6 Things That Prevent You From Doing Your Best Work
6 Things That Prevent You From Doing Your Best Work
Doing your best work takes more than just sitting down and working. There are many obstacles to producing high-quality output.
The best painter in the world won’™t do his best work sitting in the corner at a loud party. An engineer isn’t likely to find a solution to a complex problem after a week of subpar sleep. You can’t even do a great job of mowing your grass if you a™re preoccupied with your bills.
Your best work requires certain things. It also requires avoiding certain things. It also requires good conditions. The quality of your work improves as the quality of the conditions improve.
Avoid these things that prevent you from doing your best work:
- A lack of focus. Keep your attention on your work and give it the priority it deserves. Try to put your worries aside and avoid daydreaming while you’re working. Put the focus of your life on your work if that is what is necessary in your situation.
- Too many distractions. Are you trying to work while keeping your eyes open for an important email and monitoring your social media feeds? Are you having a conversation with your children about doing their chores? Trying to watch a movie in the background? Thinking about your bills?
- The fewer distractions you have in your environment, the better your work will be.
- Negative emotions. If you’re stressed, angry, jealous, fearful, resentful, or depressed, your work is going to suffer. If you’re content, peaceful, and relaxed, the quality of your work will be significantly higher.
- It’s very challenging to produce your best work if your life is in turmoil. A simple, enjoyable life increases the likelihood of doing quality work.
- Remember that your emotions are triggered by your thoughts. Avoid thinking about the negative things in your life while you’re working. When you’re not working, focus on implementing solutions to deal with those negative things.
- Lack of a plan. A great vacation usually requires a plan. You can’t just jump in the car and drive south. Doing your best work requires having a plan of attack.
- What are you going to do?
- When are you going to do it?
- What resources do you need?
- Who else needs to be involved?
- Failure to do the most important tasks. The most important tasks can be the most challenging, or at least, the least enjoyable. The hardest exercises are the most effective. The most effective tasks are often avoided for tasks that are less uncomfortable. Achieving the best results means doing the hard things.
- You’re not physically at your best. No one does their best work in a sleep-deprived state. Your best work requires that you be at your best physically. Sleep and diet are the keys. Sufficient sleep and good food help to ensure that the quality of work you produce is worthy of your respect.
- Have a regular bedtime and stick to it.
- Avoid foods that you know aren’t good for you.
- Eat the proper number of calories for you.
- See your doctor regularly.
- Exercise.
There are several ways to fall short of doing your best work. Focus, good health, and a distraction-free environment can go a long way towards enhancing the quality of your work. Negative emotions and the lack of a plan can also make it impossible to do your best.
Doing your best requires removing as many obstacles as possible. Give yourself the best opportunity to do excellent work.
8 Effective Habits for the Successful Entrepreneur
Every career has a set of habits that greatly increase the odds of success. The habits necessary for success will vary from career to career. Fortunately, there are many successful entrepreneurs that we can look to for guidance. It’s not surprising that many of them share the same habits.
There’s no reason why you can’t have the same habits as some of the most successful people in the world!
Increase your odds for success with these habits:
1. An incredible work ethic.
It takes a lot of time and effort to grow a company. It’s necessary at first to be a jack-of-all-trades. Until you can grow enough to hire others to cover all the required skills your company needs to thrive, you’re going to have to carry a lot of weight.
2. Conscientiousness.
When you own a business, it’s up to you to ensure that things are done properly and on time. The responsibilities are great. You don’t have the luxury of putting out sloppy work. It will always come back to haunt you.
3. Use time wisely.
Time will always be a limited resource. How you use your time dictates how successful your company ultimately becomes. That means having the knowledge and experience to make wise decisions and the mental toughness to avoid distractions.
4. Have a plan each day.
Avoid going to bed without having a detailed idea of what you’re going to do the following day. When your feet hit the bedroom floor, you should already know what needs to be done for the day.
5. Wake up early.
There are very few successful entrepreneurs that don’t get up very early. Some get up even before 4 a.m. How early you get up is up to you, but if you’re not beating the average person out of bed, you’re behind.
6. Set Goals.
It’s not enough to work hard and work smart. You also must know where you’re going. Goals help you make wise decisions. Know what you’re trying to accomplish today, this week, this month, this year, and 10 years from now.
7. Deal with stress effectively.
Entrepreneurs have plenty of stress to deal with on a regular basis, so it’s important to learn how to manage it. Have a process for dealing with stress and anxiety. Learn to recognize what you can control and what you cannot.
8. Look ahead for obstacles.
Avoid being blindsided by obstacles and setbacks. Be aware of your future. Look ahead for the challenges that you’re likely to face and have solutions in mind.
Think of all the major challenges in your life and notice that there were plenty of warning signs for all of them. The same is true with your business. Avoid putting your head in the sand and hoping for the best. Deal with challenges now while they’re still manageable.
What are your current habits?
Can you see why your current habits have either helped you or harmed you on your path to business success? The person with the best habits usually wins. How far will you go with your habits? The person with the best habits usually wins. How far will you go with your habits?
My challenge to you? Think about what you want to accomplish to be successful and build a set of habits that will support those activities.
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
There is Always a Way Forward
2020 has been an especially difficult year for small business. Sadly, many businesses have been forced to shut down permanently, due to the plethora of difficulties encountered. Still, there are others whom have successfully navigated the storm that is COVID, overcoming an uncommon and at times overwhelming mix of hurdles; forced closures, decreased consumer spending, employee shortages, reduced revenue and tapped cash reserves. For those businesses still fighting to keep their entrepreneurial dreams alive, know there is hope.
Hope.
Wikipedia defines hope as:
“Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one’s life or the world at large”.
I would add that hope is not the denial of, nor ignorance about the challenges one faces, but rather, it is the willingness to look at the bigger picture and actively choose to focus on potential solutions instead of the problems at hand.
These entrepreneurial fighters are the captains of their business vessels. It is their duty to successfully navigate the seas of change and to also bare the burden and pleasure of their success or failure. Of these captains, some have successfully optimized or pivoted their business models, arising from the storm as a stronger, leaner more savvy organization. Others have been less fortunate and are still experiencing the turbulence of the crashing waves while trying to steer their ship to clearer waters. These particular captains still believe for and envision a bright future ahead, but fear they don’t possess the needed capital nor qualify for the business loans needed to ride out the remainder of the storm. This needed capital is required to fund business pivots, marketing efforts or new talent acquisitions. These business owners are living with the constant angst of potential closure and despite their overwhelming hope, cannot see the path to move forward in success. For those whose future is uncertain, I would like to postulate the following:
Seek out alternative means of capital.
Typically, entrepreneurs fund their ventures with bank loans or second mortgages on their homes. Although these are relevant options for those that qualify, they are not the only options. Some alternatives to consider:
- Independent Lenders. With interest rates at an all time low, savvy investors will look for alternative means to improve their interest yield. You would be surprised how many people within your community would potential lend, given the right yield.
- Angel Investors. An angel investor (also known as a private investor, seed investor or angel funder) is a high-net-worth individual who provides financial backing for small startups or entrepreneurs, typically in exchange for ownership equity in the company. Often, angel investors are found among an entrepreneur’s family and friends (Google).
- Take on Investors. An Investor is a person or organization that puts money into financial plans, property, etc. with the expectation of achieving a profit. These investors can function as an independent lender or expect ownership shares of your company (Google).
- Crowd Funding. Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people, typically via the Internet. Crowdfunding is a form of crowdsourcing and alternative finance. In 2015, over US$34 billion was raised worldwide by crowdfunding (Wikipedia). Popular platforms are: KickStarter.com, Indiegogo.com, etc.
- Take on a Partner. Before accepting defeat and the closure of your business, consider taking on a business partner. Yes, you will have to give up some ownership shares and a bit of control, but access to needed capital and experience can pay off in dividend overtime.
Hire an Executive Coach
Why would you hire an executive coach when your business is struggling? Hiring the right executive coach can help your business to flourish in many ways, especially in times of difficulty. Here are just a few of the ways the right coach can add value:
They lend an experienced ear. The right executive coach will act as a neutral sounding board for brainstorming sessions and can draw on their vast experience to council on potential strategies. Further, they are not blinded by the passion of starting and raising a business. This allows them clear sight to better assess the current challenge and potential solutions. Their sole focus is serving their clients needs.
Access to Wisdom. The right coach will have the knowledge, wisdom, experience and business acumen necessary to point out and advise to possible options you have not yet considered. These coaches have likely encountered similar situations in their career and can help steer your organization through the mine field allowing you to come out the other side intact and stronger than before.
They Lend Focus. Your coach can help you to sift through the plethora of entrepreneurial ideas and focus on those ideas with the highest probability of success.
Drive Accountability. They help to foster an environment of accountability. The right coach will achieve this through regular communication and scheduled follow up calls at predetermined intervals; daily, weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.
An Affordable Investment. The right service focused coach will offer different finical options to meet most budgets. These investments are typically more affordable than one would think and generally, the return on investment for you can be substantial. In fact, most offer a FREE consultation to determine fit.
What to Look for in a Coach. Selecting the right executive coach is a very personal process. However, there are a few key points to consider:
Have they successfully founded and scaled a prior business outside of consulting?
How large was the business they scaled and thus, can they advise you through the differing stages of growing pains associated with a high growth company?
Are they limited to one specific industry, say manufacturing, or are they experienced in multiple industries?
Have they demonstrated a pattern of success across multiple business verticals?
Have they personally ever successfully navigated a business pivot, added aligned verticals and/or saved a company through strategic planning and action?
Have they won awards for their exceptional abilities in business or sales?
- Have they built and led large teams? If so, how large and were they operationally focused or sales focused?
- Have they built and led remote teams? If so, how large were the teams?
- Have they successfully implemented key technological pushes and/or are they familiar with leveraging technology for better process efficiencies and positive outcomes?
- Are they familiar with a startup environment in addition to large corporate structures ( each requires a different skillset)?
- Have they ever created a USP (Universal Sales Position) and can they give examples of its success?
- Do they appear both competent and easy to work with?
- Do they appear to have a service minded approach with a teaching spirit?
Don't be afraid to create a temporary bridge.
If you sense your business is viable, but are in need of personal earnings to keep going, in addition to your business’s needs, consider:
- Become an Independent Contractor. If you have marketable services that can add value to other business owners, being an independent is a wonderful way to maximize your income, control your time and help your client gain valuable insight and cost savings over time.
- Fractional Leadership. If you have leadership experience and are talented at driving accountability, and fostering alignment, consider offering fractional leadership services. In other words, sell your leadership talent in time blocks. This allows smaller companies to benefit from the experience and talent of someone seasoned, that they may not need full-time or currently cannot afford. It also allows you to only work part-time for someone else while freeing you to pursue your personal business endeavors.
- Accept a Job. Although I am a huge advocate and proponent for entrepreneurship, there is nothing wrong with working for someone else while you regroup and rebuild your business. In order to do this successfully, one should:
- Add Value. Look for an organization they can add value to as an employee, aka, an “intrapreneur”(an entrepreneur who takes ownership of their role within another organization)
- Be Dedicated. Commit to help them for as long as it take to ensure they are positioned well for success, even if your business begins to take off; it is the right thing to do and it ensures you build a stellar reputation.
- Think Differently. Think in terms of adding a second career versus taking a temporary job to bandaid your present situation.
- Become hyper vigilant at remaining organized. You will need to properly portion your time in such a manner that allows you to add value to the company you are working for, while also dedicating time to build your dreams. If Elon Musk can run two large companies simultaneously, then why can’t you?
- Remember. Many an entrepreneur leveraged a day job to fund their dream job. There is no reason one cannot take a step backward to move forward. After all, an arrow cannot be launched without first being pulled back.
Do you have what it takes?
Regardless of the sector your business serves, the universal function of an entrepreneur is to solve the problems others cannot, or the problems others are not willing to sit with long enough to see the solution. Remember, for every hurdle and every obstacle that is thrown in your path, there is always a solution; a hidden opportunity if you will. The challenge is that sometimes the opportunities are hidden so well, or the obstacle is so large, that one must act creatively to move forward. In business, as in life, it is ok to stumble, to falter, to fail. It is through trying, failing and challenging oneself that we learn and grow both personally and professionally. But one only truly fails if they quit.
My challenge to you? Seek out alternatives to keep your dream alive; be it alternative lending, taking on partners or investors, hiring an executive coach or even creating a bridge by helping build someone else’s dream. In the game of business, creativity, consistency and an indomitable spirit are the true champions of success. Commit to never, never, never give up and remember, “You cannot beat someone who never quits”...
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
Every Great Tragedy Brings Great Opportunity
COVID-19 has fundamentally changed our world and accelerated business concepts that were already emerging, albeit at a significantly slower rate. These emerging verticals may have been adopted out of necessity, but now that they are here and being adopted successfully, they will become part of the new business as usual. Two such emerging industries are SAAS solutions for remote working and telemedicine platforms. Both have the potential to grow in scale and are ripe for those savvy enough to offer solutions to streamline efficiencies and functionality.
Many hardworking Americans have lost their jobs and a staggering number of small business owners have or will soon be forced to permanently close their doors. As the majority of working Americans are employed by small businesses, many a good American worker will be displaced.
Given the current sate of the economy, it would be easy to focus on the negatives of these unprecedented times and let fear creep into your thoughts; you certainly wouldn’t be alone in this thinking. However, I challenge you to adopt a different perspective. Instead of allowing oneself to be engulfed in the quicksand of fear and uncertainty, why not take this time to refocus your gaze upon the many opportunities that now lie before you.
Business Owners
If you are a business owner, I would challenge you to do the following:
- Look for additional verticals to add to your business. In order to position well for success, these additional offerings should be in alignment with your company’s “WHY”, with a focus on better serving your patrons versus merely creating an additional revenue stream. An example of proper product alignment, would be a pencil manufacturer adding paper products or pencil erasers to their product line up. These additions are a solid fit, since both are aligned with the company’s purpose of providing their customers with tools for the written word.
- Cut out all unnecessary expenses. Invest the time required to properly review and audit all expenses. Cutout any non essentials, source comparable solutions that are lower priced. Also, do not be afraid to contact your landlord to inquire about possible lease abatement or payment deferrals. Essentially, authentically share your struggles with the goal of renegotiating your lease for longterm mutual benefit; reducing financial pressures for you and ensuring a consistent longterm revenue stream for the landlord.
- Evaluate the need for a physical location. Take a look at how you currently perform business and ask yourself if your business can survive or even thrive as a fully remote organization. Given the plethora of existing and emerging tools to optimize remote team collaboration, going remote has great potential for your business and your team. If you determine transitioning to a remote company is doable, contact your landlord, share your fear of the inability to make good on your lease commitment due to the unforeseen economic changes to your industry and ask if you can buy out the remainder of your lease term for an upfront lump some. Many landlords will entertain this option as they would prefer to gain some income form your relationship versus loosing all income due to a tenant defaulting and vacating their unit. The worst thing that could happen is they say no, but if you ask, they just might agree to help.
Individuals
If you are an individual and have been displaced, hopefully any struggles caused by your current situation will only be temporary. Should you find your anxiety level growing and the fear of attaining another job in your industry as a W-2 employee building, I challenge you to consider adapting to the evolving landscape. A few items to consider:
- Look at fractionalizing your talents as an independent. By fractionalizing your talents, you will essentially begin offering your services to many different businesses as an independent contractor versus a w-2 employee. This affords the businesses to gain access to needed talent without making long term commitments they financially cannot commit to. It also allows you to distribute your risk of job loss amongst what will hopefully be many satisfied clients. Further, as an added bonus, becoming an independent will allow you to command more for your talents than a salaried role would provide.
Hope
In times of economic shifts and make no mistake, we are in the throes of a shift currently, money does not disappear, rather it merely changes hands. The key to succeeding in these uncertain times is to develop the foresight required to navigate this sea of change. In order to successfully steer through the turbulence, you must determine which direction the money is flowing and do everything in your power to position yourself within its path. With the right foresight, determination and luck, you just find income from new opportunities beginning flowing into your pockets.
Change is Never Easy, but Change is Necessary For Growth
Change is never easy and for many, merely the thought of changing careers, pivoting a business or restructuring the manner in which one contracts their talents from employed to independent, is paralyzing. However, fear or not, comfortable or not, the economic landscape has changed and will continue to change fundamentally. Challenge yourself to appreciate the opportunity for growth brought by each tragedy and hardship you face. Acknowledge what is happening around you, but don’t allow your mind to spend too much time on all the happenings of the situation. Instead, fix your gaze on the many opportunities that abound, search within yourself to discover the strength required to take charge of your prosperity, take action towards your goals and learn to appreciate who you become as you traverse this journey we call life.
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."
Is Entrepreneurship for You? 5 Insights to Help You Decide.
In light of these interesting times, many are considering their best path forward. Some are anxious to return to their current profession, others are considering alternative careers with new companies and still others are pondering entrepreneurship. For those considering embarking on the journey that is entrepreneurship, this article is for you.
Entrepreneurship is a journey, not a destination.
For most, it’s more of a calling that chose them, rather then something one seeks out. It’s the natural path for one that is possessed with a restless and rebellious spirit. It is a journey filled with excitement, apprehension, loss and reward. Alfred Adler said it best when he stated, “I am grateful for the idea that has used me”… an accurate description of entrepreneurship at its finest.
For those considering embarking upon this unusual and often romanticized journey, I’d like to offer a few thoughts:
1. Risk is the job description.
Be it signing personal guarantees for business loans, lease space, capital equipment or product inventory, entrepreneurs risk everything for the opportunity to manifest their vision.
2. Failure is your friend.
Failure is an unfortunate consequence of life. Anytime one attempts something new, failure is a real possibility. This is never more true than it is for those pursuing a direction in which they are the ones burdened and blessed with creating the path. However, with each failure, and there are certain to be many, comes both great understanding and increased opportunity to do better, as one will now gaze upon the forthcoming horizon with clearer eyes. In this way, failure is your friend, albeit it may not feel that way at the time. The most successful entrepreneurs recognize the opportunities for growth failure brings and thus have a very different perspective on the subject than the vast majority.
3. Become comfortable with being uncomfortable.
Should you take the leap, know there will be many moments of uncomfortable times ahead. Be it unexpected occurrences, unforeseen expenses, economic downturns or even exponential growth without the required support staff to manage it, being uncomfortable is something one must learn to be ok with.
4. Know you are now charged with providing for many families.
Entrepreneurship is a privilege and as with all privileges, comes the added weight of responsibility. There is no such thing as a one man army. In order to achieve your directives, you must forge an army of talented individuals, that through their talents and your leadership, will triumph upon the battleground of business. It is your responsibility to ensure their efforts and sacrifices are well rewarded so they may provide for their families well and consistently. This means at times, especially in the beginning, that you will have to take from your family’s needs to provide for theirs. Like it or not, their futures are now your responsibility to ensure.
5. It’s a marathon in perseverance, not a sprint.
Many times along your journey you will face insurmountable odds and absolutely want to quit. This is natural to feel, but you must never, ever, ever succumb. When you feel this feeling of doubt, of mental and physical fatigue set in, remember, success is just on the horizon, as it lies on the other side of fear.
Do you have what it takes?
For those of you brave enough, determined enough and in truth stubborn enough to pursue this path, a wealth of reward awaits. Be it in the form of personal growth, the satisfaction of seeing one’s dreams realized, pride in knowing you have provided a path for others to provide for their loved ones, the pleasure found in being of service to your community, as well as the opportunity to provide a higher standard of living for your family, all will potentially be within your grasp.
With every great opportunity, comes great risk; risk of failure, but also risk of greatness. Are you ready and willing to take the steps required to attain your greatness, or will you let the fear of failure derail your path? You and you alone have the power and ability to manifest your visions, to breathe life into your aspirations and to take the first steps along a new journey. It is my great hope, should the sounds of the entrepreneurial drum stir your soul, that you will find the courage within yourself to throw caution to the wind and passionately pursue your dreams.
My challenge to you? Take a deep breathe and a large leap toward building your best tomorrow!
About the author.
Robert Mitchell is an award winning serial entrepreneur, executive coach, strategy consultant and the founder of ExecHero, SafeHarbour and Safe Harbour Wellness. When he isn’t leading his organizations, he is passionately coaching other entrepreneurs on how to position their business and personal lives for massive success. Rob enjoys spending time with his family, working out, martial arts, writing, traveling and acting. If you are ready to begin your journey towards your optimal self, email the ExecHero Team at: CS@ExecHero.com .
"Challenge the ordinary, seek the extraordinary and live unapologetically outside of the box."