Habit 1: Be proactive
Highly effective entrepreneurs don’t just wait for things to happen, they choose to do things differently to obtain positive results. Instead of reacting to or worrying, proactive people focus their time and energy on things they can control. Proactive people focus their efforts on their Circle of Influence, such as business, health, children, problems at work, etc.
Habit 2: Begin with the end in mind
Habit 2 is based on imagination – effective entrepreneurs make a conscious effort to visualise who they are and what they want in life, then empower others to achieve goals together. Begin with the End in Mind means to begin each day with a clear vision of the desired destination. They usually develop a Personal Mission Statement, as it makes one the leader of your own life. You create your own destiny and secure the future you envision.
Habit 3: Put first things first
An entrepreneur will probably have a thousand and one things to worry about and do and is not just work. Those who are mums would probably have to worry about the household and children, besides their business. Thus it is very important not to overexert oneself. It is alright to say no when required and focus on the highest priorities.
Habit 4: Think win-win
Successful entrepreneurs think about win-win collaborations for a long-term partnership. No business can sustain on its own. If it needs to grow and proliferate, it requires collaborations. Win-win creates a cooperative arena than a competitive one and it seeks mutual benefits in all human interactions. They key character traits to a win-win attitude are: Integrity, Maturity, and Abundance Mentality.
Habit 5: Seek first to understand than be understood
Most people are focused on being heard and understood rather than to listen to others. Communication and listening skills are key to success in a business. One needs to have a good sensing of the environment and the challenges the industry is facing and develop or tune its solutions to address the problems. Women entrepreneurs tend to be better listeners than men as they have lower level of egoism to get their points across. Listen first, then address.
Habit 6: Synergise
Synergise for a creative collaboration as “more heads is better than one”. Everyone has mental, emotional and psychological differences and it is important to value diversity, which drives synergy. Synergy lets us see things that we otherwise might not have seen or known. Thus bringing together a team of people of diverse background and expertise can help the company soar to greater heights as various aspects of the business would be considered. So build a diverse team, not a team of the same.
Habit 7: Sharpen the saw
Sharpen the Saw means enhancing the greatest asset you have–you. Effective entrepreneurs aim towards having a balanced life: spiritual, physical, social, emotional, and mental. A founder may have to multi-task at the beginning and forego or sacrifice time with family, exercise, or fun activities while building a business. However, one should work towards growing the business and empowering people to grow the business together so that one can lead a balanced life.
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