9 Traits You Must Have to Execute Your Mission There are not enough tools, hacks or luck to succeed without the character to walk every step of the journey.
By Sherrie Campbell Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Every entrepreneur operates from a different mindset in terms of how they approach business and success. However, to be successful every entrepreneur has to be able to execute strategies which get them to the levels of achievement they envision. Entrepreneurs must be able to perform and come from a place of strength. To be able to achieve at the highest levels the great successes work harder than anyone else and make sure to get things done. Execution is all about turning ideas into a reality, no matter the sacrifice it may take.
1. Stamina.
The first thing you need to execute effectively is an insatiable capacity for stamina. Stamina gives you staying power, even when things are looking bleak. Hold the belief that if you continue to work towards a goal you are essentially guaranteed to achieve what you seek on one level or another. It is this underlying drive which fuels your hard work that ultimately places you a cut above the rest. You will feel the most satisfied when you are striving, being busy, productive and accomplishing your tasks. Your stamina will increase the more you achieve, and when you hit obstacles, you are not defeated but rather inspired to work even harder to solve the issues standing in the way of your goal.
Related: You Need the Stamina and Mindset of a Professional Athlete to Make It in Business
2. Organization.
A huge part of being able to execute is being organized. You must be able to arrange, orchestrate, and organize tasks and variables so all the pieces fit together productively and successfully. What this means is that to build an empire you must be organized at your foundation with processes and procedures that make your business run well from the ground up. As your business grows you will have to update, upgrade and get rid of some foundational procedures to continue succeeding at the top. The little things count when it comes to execution. Any part of your business that doesn't have a structure has the potential to wreak havoc. For that reason you must have the ability to oversee the constant balance of the workings of your business and what aspects are in need of procedural upgrades to guarantee successful execution.
3. Belief.
Have an unfaltering belief in what you're doing and trying to achieve. If you do not fully believe in what you are doing, passion will fade killing your motivation to execute your business to its greatest capacity. The deepest driving force for an elite entrepreneur is not money, it is people. Money cannot drive belief. Money is inanimate and people are full of life. Execution can only be driven through seeing the results of your work in the world at large. The most successful people in the world have a desire to have an impact on others, not just collect cash. Money is a pleasure which is not enduring. Belief is sustained through the enduring process of seeing how what you do positively benefits the lives of others. From the day you take your first steps it should be your mission to pursue a business that serves to make other people's lives better.
4. Focus.
To stay on top of your life and business requires a tremendous amount of focus, clarity and direction. Always prioritize first so you can execute on your goals. To get to where you want to go you have to know, without a shadow of a doubt, what you want. Sustainable success requires a deep and dogged focus. Having this type of committed focus cuts through the confusion and doubt which come to stand in your way as you face obstacles along the road to success. Without this genuine and unwavering focus to your larger purpose, your goals lose their importance and value. A lack of focus creates delay, chaos and frustration and these dynamics act as a poison to any living goal. Be in to win it, execute no matter what it takes.
Related: Finding Your Focus Through 'Deep Work'
5. Responsibility.
To execute well you must value honesty, loyalty, commitment, and ownership. Take full responsibility for what you say you will do. Whatever happens in your life, business and relationships the best path to the development of the execution of your ideas is to accept responsibility for the outcomes, both positive and negative, which are the result of your efforts. If you make a mistake view it as an invaluable learning experience. Figure out what needs to shift for you to execute better. Always be flexible to changing your approach. Responsibility is about possessing the humility and the willingness to learn. As you take responsibility for it all, you become a master executor.
6. Discipline.
To execute successfully develop a routine to flow from. Be fluid enough to adapt to the unexpected variables out of your immediate control or prediction to your daily routine. Do your best to operate from a structure which is organizing to your day. This type of discipline keeps your daily tasks prioritized and prepared enabling you to make the most efficient use of your time. Time is the one thing a disciplined person hates to waste. To execute efficiently discipline yourself to create daily goals backed by positive work habits. It is very rare to be an overnight success. Execution comes down to repetition and the culmination of consistent steps over time. Develop the discipline habits which promote your success.
7. Measured.
To be successful you must be deliberative. Great executors are cautious and careful when planning any new goal. Make sure to have a detailed plan before making decisions. It's about creating a path and forecasting, to the best of your ability, to devise the quickest and most efficient plan to the achievement of your goals. Being measured is synonymous with having a map. Preparation is everything when it comes to success. Success is the result of thoughtful decision making. To make a definitive decision means to cut out all other possibilities.
8. Problem solver.
To execute well you must become an efficient and smart problem solver. Look at decisions gone wrong, analyze what happened, and restore those decisions to be successful the next time you execute. Mistakes are your most valuable teacher. Mistakes teach you what not to do or repeat in the future. View every problem as providing you or guiding you towards a bigger picture solution. Do not harbor a mistake or continue to carry any pain from it. Mistakes are perfect opportunities to learn something valuable which wasn't understood before. Mistakes don't define you, they evolve you.
Related: 6 Problem Solvers Who Are Disrupting Entire Industries
9. Consistency.
To be great at executing your ideas, never give up. If you stop trying before a problem is solved you haven't accomplished anything. If you don't succeed at first, try again. Try a dozen things a hundred different ways if that is what it takes, but don't give up the fight simply because obstacles present themselves on your path. Let the anxiety and frustration motivate you. Any sought after goal worthy of your effort will place obstacles in your way. If you practice persistence and make it your habit to be consistent you are nearly guaranteed to reach your goal. Openly go after what you want. Never see a setback as a failure, view it as practice. Practice makes perfect. Be unwavering in your consistency and it will push you over the finish line of what you seeking. Consistency can be inspired by being in touch with how deeply you want to execute, succeed and make a difference.
