8 Iron-Clad Keys to an Unbeatable Mindset

Incredibly exciting, fantastically frightening. Starting your own business is all this.

The sky’s the limit — you’re going to ace this! Then you remember, everything depends on you now. Responsibility for your future success — or failure — rests squarely on your own shoulders.

Every decision, bill, and expense, all yours. But being in charge of your own destiny… that’s worth the risk, isn’t it?

So you step out onto the battlefield and hope nothing is going to blow up in your face.

The staggeringly sobering truth though…

20% of start-ups don’t last a year. And a gut-wrenching 60% don’t make it to year four.

So, you need something that can swing the percentages in your favour.

But what is it?

There’s a heaving mass of advice out there. But in my experience it usually jumps ahead of the foundational thinking any entrepreneur should do. There are some important habits and beliefs — a crucial mindset — you should embed.

It’s like putting on a suit of armour.

Running a business can be amazing. But slings and arrows are part of the equation too.

The stronger your mindset — the tougher your armour — the more those arrows bounce harmlessly off you.

Key 1. Know that you’re doing what you REALLY WANT to do

We start our own business because we have a skill, a service, or a product that is in demand out in the world. Maybe it was the job we did when we were employed.

So, we do what we’ve always done… without considering if it’s really what lights a fire under us.

For example — I had a great conversation with a lovely lady who was setting up a business as a Virtual Assistant.

It came to light that she really wanted to be an editor and proofreader. She’d taken courses, and was qualified to offer the service — but office admin was the path she understood best. I suggested that she pitch herself to publishers to bring in the work she really wanted to do.

Suddenly there was a light in her eyes…

What about you?

Are you in a business, or starting one, based on habitual roles? Does your dream career mean stepping out of a familiar rut?

If so — stop and think…

It’s your business — make sure it’s the one you want it to be. Because when your heart knows why you’re doing this, your mind will follow.

Key 2. Understand the value you deliver

Grasp this and embed it deep in your head, heart, and gut…

The value you deliver to your clients far outweighs the cost to them.

Create websites? What fortunes might your clients make from your efforts?

Build conservatories? Imagine the pleasure your customers are going to get from their beautiful sunroom over the years.

Whatever your industry, you deliver great value.

Remember that — every day.

Why is this so critical to embed this?

Because it’s MUCH too easy to forget when clients fire requests for discounts or reductions at you. These are painful arrows, so armour up!

“That’s a lot of money.” Yup, worth every penny.

“Can I have a 10% discount?” Sure, which 10% of the job can you do without?

When you know your value, you can stand squarely behind your prices, confident and fearless.

That’s a superpower.

Key 3. Realise there is no magic stardust

Do you remember that terrifying moment when you realised your parents were winging it most of the time you were growing up? They made it up as they went along — you’re lucky to be alive.

Or when you passed your driving test, then had a blood-chilling realisation. “Everyone else is just an accident-waiting-to-happen in charge of a ton of fast-moving metal too!”

Where was the magic stardust? The sprinkling of ‘capability powder’ that delivers competence and confidence galore?

No. Such. Thing.

It’s the same in business — you look up to the successful names, the Dragons, the superstars, and wonder what stardust they were anointed with…

None. They are just like you.

They might have some years on you, but their success, quite simply, is rooted in what they’ve learned over the years.

As you will.

Know this — business success is not magic. It’s learning, experience, and application. It’s all stuff that you can have too.

Believe it. It’s true.

Key 4. Get really good at what you do — then do it

So, no stardust? Nope — but you can create your own sparkle and shine.

Be really good at what you do. Then get better at it. In both your core skill or service, and in your business model and operation.

Learn all the time. Improve your skills, upgrade your service, create higher expectations.

Face down your fears when something scary comes along. Because it will. (Usually sales…)

Really get to know what makes a business tick. Figure out where the hazards are. Step back and get a broad view of all you’re doing.

‘Continuing professional development’ is something we should all aspire to. Being the best we can be at our jobs makes us brilliant to work with.

What’s this got to do with mindset?

Ok — when you know you’re great at what you do, your confidence will soar. High confidence is key to helping you make great decisions.

When you’re confident, you do the things you’d usually avoid. And batting off the odd arrow that gets slung at you is no problem.

You’ve got armour.

Key 5. Learn how to get great customers

This is WAY easier when you feel confident.

Let’s start with some clear and certain knowledge you need to have…

There are plenty of great, appreciative, lovely clients out there.

Customers who are willing to pay the bills, no questions or quibbling, and who will love what you do for them.

Find the tap you can turn on whenever you need new clients and the world is your oyster.

Again — it’s not about stardust. Just great marketing, done well, will bring home the bacon. Or vegan rashers if you prefer.

Learn the skill, practice your art, and get so you KNOW you can find a better client than that idiot who just demanded a discount.

Your positive mindset is massively boosted when you know with certainty that there are great customers around, and you know how to find them.

That’s another superpower.

Key 6. Practice sacking bad clients

A hard-boiled business truth. Not all customers are the same.

In fact some of them are a pain in the backside. There are even those whose demands and pressures can start sucking all of the joy out of life. I’ve seen it happen too often.

Slings and arrows a-plenty coming from these guys — so polish your armour!

There’s one thing that will make it easy to eject these annoying killjoys — knowing where to get a client to replace them. So nail Key number 5 and suddenly, you’re in charge.

OK — it can be tough telling someone you no longer want to work with them. And some will be hard to shake off… but do it!

The power and relief you get from telling a terrible customer to take their work and shove it… ok, be professional guys, but it’s a great feeling losing the losers.

It takes your positivity up several notches.

Key 7. Establish your authority

Hey, you can’t do this on day one — unless you’re coming from a spectacular background with a stunning CV.

If that’s the case, wield that authority with all your firmly-established confidence!

Most of us though, need to build up to this. But we are building…

We’re doing what we love, we know the value we deliver, we know we’re as good as the greats — just a bit behind on experience, and we work consistently on being the very best at what we offer.

We have brilliant clients who are raving fans, and we ditched the flotsam ages ago.

We rock!

And we know how to build our reputation with social media, our website, the weekly newspaper column we write. (Oh come on — it’s entirely possible, you’re a superstar after all.)

We have established ourselves as the go-to person in our industry. Maybe just in our local area, but you know, tomorrow the world and all that.

When your reputation is in great shape, and you feel really good about your business, your mindset will be excellent.

Any arrows coming your way? No problem. *Bounce*

Key 8. Create a business that delivers a great income

You have goals, yes? And I’m not talking about “I need to get a bigger office and a bookkeeper” — I’m talking “next year I want a Bentley, and when I retire it’s going to be to a ten-bed mansion in Italy that overlooks the Med” type goals.

You believe in yourself, you know you have the skills to deliver, your business is successful because great customers are drawn to you. You brim with confidence every day.

You sorted out your imposter syndrome when you realised that being successful wasn’t down to luck or stardust — it’s down to you, and you’re as good as anyone else.

Your habits, beliefs, and behaviours all pull you forward, and it’s difficult to knock your confidence for more than a moment.

Lock in that mindset.

Perhaps it’s time to rifle through that heaving mass of advice because now you have the armoury to make the best and most powerful use of what the experts have to teach.

And that means you can build a business that’s going to take care of you and your family. A business that makes your future look very bright.

In conclusion — that’s the full suit of armour

Each of these Mindset Keys unlocks the next.

• When you’re doing what you truly love to do…
• It makes it much easier to fully grasp the real value you deliver to your customers…
• Plus you know it’s not luck, not stardust, but knowledge and getting stuff done that drives success…
• And you’re plain excellent at your job and your business…
• You’ll be armed to the teeth with the attributes that bring in brilliant clients…
• So you’ll be able to hoof out the painful ones…
• Which adds up to you being the ‘go-to’ person for the clients you want…
• All of which delivers a successful business and a secure, incredible lifestyle.

Do some of those Keys sound more like ‘actions’ than mindset tips?

I want to deliver one final Bonus Key.

Here’s an absolutely core understanding. There will be things to do in your business that you don’t want to do.

Yes — uncomfortable moments, actions you just don’t want to take. It’ll feel like being at school when you got a stack of homework. You won’t want to do it.

But making yourself plough through the tasks you’d really rather ignore — that’s what will make the difference between you and the 20% who fall away quickly.

If your mind ain’t right, you won’t take the actions. But when you take the actions, you strengthen your mindset, because you know you can do this.

Embed your belief in yourself — know you can learn to do anything and that you’ll apply it — be the amazing best you can be.

And drop me a line when you’ve become one of the 40% of start-ups who are still thriving in years five, six and seven!