It all starts with the belief that you can make a difference in the world and be successful. You have to have that belief or you will not be a successful entrepreneur.

People who are generally pessimistic are incredibly cautious because they don’t envision things working out well. Further, because they don’t envision things working out well, they don’t tend to put in the effort. When they fail, they see it as a confirmation of their belief (a phenomenon known as confirmation bias). Those who have a negative view of the world and of their abilities don’t believe they are good, that they can be successful, and that they are capable of amazing things.

On the other hand, people who are successful believe that problems can be fixed and that they can make a difference in the world. They look for problems and brainstorm solutions on new ways to solve them. Being a successful entrepreneur starts with the belief that problems can be solved and that you can solve those problems. In addition, if you don’t currently have the knowledge or skill to solve the problem, you believe

that you are capable of finding them and learning them.

1. 1. Spend 30 minutes in meditation every morning

Reflecting on who you are as a person is the first step to take. You must evaluate where you stand with yourself before you go out and engage with a world of unknowns. What do you like and dislike about yourself? Where do you feel stuck? Where do you soar? What are the main goals you want to accomplish today? And, more importantly, why do you want to accomplish those things?

Spend 30 minutes in reflection every morning. Begin with a 5-minute wind down, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. When you feel the superficialities melt away, put pen to paper and write. For 20 minutes, do not lift your pen from the paper. Write whatever comes to mind. Spend the last 5 minutes reading what you wrote, adding comments, and planning the remainder of your day accordingly.

1. 1. Get comfortable being uncomfortable

Discomfort is one of the most interesting feelings humans must face. While being comfortable is a good thing in many ways, discomfort often grants opportunities you would not otherwise have had the chance to take. It is important to make this contract with your mind : when you are trying something new that might stretch you a little, it is okay to be uncomfortable. It won’t be forever and it won’t be dangerous to your health. You cannot grow as an individual without opening yourself up to new challenges and difficulties. Discomfort can make you stronger, but only if you let it.

Being okay with feeling discomfort and realizing that it will not last forever will result in amazing things. When you understand that your potential is heightened each time you open yourself up to discomfort, the momentary feeling of being uncomfortable seems like such a small price to pay for your self-confidence increase, your personal value boost, and the success of your business.

1. 1. Trust your intuition

We’ve all felt it before – that subtle nudge in our brain that says we should or should not do something. Your mind is constantly storing bits of information about people and places and things. Your brain is an amazing tool that compiles these thoughts, emotions, and experiences to assist you in reading and judging situations.

Intuition is really, really important in assessing opportunities. The sooner you learn to trust your intuition and to honor that inner sense, the sooner you get the benefit of all those extra resources that you have inside your head and in your heart. Listening to your inner voice is part of loving yourself and learning to trust your abilities.

1. 1. Write daily to-do lists

The most successful entrepreneurs go about every day with purpose – and not just any purpose. Starting each day with clear, specific, actionable purpose is key to being successful. Without a clear, specific goal and a realistic action plan to get there, you will waste a lot of time spinning your wheels, getting frustrated, and having a hard time seeing any real tangible success.

Here is an example of a daily to-do list from Barbara Corcoran, “Shark Tank” investor.

1. 1. Remove fear of failure

The people who can manifest goals and be successful are willing to take risks. Being a risk taker is a key component to being a successful entrepreneur, but you cannot be an effective risk taker until you remove your fear of failure.

Keep this in mind – failure is an illusion. How we measure theoretical “success” and “failure” is based on a long laundry list of artificial quantifications. In my mind, I am successful when I am actively trying to accomplish a goal without giving up or sacrificing my belief that the world is good. As long as I am trying with a genuine belief in possibility and goodness, I am successful. Aim high and try to accomplish incredible feats. If it works – great! If not – great! You have just had an incredibly valuable learning experience that moved you lightyears closer to accomplishing your goal. You cannot be successful without failing and learning and repeating. Stop being afraid of failure and allow yourself to take risks, learn from mistakes, and maintain your belief that you are good and capable.

1. 1. Network

There is a network component to being successful. Networking not only makes you, your product, and your services visible to those you help, but it also allows you to surround yourself with other successful business owners who also believe that the world is good. Having other successful individuals in your corner that are willing to mentor you, cheer you on, give you advice, and help you maintain your belief that you and the world are good is entirely invaluable. Network as often as you can. Join your local Chamber of Commerce, attend community networking events, join relevant online forums, find a mentor, enroll in local networking organizations, and let your existing network know about your goals and products/services. Start small and build your network as you go. You’ll be amazed at how quickly effective networking can accelerate you towards your business and financial goals.

1. 1. Choose to like yourself

The most important relationship you can have is with yourself. There is no way to love, value, and relate to another person until you can love and value yourself. We will always value people as high or as low as we value ourselves. Everything starts in your own heart – your own sense of worth.

Each day, commit to yourself. Become your own best friend. Know your likes and dislikes and prioritize yourself in relationships. This is not selfish – it is necessary for relationship to thrive. Take stock of your emotions and personal value daily. Do what you need to do in order to like yourself and be proud of who you are and what you are doing with your life.

Talent alone isn’t enough to make you successful. I have helped business owners all over the world solve $1,000,000,000 worth of business problems and, through it all, these 7 characteristics have repeatedly been the most prominent in those that are able to be successful entrepreneurs. I go more into depth on each of these characteristics in my ebook, which you can download for free here. If you are struggling to apply these characteristics to your own life, I have mentored dozens of entrepreneurs who have doubled or tripled their income with these strategies in just 20 weeks. If you’re ready to get out of the mud and into a happier, freer, more successful entrepreneur lifestyle, submit an inquiry below to get in touch.