An Irreplaceable Superpower - The Successful Entrepreneur's Mindset

For some people, entrepreneurs seem enviable: "they take time off whenever they want, they have no boss, they can expense anything they want from the company, etc." Everything seems rosy from the outside, but the truth is that being an entrepreneur is neither simple nor easy.

I speak from personal experience, currently embarking on my second entrepreneurial journey. My initial venture was established in Denmark and thrived for several years. Eventually, I transitioned to a role with my largest client, who consistently occupied my schedule. I found fulfillment in overseeing one of their enterprises in Romania, managing a team of directors and coordinating operations for a workforce of 200 employees. This role also granted me the chance to spend a week each month in Romania, an opportunity I cherished.

I had other clients and important projects as well, but also enough failures that left me weary. So when this collaborator proposed that I join his company, I accepted.

What particularly drove me to leave entrepreneurship and pursue this path was a project that was supposed to bring about the long-awaited breakthrough. It entailed implementing power plants from a Dutch company into several businesses owned by a major businessman in Romania. I had devoted considerable effort to it, and we were at the final stage, having even secured financing from a foreign bank for the businessman. However, the project fell through just as construction was about to commence due to local conflicts of interest.

I believed that this project would mark a great and well-deserved success, but it wasn't so. It was the last straw for me. I faced many challenges, and it wasn't easy, especially being a single mom striving to provide the best for my child. Sometimes I felt a strong inner struggle generated by the insecurity in which I lived. Although I liked the idea of entrepreneurship, I decided to give it up and become an employee, which proved to be very beneficial.

Fast forward, for 13 years ago, I re-entered this "game" where I find myself today. This time, it's vastly different because my business began from a place of pure passion for coaching and personal development. It specifically focuses on preparing and training entrepreneurs and business people for success and spiritual fulfilment - elements that were not as solidified during my initial entrepreneurial endeavour.

My experiences and studies in this field have highlighted the importance of self-preparation and cultivating a resilient mindset to navigate the challenges that inevitably arise.

Entrepreneurship isn't solely about possessing the best product or service, nor is it solely about having the necessary strategy and skills to manage a company. It's imperative - let me emphasise, imperative!!! - to grasp and nurture an entrepreneurial mindset if you aspire to succeed and find fulfilment.

As often, nurturing a business mirrors a battlefield. As wisely stated by Tony Robbins, a mentor I deeply admire, "Business is for gladiators".

In this article, I'll share some crucial ideas to assist entrepreneurs - and everyone else - in developing such a mindset. It's an invaluable superpower in any business or life context. The mindset we possess has a significant influence on us and the quality of our lives.

At a universal level, two elements play a crucial role in shaping us as individuals: what we desire and what we fear. As Tony Robbins aptly put it, "Life is the dance between what you desire most and what you fear most. Once you truly understand that, you can move forward with your business and develop it."

Let's pause for a moment and delve into fear, which plagues most individuals and creates considerable friction when you're an entrepreneur. Naturally, its intensity and impact vary for each person, depending on the context and how it's managed.

Surprisingly, the greatest fear for many high achievers is the fear of failure. However, they've learned to manage it by identifying the emotions it elicits and using them to propel themselves further towards their goals.

The fear of failure can rear its head even when a business is growing rapidly and smoothly, yet the individual is unsure how to proceed.

Here, it seems fitting to offer you a few practices to help you overcome it.

? Change your attitude!

? Rid yourself of limiting beliefs!

? Discover the lesson to be learned!

Change your attitude!

First and foremost, you must acknowledge that it's not about the struggle or the failure itself, but rather your attitude towards it. If you adopt a mindset of learning and curiosity, you'll perceive each mistake as an opportunity to learn: invaluable feedback that shows you what needs to be adjusted or done differently in the future to enhance your performance.

Rid yourself of limiting beliefs!

Suffering is caused by our limiting beliefs, as they restrict us from doing what we could and prevent us from achieving what we desire. They shape the way we think and speak about ourselves, hinder our ability to make good decisions and take action, and activate fears and doubts. They can keep us stuck in a difficult situation and drive us towards significant mistakes. When they capture our attention, and if left unchecked, they keep us in a hypnotic state... a fog that prevents us from seeing the best solutions. Fortunately, we can identify them and free ourselves from them.

The ability to overcome limiting beliefs and find inner strength is what sets winners apart from others.?

If you're wondering how to get rid of them, you just need to do two things: become aware of them and replace them with empowering beliefs that affirm your worth and professional abilities!

When you strengthen your confidence and belief in success, the fear of failure diminishes significantly.

Discover the lesson to be learned!

Successful people learn from mistakes. They take the time to reflect on what happened and make the necessary changes. They turn these experiences into lessons that help them achieve their goals.

By uncovering the lesson in each mistake and learning from it, you gain a different perspective, both in business and in life in general. Thus, you have the ability to change your mindset from one of "I messed up" to "I've minimized losses and learned a valuable lesson."

When you perceive things in this way, you feel in control of what's happening and can create a plan of action. I've learned that the key to eliminating the fear of failure is action.

What characterizes an entrepreneurial mindset?

I've selected a few crucial characteristics to help you develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Even if you're not an entrepreneur, they'll greatly assist you in life.

It's about turning obstacles into opportunities...

Many of us have been conditioned to believe that in challenging times, there are no opportunities for growth or success. However, some of the best companies are launched and thrive even in the most challenging periods. Companies like Disney, Apple, Exxon, Microsoft were founded and excelled while the rest of the world was licking its wounds.

As we all know, the only constant is change. It's not about the economic environment, although it's important, but about competitiveness, technology, culture, customers, and employees. It's about seeing solutions where you didn't even think they existed.

It's about reinventing yourself instead of being a victim of the circumstances you live in.

If you focus on questions like:

• what new possibilities do I have?
• what do people need and how could I create?
• how can I use everything I have to create something else?

you will certainly receive new ideas for reinvention. To find them, you need an eye for efficiency, optimisation, anticipation, and creativity... an innovative spirit.

An entrepreneurial mindset turns obstacles and failures into feedback, which helps with evaluation, learning, and improvement.

?It's about focusing on progress...

Progress is primarily driven by action. If you spend your time making various To - Do Lists, reading, and talking about your business without taking action, not much will happen. For those with an entrepreneurial mindset, progress is a priority. They do something every day to grow their business. They're aware that if they don't act on their idea, someone else will eventually.

Even if a product/service isn't perfect yet, they start taking the next steps. Waiting to perfect them before launching is one of the self-sabotaging behaviors of success.

It's about not living in fear...?

I've read the biographies of many highly successful individuals: Steve Jobs, Oprah, Richard Branson. They all faced failures at some point. Any entrepreneur looking to grow their business goes through this because failures are inevitable and help you learn, gain more wisdom, and grow.

As I mentioned earlier, what matters is how you handle failures... what you associate with them. Simply asking yourself, "What can I learn from this?" will take you to a different state of inner resources compared to getting angry and complaining. This is true for everything in life.

Entrepreneurs don't live in fear. They enjoy taking risks, testing. It's normal for them to have worries and sometimes feelings of anxiety, but they have the ability to bounce back quickly, not letting it affect their actions and behaviors. They don't cling to excuses like: "I don't have enough resources, it's too difficult, etc." because they know very well that without trying, they can't know the outcome.

It's about persistence...

Persistence plays a significant role in an entrepreneur's life. Steve Jobs once said, "I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance."

Entrepreneurs are driven by a passion for their business, and they know exactly why they're doing what they're doing. The hunger for success extinguishes their fear of failure and fuels them with internal motivation and dedication. Their business is part of them, or rather, it's their existence as individuals. It's part of their beliefs and values, which compels them to keep going despite the obstacles.?

An entrepreneurial mindset constantly innovates ?

True entrepreneurs are always thinking ahead. They're aware that the market is constantly changing and prepare for the next move. Just like in chess or billiards, when you make moves that facilitate your next possible moves. They're ready to change along with their business, to take chances that bring all sorts of improvements.

Everyone can develop an entrepreneurial mindset

If the points I've shared resonate with you, it means you have the entrepreneurial mindset necessary for success. And if not yet, you can develop it. Neuroscience and neuroplasticity show us that we can make the changes we desire. Not all entrepreneurs are born entrepreneurs. It's all about working on it. It might not be an easy process for you, and you might not be able to do it alone, but you can always seek the help of a coach. The most successful people in the world have a coach because they help them achieve extraordinary results in a short time.

Ask yourself...

Are you ready to implement progress as part of your daily ritual? Is your "WHY" strong enough to fuel you with the willpower and determination you need to support you through challenges?

Decide right now to focus on developing your business rather than sabotaging it! Commit to what truly matters to you! Dedicate yourself to overcoming the obstacles in your path, learning from them and from the failures you've had!

I've coached and trained many entrepreneurs who have achieved great results. The holistic approach I take has been immensely helpful because it includes working on oneself, addressing aspects such as mindset, emotions, habits, behaviors, and much more, in addition to business.

Success in life is 80% psychology and 20% action. Most people are held back by their own thoughts and limiting beliefs. Without the right mindset, you can’t implement even the greatest strategies, so you’ll train to obtain it for your success.

Sending love ??

Irina

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Irina Kuhlmann is an International Executive Leadership Coach – Accredited Master Coach, with a unique blend of experience as a former senior executive and business owner in Denmark, backed by 13 years of expertise in professional coaching. She is devoted to helping business people, entrepreneurs, and high performance – achievers to regain their authenticity and live a happy and prosperous life in an ever-changing world.

“My path to coaching was sparked by a significant health challenge that temporarily paused my business career. During my recovery, alongside medical treatments, I dedicated several years to my personal transformation through the study and application of Neuroscience, NLP, Coaching, and Leadership. This profound and impactful learning journey ultimately transformed me into a successful Life Coach."

If you need guidance in your life journey or seek other transformations in your life, I'm here to support you as your coach. For more details and to reserve your coaching strategy session, visit: https://www.irinakuhlmann.com