5 Biggest Business Lessons I’ve Learned So Far

1. Be Authentic.

It’s only right that this is the first lesson. When you present yourself to the world, you give the impression that you are who you say you are. Society sees professionals in a different light than others. Walk like this, talk like that. Many people draw a line between who they are professionally and who they are personally but I don’t believe you have to. Being authentic means you are able to accept the person you look at in the mirror. Give people something they can resonate with. The more human you are the more people are likely to gravitate to you. People love authenticity so take pride in who you are.

2. Failure can be fun.

How is failure fun? I don’t like to lose as much as the next person. What I love about failure are the lessons you learn from it. I wouldn’t be where I am if I hadn’t failed early and often. It increases your awareness and helps you become a better person personally and professionally. It’s hard to appreciate your wins if you never lose. When we face losses, we find answers to questions and we learn new ways to solve an issue we’re facing. In short, failure is necessary for us to improve and become our best selves.

Sure, no one truly likes failing, but taking that loss and turning it into a lesson is the kind of optimism everyone should have. Addressing failure, realizing what not to do and what to do next is how we learn to improve our output.

3. Don’t Be Afraid To Say No.

This is hard to do for many people. It’s admirable to be a good person, but it’s also important to put yourself first. You’re not going to please everyone and trying to do so will cause more stress than necessary. There will be times where opportunities are presented to you that don’t match your vision or idea. Listening to suggestions is fine, but don’t agree to anything that doesn’t sit well with you. What is important to you? What decisions will help you sleep at night? What is best for your business or brand? If you’re feeling pressured to make a decision it’s best to walk away even if it’s something that can help you. Always take everything into consideration and make the decision that will produce the best outcome.

4. Be Ready To Get Your Hands Dirty

It’s easy to imagine a good life without having to work for it. Hard work is the part that most people dread and what stops them from taking a chance in the first place.

“It’s too much work. Isn’t there be an easier way?”

In life, nothing worth having comes easy. One lesson I’ve learned on a personal note was if you want something done you’re going to have to do it yourself. If you want to make a lot of money, you have to have the work ethic to match it. If you want to create the #1 sports agency in the country, you have to put in the work to get there.

There will be moments where everything relies on you and also times where you will have to work side by side with your team. I’ve had a few bosses I’ve worked for who would work with staff when we were short on hands. I really admired that and looked at them as a true leader and not just another face in the office. If you’re opposed to occasionally being the janitor or crew, how can you see yourself as the leader?

5. Your Health Comes First

Hustle hustle hustle! That’s all we hear from social media gurus. What is even more important is making sure you’re alive so you can hustle. When I started out I believed the “sleep is for the weak” mantra, but as I got older I realized sleep was a key factor in how well I will perform the next day. Also, take into account your mental health.

Over the years the media has shed light on the matter and have also found ways to help people maintain a healthy work-life balance. You can’t hustle if you’re dead and burning yourself out is unnecessary. Make time for recovery so you can keep yourself running for a long time.