7 Disciplines Every Entrepreneur Should Master

The only person standing in the way of your success is yourself. When things do not go as planned, you are often the only person to blame.

So, with that wonderful thought in mind, how can you get out of your own way? By becoming more disciplined in every aspect of your life, of course.

The main difference between high achievers and people that struggle to succeed is a commitment to personal growth and development. If you look at people such as Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, you will notice similarities – discipline, growth, and confidence.

You can achieve these same traits. But first, you need to make sure you are not blocking your own success. Discover the 7 disciplines that every entrepreneur should master right now.

#1 – Positive thinking

The power of positive thinking is well-documented. You need to truly believe you will succeed. You need to visualize success.

For pessimists, this may not come easy. The best way to adopt an optimistic outlook is to combat your negative thoughts. These thoughts are natural and should not be avoided. Instead, you need to recognize them, address them, and move on.

As you will find with the other disciplines, the benefits of positive thinking extend beyond your business. Being more optimistic can help limit stress and depression. It can even improve your mental clarity and focus.

There are also physical health benefits of positive thinking. You may be able to reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and develop better coping skills, which helps you get through the setbacks that will naturally occur.

#2 – Time management

Time management is a discipline that many people wrongly believe they have already mastered. For example, if you strongly believe that you are good at multitasking, then you are fooling yourself. Going back and forth between tasks eats up valuable time and mental energy. Don’t take my word for it. 

An important aspect of time management is learning how to eliminate interruptions and distractions. You need to make the most of your available time and not let the day get away from you. You should limit distractions – including checking email and browsing the web.

If possible, only check your email at specific times of the day. You could also use a web blocker program to keep you from wasting time on social media sites. There are similar programs available for mobile devices, keeping you away from time-consuming apps and games.

Prioritizing is also beneficial when it comes to time management. Decide which tasks are most important, starting with one big task for the day.

Do not beat yourself up over the tasks you cannot complete. As long as you are moving forward, you are on the right path.

#3 – Healthy lifestyle

A healthy body leads to a healthy brain. Though, the benefits of following a healthy lifestyle go far beyond that.

Incorporating a moderate amount of exercise into your daily routine provides numerous advantages. During your workouts, you can let go of the stress of the day and clear your mind. This helps you regain focus and perspective.

By increasing your discipline when it comes to physical fitness, you are also improving your brain function. Studies show that regular exercise promotes better blood circulation, including circulation to your brain. By keeping your body healthy you are also keeping your brain in shape.

#4 – Patience

You need a certain amount of patience in the business world. There are many tasks, developments, and goals that will not be accomplished overnight. So, you need to have some patience. A lack of patience leads to bad decisions and rushed thinking.

Things do not always happen overnight. If you start a new marketing campaign, it can take several days to see the fruits of your labor. When you hire an SEO company to help improve your website, you may not get results for months.

Realize that time can be a friend or foe. Patience helps it become the latter. Time management and patience go hand-in-hand. Make the best use of your available time, but don’t rush into things.

#5 – Reflection

At the end of the day, you should reflect. Evaluate what you have and haven’t accomplished and what you could have done differently. Consider the positive and negative experiences of the day.

When you reflect on the day, you may notice areas that you could improve. This helps you avoid making the same mistake over and over. At the same time, reflection can help reinforce your positive habits.

#6 – Contemplation

Along with reflection, you will need to contemplate. After you spend a few minutes reflecting on the day, you should begin contemplating what you are going to achieve the following day. Think about your goals for the next day and choose one primary task that needs to be accomplished.

If you have a few minutes to spare, you could begin planning out the next day. You will wake up already knowing what you are going to accomplish, instead of wasting time coming up with a schedule for the day.

The less planning you have to do in the morning, the better. This is when your mind is most fresh and ready to tackle goals.

#7 – Improvement

Self-improvement is the final discipline you need to master. Each day, you should perform at least one task that is geared towards improving yourself. This could include furthering your knowledge on a particular topic, learning a new strategy or technique, or even successfully following through with your goals.

The area of self-improvement you focus on does not have to be related to your business. This is because the success of your business is directly connected to your own personal growth.

You can train yourself to be more optimistic, learn how to conquer your stress, or begin teaching yourself a new language. These are all areas where personal growth can lead to a positive change in your daily business operations.

Master these disciplines to prepare yourself for success

If you are not prepared for success, you will have trouble with the inevitable difficulties and setbacks that every entrepreneur faces. Remember these 7 disciplines. Write them out in a list and post it in a visible spot in your workstation.

Success is within your grasp, but it will not come easy. Not everyone is lucky enough to have their business handed to them on a silver platter. You need to put in the effort and discipline is a key step in this process.

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