the brilliance of working in a structure is that in many ways, it eliminates this urgent vs. important issue.

If you check your email or return calls in scheduled batches of your structured routine, it trains your staff and clients to figure out their own problems. Have the judgment and discipline to step out of the easy habit of thinking every urgent thing is important -- it’s not. Learning to let urgent go will save you a tremendous amount of time and stress, so you can work smarter and focus on what’s important instead.

4. Turn it off-

Smartphones and wi-fi are amazing. It’s easy to take them for granted now because they’ve become a part of life that wasn't around just 10 years ago. Yet entrepreneurs such as Bill Gates and Richard Branson still managed to build billion dollar empires with a landline phone.

All this connectivity is convenience at its best, but it can also be incredibly disruptive to your workflow. To work smarter, you need to find times in the day when the instant message options are off, the email notifications are blocked and the phone is on do not disturb. All those pings, chimes and vibrating distractions take your brain out of a creative process. Only you have the power to turn all the distractions off and focus on blocks of time devoted solely to work, the creative process and your business.

5. Take lots of breaks-

 How can you take lots of breaks and still get anything done? Easy! It’s all about structure again. When you plan out your day to have moments of time between tasks for breaks, you’re setting yourself up for success. When you go, go, go, you end up burning out big time. However, if you set up time for short walks, meals and other small blocks of time to reset your brain and fuel your body, you’ll have the energy and juicy brain matter you need to go strong all day.

Don’t feel guilty about getting up from your workspace every two hours for water, a snack and a few laps around the block. Keeping your body fueled and rejuvenated will keep you working smart for a long time down the road.

The One Basic Skill Every Startup CEO Needs

When starting a new venture, it is critical to your success that you effectively communicate your vision to build trust in people around you -- everyone from your business partners to investors and customers need to believe in you.  You need these people to buy into your new idea.  This is done through effectively communicating the value proposition in what you are trying to do. It must be succinct and to the point or else you will quickly lose the interest of others. This is where the skill of writing comes into play.

While, it takes passion and determination to convey your message, it isn’t always easy and it takes time to develop these communication skills. (Ever heard the saying, "a writer is only as good as the sum of his experiences?”)

For those just getting started in the startup world and need to brush up on their writing skills, here are a few tips.

Create a blog post and socialize it-  Before I was ever published by a major publication, I posted some of my pieces on entrepreneurship as my Facebook status. This provided me with an audience to read what I had to say. I was blown away by the positive feedback, which helped me build up my confidence and was the stepping stone for approaching the media.

Write for you startup industry’s media outlet-  Whatever industry your startup is in, it is critical to build credibility around your name and business. Without credibility your startup will not go very far. Be relentless in trying to get published, as it is the best press for your business.

When approaching media outlets, my best advice to getting published is to create value and add practical wisdom to gain the attention of editors.

Communicate your experiences starting up-  For every startup CEO, it is difficult to build a business, maintain customer relations, raise money and stay focused. Through these trials and tribulations, you most definitely learn a lot. Use this as an opportunity to express your experiences in writing. Not only does it help you build credibility but an audience, as other struggling entrepreneurs will be looking at you for advice. 

50 Signs You Might Be an Entrepreneur

Entrepreneurs are a unique group of people. Not only do they think differently; they act differently. They draw on personality traits, habits and mind-sets to come up with ideas that straddle the line between insanity and genius. But just because you’re an original thinker and came up with an idea to replace gasoline in cars doesn’t mean you’re cut out to be an entrepreneur. 

If you ever wondered if you were an entrepreneur, check out the following list. You may not have all these traits or skills, yet if you have some, this is a pretty good indicator that you have what it takes. 

1. You come from a family of individuals who just couldn't work for someone else. Your parents worked for themselves. Though this isn't true for every entrepreneur (myself included), many have a family history with one or both parents having been self-employed.

2. You hate the status quo. You’re a person who is always questioning why people do the things they do. You strive to make things better and are willing to take action on it.

3. You’re self-confident. Have you ever met an entrepreneur who was pessimistic or self-loathing? After all, if you don’t have confidence, how can others believe in you?  Most entrepreneurs are very optimistic about everything around them.

4. You’re passionate. There will be times when you spend an excessive amount of time and do not make a dollar. It’s your passion that will keep you going.

5. You don’t take no for an answer. An entrepreneur never gives up -- ever.

6. You have the ability to create unlikely partnerships from out of nowhere because of your ability to connect the dots. People tend to gravitate toward you because you are likable. Many times this is because of your passion.  

7. You spend more time with your co-founder than your spouse or significant other.

8. You dropped out of college like Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg.

9. The daily commute to your office is from the bedroom to the living room.

10. You were always a lousy employee and probably have been fired a lot. Don't worry; you're not alone. I personally have been fired several times in my life. Don't take it as a sign that you're a bad person. Sometimes it's in your DNA.

11. You’ve always resisted authority; that's why you've had a problem holding down a job.

12. You believe that there is more than one definition of job security: You realize that your job is safe as long as you are in control as opposed to relying on a boss who could ruin your career after one swift mistake.

13. Most of your wardrobe consists of T-shirts; some you probably got at SXSW. Others display your company's name or logo.

14. You have a competitive nature and are willing to lose. You always know that you can do something better.

15. You check GitHub when you wake up in the morning.

16. You ask to be paid in game tickets, shoes or whatever else you love. There are just some things that are better than money, right?

17. Your idea of a holiday is a working day without anything interfering with the tasks you really need to get done.

18. You’re unemployable, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Life skills are more valuable than the office politics commonly found at 9-to-5 gigs.

19. You work more than 60 hours a week; yet you earned more money at an hourly job when you were in high school.

20. You want to be in control and in command of your own company. You typically like overseeing most things that go on at your company.

21. You see opportunities everywhere. For example, you walk into a building and are curious about its worth or the companies inside.

22. The word “pitch” no longer has an association with baseball.

23. Your take a personality test, like one offered by the Enneagram Institute, and end up with a result calling you a "reformer type," someone purposeful, self-controlled and perfectionist.

24. You recognize that the best seats at your favorite coffee shops are those closest to power outlets.

25. You’re a logical thinker with ideas about how to correct problems and the overall situation.

26. Speaking of problem solving, have you checked to see if there's an app for that? Perhaps you've already begun to create a business model and the software architecture to see if it’s feasible.

27. You’re a people person. You have no problem communicating with people.

28. You regularly quote Steve Jobs mainly to keep yourself from falling to pieces.

29. You sold stuff as a kid like at a lemonade stand. Heck, when there were class sales, you were probably one of the top sellers. 

30. You get more SMS alerts from people you follow on Twitter than from actual friends listed in your address book.

31. You’re a self-starter, meaning you don’t give up on a project until it’s completed.

32. No matter what you do on a daily basis, you always think of it in terms of delivering a return on investment.

33. Your dress code is shabby chic and your suit is just collecting dust. You prefer T-shirts and jeans over a suit any day.

34. You’re unrealistic. As an inventor or innovator, you kind of have to be this way.

35. You think outside of the box. If not, what will change?

36. You’re a charming and charismatic person.

37. Rules don’t apply to you. We’re not talking about breaking the law. Instead, you believe in efficiency and will bend rules to make things run smoothly.

38. You realize that you can’t do everything alone. You have an idea and can promote it but also know that you’re not skilled at every task of running a business.

39. You’re very opinionated. That's another reason you got fired a lot.

40. You’re unpredictable. As an entrepreneur, you know how quickly things can change. Thankfully, you're ready and willing to make adjustments.

41. You enjoy being with a group but don't relish much being alone. You probably get most energetic when working with groups of more than four people.

42. You’re determined. You have to make the impossible possible.

43. You have the support of your friends and family. These are the people who get you. And they’ll be there to support you along the way.

44. It’s normal for you to take a nap under your desk to catch up on sleep. After all, getting eight hours of sleep sometime between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. is antiquated.

45. You’ve done the market research. You know that just because you have an incredible idea doesn’t mean that it’s profitable. But you’ve already looked into whether customers will make the purchase.

46. You surround yourself with quality people -- not leeches who will bring you down.

47. You’re a bit out there. Having the ability to create something out of nothing takes a mad-genius type of person. Remember, people thought Albert Einstein was insane before he proved the theory of relativity.

48. Did you ever ask your family, friends or significant other to send you a calendar invite so that you could talk for all of five minutes?

49. You believe that your time is worth more than money.

50. During your most recent rant about growth hacking, your spouse or boyfriend (or girlfriend) totally understood what you were saying. 

Even if you don’t have all the above traits right now, you’ll probably develop more of them over time. After all, being an entrepreneur is a lifestyle, not a job or hobby.