You say you are a business owner; that fact alone puts you in an elite group of individuals who claim the same status.
According to DocStoc.com, in 2012 there were 28 million small businesses of which 22 million were classified as self-employed. Over 50%! of the working population are involved in, one way or another, a small business venture (DocStoc 2013). However, within these ranks, no matter what class of business you own one fact remains; you are one small pebble in an ocean of other business owners in your chosen field. No matter how insignificant you may feel, in order to be successful you have to find a way to set yourself apart from the rest.
Develop a Servant Heart. Martin Luther King Jr., in a sermon he gave in early 1968 said it perfectly when he stated, "Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve." Considering this statement to be true, if you have been using your lack of education, training, or experience as an excuse not to succeed, you should stop doing so right this moment! You don't have to be a genus, quote Shakespeare, or even use perfect grammar and punctuation in your speaking and writing. All you have to do is commit to serve.
When you stop trying to have all the answers to everybody's questions and instead, focus on the fact that what your customer and clients want is to get your help, then and only then, will you truly begin to move forward on your business success journey. Those who serve the best are sought out for their unique ability to connect with others.
Think about that 'guru' you look up to. If they have been successful in their business, it is because they have been able to help you achieve your true potential. If they didn't accomplish that goal, then they wouldn't be thought of as a 'guru' and you would probably never have ever heard of them. Word gets around quickly when a so-called 'guru' stops being a servant and begins to personify a know-it-all. After all, who wants to be told what to do all the time? Not I, to be sure, and probably not you either.
Be flexible. Another thing you need to know on your journey to achieve your greatness potential is to learn to be flexible. Don't be like the trained soloist who never learned the technique of blending with other voices; seek to become the choir member. Instead of always doing the same thing over-and-over and getting the same results, mix it up a bit. Learn a new technique, focus on one specific area of your business and market it to the best of your ability, or seek joint-venture partners who can help you grow your business.
Connect with other like-minded entrepreneurs. Yet another way to progress on your greatness potential quest is to join, or form, a Mastermind Group. This is a group of goal-oriented business owners who meet regularly to help each other achieve greatness. Whether that help is the answer to a question, or advice from others who have gone before, or even just a kick in the behind to keep you on track (accountability partner), you will find that the time and money spent in a Mastermind Group can make all the difference to your business success model.
In the 2014 Weird & Wacky Holiday Marketing Guide, you will find additional information on how to set up and run your own Mastermind Group, and it is filled with a whole year of ways to put the FUN back into your business marketing plan.
So as you trek down the path to achieve your greatness potential, remember the goal is to serve and not to be served, stay flexible in your thinking and action, and lastly, seek help when and where needed.
Works Cited
DocStoc. DocStoc. 2013. http://www.docstoc.com/ (accessed 01 26, 2014).
