11.08.18
Are you sabotaging your success?
KARL R. LAPAN, PRESIDENT & CEO, THE NIIC
Are you getting in your own way? This applies to people in all areas and facets of the business. Maybe you’ve had a good idea but didn’t have the drive to pursue it. Or perhaps you’ve had a concept percolating in your mind for some time that won’t go away. If this at all resonates with you, there’s a good chance that your inner monologue may be partially to blame.
In working with business builders, we often encounter these 3 saboteurs, you know…the voices in your head that try to hold you back.
Mindset #1: “I don’t have the money to start.”
While yes, ideas, businesses or projects may require more money than you have in the bank right now. But this is all the more reason to start now with an investment in time. Low-risk opportunities, like side gigs (consulting), are one means to enter the marketplace without a lot of “skin in the game.” Small opportunities done correctly can open the door to higher stakes ones and allow you to build up confidence and the savings to invest. Kauffman Foundation has reported that the average investment required for a start-up today is around $30,000.
Mindset #2: “I’m not smart enough.”
Successful people are the product of a community of successful people who believed in them. If you’re doubting your intelligence, know that you are never alone in your business building journey. Your job then becomes to assemble the people, knowledge, and capital required to get the job done.
In short, intelligence is a not a prerequisite for success in entrepreneurship. A degree, certification, or even high IQ won’t make you any worthier to pursue your dream. Don’t give into your doubt. High EQ and working side by side with trusted and knowledgeable experts with a track record can make all the difference. The NIIC is much more than workspace, furnishings, and buildings. The NIIC offers credibility, community, and connections. These assets are all designed to do two things – accelerate your growth and reduce likely false starts.
Mindset #3: “All the good ideas have been taken.”
As long as there are problems, the world will need solutions. That said, if you have an idea that improves or enhances something that already exists, that’s an opportunity. It’s called incremental innovation. It’s innovation in action. You don’t have to re-invent the wheel—you just need to add value somehow. Some of the best ideas take an existing product or service from good to even better. Did you know that less than 10% of all innovation is breakthrough, radical or disruptive and the rest is incremental?
If you can identify with any of these saboteurs, we’d love to help you work through them. If you’re an entrepreneur who’s serious and committed to bringing an idea to life, we’re serious about working with you. The NIIC is our community’s most comprehensive resource for high-potential companies and talented business builders.
Interested in learning more? Call one of our concierges for an appointment with a business coach at 260-407-6442.
