There are a lot of ways to get the necessary tools and skills to be successful in the business world – higher education, internships, mentoring and on-the-job training. Perhaps most important, though, is the school of hard knocks, better known as life. Life experiences provide a wealth of knowledge and training that can be directly applied to business activity in order to make better decisions for both personal advancement and the success of the business.
Life, by its fundamental nature, is full of ups and downs, good times and bad. All of the positives and negatives are chances to learn something new and, as an entrepreneur looking to break into any industry, you have to be ready to face a roller coaster of emotions and activity that will result in some days being productive and others bringing setbacks. Only those that have been able to learn how to overcome adversity in life can find true success in a business environment.
At the core of establishing any type of business or venture is the ability to solve problems. When a difficult position presents itself, it’s time to choose one of two paths – the one that lets the problem dictate the solution or the one where you dictate the solution to the problem. Life experiences inherently include the need to make decisions and that decision-making capability will be a strong asset in the business.
Most people find themselves, at some point in their lives, having to take risks. It could be getting on stage in front of a group of people or getting behind the wheel of a car for the first time. As an entrepreneur, you have to be willing to take risks to find success, as you’re often stepping into the unknown. Once you make that decision, you have to be prepared to stay committed and see it through until the end.
From an early age, we learn that we need to balance work and play; we have to know how to take a break from time to time to charge up the batteries. This is important both physically and mentally and, in a business environment, can have great rewards. Entrepreneurs often feel the need to stay in control of every aspect of the operations, every second of the day. However, this is a fallacy. When we surround ourselves with competent, talented individuals who have proven themselves, those select few are more than capable of carrying the load in order to take a much-deserved break.
That break doesn’t serve just to keep you from getting burned out, either. When an entrepreneur or any business executive burns the candle at both ends, it becomes more difficult over time to remain focused on the goals and objectives. Stepping away allows you to come back with a fresh mind and, in turn, the ability to contribute a fresh perspective on the business. Ultimately, this is an intrinsic component of the long-term success of any endeavor and will ensure the business is able to adapt to the ever-evolving wants and desires of consumers.
Those with families have to learn how to organize and coordinate a lot of activity simultaneously, as well as to prioritize tasks. Every aspect of what we deal with in life helps us to be able to perform better in the workplace and all of those bits and pieces come together to create a well-disciplined figure capable of changing the world and making a difference.
