As a business owner, I'm always seeking inspiration and ways to make myself better. Often, I get that from church. Let me stop a second, this is not a religious-preachy post. My faith is a HUGE part of my life and to not admit that would be remiss. What our pastor talked about was something that can apply to anyone and I found it very fitting for business.
It all came down to this…
The measure of my faith is the measure of my heart.
How often do you look at your business and have the faith (or confidence) that you will/are being successful? The measure of our confidence in our business is the measure of us. The more confidence you have, the more successful you will be.
There are three traits that all business owners need to succeed. The measure of these traits all show how much confidence (faith) you have in yourself.
Humility.
How often do we see ego-centric business owners who think it's all about them? I mean, lists ranking people in various industries everyday and people get their feathers all puffed up when they are on one and think they are all that and a bag of potato chips. Well, they aren't. It was just one person's opinion. A true measure of a successful business owner is humility. Yes, it's okay to brag on yourself every now and then, but not every single day. Nothing drives me more crazy than someone posting “Look what I did for this client!!”. It's not about YOU. Being humble shows you have respect for the ones that got you there.
Risk.
All business owners have to be risk-takers. You may not succeed, you just may fail, but it's a learning experience. I'll admit – I'm not a risk-taker. Leaving full-time work to stay home when my youngest was born was a huge risk, but I knew there was a bigger plan for me and it led to me starting this business two and a half years later. Had I not left my full-time job, I wouldn't be doing what I love doing today. Risk is not fun. It's hard, it's stressful and yes, tears can be shed, but if you aren't willing to step out and take risks – whether it's launching a new product or speaking at a conference, you will be left with a lot of what-ifs. The most successful business owners are the risk-takers.
Belief.
Part of having confidence is believing in yourself. You have to trust yourself and your instincts and know that sometimes they may be wrong. Without believing in yourself, you will never take that risk. Confidence is shaky, but you have to keep your head up and your eyes focused. My husband and I loved the show “Friday Night Lights”. Their mantra was “Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.” All business owners should have their painted on their wall. If we stay focused, believe in ourselves, we can't lose. Even if your business does fail, knowing you had the belief in yourself to go out there and do it will only make you stronger.
Read more: 3 Traits All Business Owners Need
