Ghandi said that we must 'be the change' we want to see in the world
Too often we focus on actions and strategies while neglecting our attitude and 'way of being'. When we focus on 'being' and we take charge of our attitude and approach to business and life, our actions naturally follow suit and become more effective.
I believe success is 90% psychological and 10% technical. In other words, it's 10% skill and technical know-how, and 90% attitude, confidence, focus, determination, and your inner 'mental game'.
Unfortunately, most people focus 90% or more on developing and implementing technical strategies. Meanwhile, their limiting beliefs and attitudes hold them back. Effective technical strategies are essential to success, but without addressing the psychological level, you're only going to reach a tiny percentage of your potential.
Most social entrepreneurs and change makers have devoted countless hours and invested significant financial resources in developing their technical skills. They have invested time and money to acquire university degrees, become trained or certified in particular service industries, and sometimes even devoted significant resources toward developing their business acumen. I myself have been doing all this and that itself has taken time away from what will really help me achieve the result that I really wanted.
However, many change makers fall short of their vision for their business and their lives, and continue to experience struggle and frustration. If you're truly talented in your field, and you have acquired sufficient business acumen, yet you are not reaching your goals, then you need to focus more on your 'mental game'.
You are probably not being the person you need to be in order to succeed. Who you're being is more important than all of the other factors combined. Someone who is resourceful, determined, energetic, flexible, confident, creative, and committed on a consistent basis, could start a new business in just about any viable industry, and become successful in short order. They could become successful even if they are not an expert in that particular business. Their way of being would more than compensate for any lack of expertise, and swiftly lead them to acquiring the essential skills and knowledge.
On the other hand, a person who is consistently pessimistic, plagued by self-doubt, inconsistent, close-minded and tends to blame the economy or other outside factors, is destined to fail no matter how talented they are in their particular line of work.
You probably don't identify with either of the extreme examples I just gave. Your 'way of being' probably falls somewhere in between the successful person I just described, and the one who is destined to fail.
Who we are is not static. Our attitudes and habits tend to shift from week to week, day to day, moment to moment. Transforming your way of being requires ongoing conscious awareness, intention, and effort. This is not a task you can accomplish and then put behind you. You can't simply put this on your to do list, do it, then move on.
Mastering your 'inner game' could lead to more success and satisfaction than you might imagine. Who you are being exists on a deeper, more profound, more all-encompassing level than the actions you take. A shift in your way of being will inform and influence every decision you make, every action you take, and the way you approach that action.
This transformation is about changing how you show up. How you see yourself. How others see you, and therefore how they respond to you. Its about relationships, making a positive impact, and having a profound influence on others.
This transformation is about creating a strong foundation of 'presence' that empowers you to respond effectively to a constantly changing business and personal environment.
How do you respond to challenges?
Life and business are full of challenges. From one perspective, there is a constant stream of expected and unexpected problems to solve. Who you're being determines whether or not you will respond effectively or ineffectively, and whether or not those challenges will get you down.