It has been said that the main reason that so many entrepreneurs under achieve and fail is they lack discipline.
Being an entrepreneur has its great rewards and this big word, “Discipline”, is what stops many from becoming truly successful.
They lack the discipline to carefully study every aspect of a business before committing to it.
They lack the discipline to test their assumptions rather than jumping to conclusions and hoping for the best. Hope by itself is not a strategy.
So what are seven areas where positive DISCIPLINE must be applied?
1. You need the discipline to identify and determine your ideal customer.
The exact person who can and will buy your product or service in sufficient quantities and at a price you’ll need to charge in order to justify going into and staying in that business. Your ideal customer is a smaller segment of your target market.
2. You need the discipline based on trial, error and persistence – to develop a marketing plan that really generates a steady and predictable stream of new leads for your business.
For effective marketing, you must be very clear about your competitive advantage and your USP – unique selling proposition. What is it about your product or service that makes it superior and more valuable for a customer today than any other similar product and service being offered today?
What overt benefit do you offer your customers that no-one else can do? Services involve people and no two people are the same!
3. You need a discipline to develop a complete Sales System from beginning to end that converts qualified leads into solid referring customers.
It must engage the prospective customer both logically and emotionally. Ideally a sales process is repeatable and measurable. (Sounds like a CRM system component to me…..)
4. You need the self-discipline to be proactive rather than reactive.
Also follow a focus on solution development rather than the deep problem analysis.
5. You need to focus and refocus on the MOST important thing during every hour of every day rather than getting side tracked on low or no value activities.
Being busy with activities is NOT the same as focusing on results. Become results oriented with a defined desired outcome. GTD is a great system that works.
6. You need self-discipline to settle in for the long term.
A long term perspective in business and in life will lead to success. Business is built on relationships and these take time to progress from Know to Like to Trust.
7. Discipline yourself to set aside dedicated time for yourself and enjoying your family. Use discipline to gain the freedom entrepreneurs enjoy.
Consider these Positive Disciplines to apply starting today on your road to entrepreneurial success.
Thanks to Jim Rohn, Brian Tracy, David Allen, Doug Hall, Brian Clark & many others that have helped along the way.
What other disciplines have you found as being required for entrepreneurial success?
