How do you feel about running your own business? You probably explain it as fulfilling, purposeful, impactful, exciting but exhausting and scary. There is no denying that being a business owner is one roller coaster ride. One day you’re riding the exhilarating highs, the next you’re terrifyingly navigating the fast lows.
Yet you wake up each day and continue to pursue that dream of flexibility, fulfilment, making an impact and being in control of your own destiny. These are the things that drive you every day and I can guarantee that you love it! But the ups and downs of business life can take its toll on your mindset, your focus and your overall wellbeing.
The year that was 2020 has further exacerbated the business owner pressures with so much change, uncertainty and disruption to the way you work and live. It’s these things that pull you further away from your why, your dream and start to deplete your thriving mindset.
As we enter a new year, we enter a new phase of possibility and growth and an opportunity to build on and enhance your business owner mindset. No doubt you’re spending time strategising for the year ahead. What your business will look like? Where you want to go? How much you want to earn? But are you factoring in how you want to feel running your business? Your health? Your mindset?
This thinking has stumped me over the years because if you are not thriving – the face, the drive, the person behind your business – then how can your business thrive? A 2018 KPMG survey highlighted this exact point, “Holistically, founders will achieve more if they’re healthy and happy”. So how can you achieve more in your business, life and health?
You approach building your business owner mindset holistically, by nurturing yourself, your physical, mental, spiritual and emotional health. And this how you can do it.
Tap into Self Awareness
Self-awareness can be defined as “Knowing one’s internal states, preference, resources and intuitions”. It is the ability to monitor your inner world, your thoughts and emotions as they arise. This is a critically important skill to have and build on as it helps in managing your own emotions as well as those around you. To get started, think about where you are today. What is going well? What are you struggling with? And what do you need to help you?
Create your Vision (Spiritual Health)
You started this business because you had a dream, you had a powerful vision of what you wanted your life to look like. It may have been for greater flexibility for your family, make an impact in the community or fulfill a desire to fix a personal experience. The issue we see with business owners is that their vision is set once and then it is forgotten about. In order to power your mindset you need to regularly create your vision, evaluate your progression and celebrate your achievements.
Build your Growth Mindset (Mental Health)
The most profound way of building your growth mindset is to learn from your experiences. According to the 2018 KPMG survey, “founders are perfectionists, and they want their business operating perfectly”. In reality, as a business owner you are progressing through this adventure blind and purely learning from your experiences. So, tune into your mistakes, embrace your failures and learn from it all.
Nourish your body (Physical Health)
When it comes to running your business, you probably don’t think about your physical body and the impact that this has on your productivity. But it is so important, if not more important than the business strategy you are creating. If you are not feeling well physically, then your business can not either. Think about how you can nourish your body with better sleep and rest, movement and good, healthy foods.