8 Steps to Make Things Happen Now in Your Business Avoid future regret. Steer your own course. Realize all the plans that are possible in a world of uncertainty.
By Sherrie Campbell Edited by Dan Bova
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Successful people dream, plan and envision what they want in life and business just like anyone else.
The difference between the highly successful and the moderately so, though, is that the former do all they can today to ensure a prosperous tomorrow.
To prevail, be willing to take 100 percent responsibility for your personal and business development and create balance so there's nothing your future self will regret not having tried.
Related: There Is No Magic Formula for Small-Business Success -- Only This
1. Shape your destiny.
Don't let other people define your purpose. You're the engineer in charge of designing your business life.
When you become clear about who you are and what you want, you will have seized two of the most important guideposts along your career path.
Many fear assuming responsibility for shaping their destiny and shrink from it. This is one reason why not everyone achieves success at the highest levels.
People in business may go against you and judge you. To succeed, see this as beneficial. These counterforces force you to stand up for your beliefs.
2. Embrace change.
Many people have poor work habits and not all have the will or fortitude to create healthier and more productive ones.
To look back on your life with pride, start changing unproductive habits now.
Be willing to be in a constant state of change as the unexpected unfolds in business. Change isn't easy, but to be effective, embrace it.
Aim to be the most resilient version of yourself and expect exceptional results. Don't wait for change to happen. Make it happen.
Related: Act Like the Leader You Want to Be
3. Keep moving.
To be highly successful, view disappointments as "business-refinement opportunities." With the wisdom acquired from letdowns, learn what you need to do to step up to the plate again and take another swing with clearer direction.
Quitting is the easiest way to avoid feeling bad or taking responsibility for frustrations in business. But to be successful and avoid future regret, don't entertain blame or play the victim. Trust that whatever was lost will be replaced by something good or better and power on.
4. Lead authentically.
Don't waste energy trying to satisfy other people's perceptions. Just do you.
When you are inauthentic and fake a role of success, you may fail. You will talk too much, be impatient and react negatively in high-pressure situations.
Pursue success not the need to impress. To be highly effective in business, communicate sensitively, directly and intelligently so others can hear you. Learn to listen intently so you can respond intelligently. You will learn more by listening than speaking.
5. Act now.
To be successful, act now. Be fluid, risk taking, intuitive and prepared. The more prepared and knowledgeable you are about your business, the less fear you will have about making decisions. If you're unsure in your knowledge or afraid to lose, you cannot succeed at the highest levels.
Having faith in yourself is integral to taking charge. Many develop different excuses for not taking action. To be successful in business, never assume you have more time than you do. Make every day count.
6. Keep a positive attitude.
Just one person's negative attitude has the power to reverberate throughout a business like an infection. Don't be tolerant of negative attitudes: your own or others'.
Choose team members, employees and bosses wisely so you won't later regret about not having safeguarded your business from toxic attitudes.
Select personal relationships wisely as well, as those will undoubtedly spill into your business life, influencing your attitude and focus.
7. Expect uncertainty.
Business is fluid, so anticipate uncertainty at every turn. Make yourself adaptable to changing circumstances to secure existing opportunities and be open to new ones you might have missed by remaining rigid.
It's wasteful to struggle with what you cannot control: Identify such areas in your business, accept them and tap other resources to find fresh ways to proceed.
For your success to blossom, be willing to consistently reinterpret your ideas, thoughts, plans and goals. Embrace not always knowing what will happen next.
8. Be healthy.
It's easy to get caught up in a fast-paced life and forget to care for the machine you live in. To be successful at the highest levels, don't underestimate the value of good nutrition, exercise and rest. Your brain is the greatest computer you have and directly affected by what you ingest, exercise and the restorative powers of sleep.
When you care for your health, you are supplied with the necessary energy and focus for building your wealth, personally and professionally.
In conclusion, know that you alone are responsible for your success. Don't expect others to build your business for you. Otherwise someone will take over and take you under. There's no room in the house of success for complacency or remaining stuck too long.
If you spend too much time dreaming, planning or making others responsible but not leading your own way, you won't arrive at the heights of business expansion desired. Don't settle for average. Run a highly successful business.
High-achieving businesspeople are well-rounded focused individuals who care for their personal life ensuring it's healthy so as to immerse themselves in their business and design it for prosperity.
These people are doers. They do not wait behind ideas they hope will materialize. They see what they want and are the architects of their business goals and ventures. They live without regret not putting off for tomorrow what can be done today.
Related: Transform Your Vision Into Action With These 3 Steps
