There is a reason why Fortune 500 executives usually don’t survive as startup CEOs. People who can’t manage their own lives, never make good entrepreneurs. Because managing a small business is a “tough row to hoe”. It comprises of multi-tasking, decision making, and work prioritization, with no entourage of specialists and assistants.
First thing first, you have to learn to accept total responsibility for things that contribute to your business, equivalent to how you are responsible for everything in your personal life. Maybe, in your personal life, you are more comfortable with having a spouse in control of everything that happens in your personal life, but truth to told, most of the time, couples running a business never make it to the finish line.
If you see yourself in these clues below, probably you are not fully managing yourself. Below points will help you find out the real problems through which, every entrepreneur has to go.
- You are out of control and often feel overwhelmed
Doesn’t matter how much work you do, there is always more to do than time to do it. Often, the anxiety, people feel does not really come from having so much to do, but from having to make many decisions on what work to complete first, and not setting rational targets.
- You start many things, but never complete all of them
Accept it, productivity is totally about the ability to complete the tasks. It requires decisions and tradeoffs, to state that something is finished. The key here is to get in the habit of finishing everything that you start.
- You like to accede big things until later
It’s a management problem when you like to catch yourself deferring important tasks, in favor of smaller easy things. Rather than crisis order, tackle your to-do list in priority order, and adopt a “do it now” motto, right away.
- Over-thinking and doubting yourself
You are not managing yourself when you spend more time thinking and worrying about a task, than actually doing the task. Never waste your precious and creative energy, instead, finish items, and get them off your mind.
- Fear of failure comes in the way of new opportunities
For real entrepreneurs, every new opportunity is an exciting and new-life experience. They learn from every failure and are energized by the new opportunities.
- Counting your weaknesses
Good entrepreneurs never criticize themselves for their flaws. Instead of wasting time in criticizing, they recognize their undeveloped skills and higher potential, and they constantly work at it.
- Lack of enthusiasm and confidence
You are not ready to manage a business, if there is a “downer” day in your life, at least once a week, and you can’t remember the last time you were truly enthusiastic about something in your life or work. Get it, the key to success is self-confidence.
- Working alone is what you like
Every relationship in every business is a team effort. Often, loners hide from other people, because they don’t want anyone to see that they are not in control. Try to make an effort to network with others, to stay informed and contribute everything that you are confident about.
- At the end, stop being a control freak
Believe it or not, people who can’t manage themselves are control freaks, when it comes down to their business and other people. Practice the joy of being spontaneous and the art of delegating.
The best preparation for managing a new business is to manage yourself effectively. It indicates that you understand yourself, and are likely able to understand other people too, leading to a trusting relationship with your team and your customers.
But most importantly, when you manage yourself, it gives you a deeper understanding of what you value and how you define success. Ultimately, it means that you can make the hard choices about your business, and help you reach those real goals which define your success.And, of course, above all, you will be able to truly enjoy your successes.
-Abhijeet Parade
