Persistence is the one predictor of business success. You can have all the passion and motivation you want, but without the strength and determination to take action; you have nothing.
Whether you call it determination, perseverance or committed action, persistence is what will drive your business forward. It’s the choice you make (and make no mistake, it is a choice), to keep going when the going gets tough, to push on, even when you’re feeling the fear and to stay positive, even when it feels you’re not moving forward.
So now you know it’s the key to business success, how do you build up your levels of persistence? Here’s ten pointers, to get you started.
#1: Keep your enthusiasm high
Find ways to be inspired and keep yourself in an enthusiastic mind-set. Remember your why; it’s the thing that will help you the most, when it comes to staying enthusiastic.
#2: Get in the right head space
You want to make sure you have a routine or ritual in place to ensure that you’re focused, every day, on what you want. This could involve journaling, meditation, visualisation or creating a vision board – but do what you need to do, in order to get your head in the right space.
#3: Stay optimistic
To be optimistic is to be hopeful and confident that you will achieve what you’re setting out to achieve – regardless of how things currently appear. Look to celebrate your wins, practice gratitude and never doubt that you can achieve what you want to achieve.
#4: Quieten that negative inner voice
Part of being optimistic and confident is shutting down that negative voice in your head. You know, the one that may doubt your abilities or is resistant to change.
#5: Take focused action
Make sure the action you’re taking is focused. We can all-too-easily get hooked on taking any action – after all, it’s better than not taking any form of action, right? No! The actions you take need to be in line with what you want to achieve. Social media can be a big misdirection, when it comes to action. We can fool ourselves that, by posting regularly in groups and interacting with others, we’re taking action. But if those groups and people you’re interacting with, aren’t interested in you and your business – it’s not the best focus of your time and efforts.
#6: There’s always learning curves
We can get side-tracked and demotivated, when we focus on our mistakes, mishaps, wrong turns and setbacks. Often, it’s because we look at them as something negative. But what if you looked at them as learning curves, instead?
#7: Remember to take breaks
Persistence is the one predictor or success, but it doesn’t mean you have to work yourself to death! If you want to be more effective, more efficient and more persistent, you need to be in the best possible mindset – and that means taking regular breaks.
#8: Enjoy the journey
Regardless of whether it appears that your persistence is getting you nowhere, you need to enjoy where you are. Remind yourself that you’re where you need to be, at this moment in time, so enjoy wherever that is.
#9: Get a support network
This isn’t just about having someone to talk to, someone to help you and someone to give you advice, it’s also about helping keep your motivation and persistence levels high. If you have a team around you, you can delegate, get advice on your next action steps and have someone to act as a sounding board for you.
#10: Take care of yourself
As mentioned above, taking regular breaks will enable you to stay motivated. However, if you want to persistently move forward, you need to be strong and healthy enough for the journey you’re on. Do you need to up your exercise? Maybe you need to eat healthier or sleep more. Remember to treat yourself and your body with the same respect and dedication that you show to your business.
Do you agree that persistence is the key factor to business success? Which of today’s ten points did you resonate most with? Why not share your persistence tips, by leaving a comment in the box below!
Image courtesy of Mark Carrel/Stock.Adobe.com