We all have bad habits. Some bad habits are of a personal nature, as in we eat too much, some drink too much, some of us don’t know when to shut up, I could go on forever…

But I want to address one of the single most bad habits that plagues entrepreneurs. This bad habit keeps us stuck in the same lane, even though we say we want a change. It’s easy to succumb to and limits our life chances, and it’s based in fear and potentially contagious.

Unfortunately, this habit is one of the hardest habits to identify and break. However, once you recognize it, admit it, and work to overcome it, this bad habit Can. Be. Broken.

So, what is this single most bad habit that plagues entrepreneurs? The one that requires your immediate attention?

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The One Bad Habit That Requires Your Immediate Attention

The one bad habit that requires your immediate attention is SETTLING.

Settling for less than you want.

Settling for less than you expected.

Settling for less than you worked for.

Settling for less than you deserve.

Many of us settle by accident, and before we realize it, time slips away and we look back and wonder what happened, how we arrived at our current circumstance.

Have you settled in your business?

Don’t think about what you say your business goals are, that’s just lip service. Instead, think about your actions. The action, or lack of action, you take when running your business. Evaluate your efforts from the past 12-18 months. Really take a hard look at what’s working, what’s not working, and the direct time spent on revenue generating activities.

Have you settled for less in your business? Here is how you can fix it!

Have you settled for less in your business? Here is how you can fix it! Click To Tweet

Answer the following questions. And be honest with yourself, you’re the only person who will see the answers.

• • Are you using a strategic plan to guide your growth?
  • Do you have a realistic operating budget?
  • Are you actively expanding your network?
  • Have you invested in marketing to grow the business?
  • Are you positioning your business to launch new (or updated) products and services?

Out of these five questions, did you have any ‘yes’ answers? How many ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers did you have? Be honest with yourself, as this assessment is for your only eyes. These questions are designed to help you begin to figure out if you are settling for the status quo in your business, or if you are proactively positioning yourself for growth.

What does settling look like?

You see, when you are settling in your business, it doesn’t have to be as obvious as declining sales, or no product launches.  Settling can also include things like standing in place; even though you are constantly working on growing the business. The key can come down to what you are spending time on, and the impact your actions are having on your biz.

On the other hand, are you drowning? Maybe wingin it, with no solid plans in place? Maybe stuck and not sure what to do? Or perhaps you have been doing the same things for so long and they’re not quite producing an increase in results and growth. Well my friend, I have news for you. Not addressing your current state of affairs is the same thing as settling. Your lack of action means you’re settling. This is one bad habit that you must get rid of!

Never settle for less than you want, expect, or deserve. Get UNSETTLED. Click To Tweet

Settling sucks. Settling isn’t fun, there’s no excitement in settling. Settling is stressful!

So what are you going to do about it?

Get Unsettled.

You must make a conscious decision not to settle. You must choose to abstain from the mediocre. Buck the status quo, take some risks and grab a handful of sheer determination.

Ok, you’re ready to get unsettled, now what?

Buck the status quo, take some risks in your business, and grab a handful of sheer determination. Click To Tweet

It All Starts With A Plan

You must set milestones, checkpoints, and measurable goals to force you away from complacency. When you have these measurements, these safeguards in place, you can easily see when you’re coming close to settling. Use these quantifiable measurements as your barometer to give yourself a kick in the pants and re-ignite your own fire when you start slacking off!

Sit, be honest with yourself, and assess where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to go. Then look at what actions you need to take that will lead you to your destination.

If you need some guidance to get started, here are a few helpful posts:

• Are You Managing Your Time Or Is It Managing You?
• Marketing & Tech Essentials to Run Your Business
• 5 Powerful Mindset Strategies for Entrepreneurial Success
• How to Focus On Clear Actionable Goals
• Common Small Business Problems and How to Overcome Them 

 

Dreaming with no plan in place is just wishful thinking, which gets us nowhere. The real pursuit of these dreams is what separates the dreamers and do-ers, so create a plan, then take action!

Ciao,
Miss Kemya
Your fellow entrepreneur who refuses to settle!