Many people stagnate when creating a profitable business because they don’t know where to start. Confusion, lack of resources, and a solid point of reference can keep us on the fence forever.
Finding a mentor in business can be a real game-changer. A skilled mentor can provide the right strategy to take you from A to Z, but this is the icing on the cake. Because as we will find out below, there are some key elements you need to get right – one of them is your commitment. And, of course, timing – finding the right person to guide you at the right time.
What Keeps Us From Achieving Business Success?
The main issue is that most people don’t have a system to back them up. Where to start, how to proceed, and how to navigate adversities are just some roadblocks we encounter when trying to succeed in our business.
When people finally find a formula, you’d think they’re halfway through scaling their business. But barely anything changes in their environment. Below, we’ll outline some self-imposed barriers in many people’s way.
Lack of application of what we learn
Applying themselves is one of the main obstacles people face. People get book recommendations, and most of them decide to read them. But then, after a few pages, they forget about them, and the initial rush of excitement drops. Lingering in the vicious circle of eye-witnessing the knowledge without applying it implies letting it gather dust in some forgotten corners of your mind. But when you shift your focus toward implementing what you learn, a new world unfolds for you. Deep down, you learn because you want to make your dreams a reality. Every step in that direction confirms that you are getting closer to your dreams. You act from a place of self-honesty because you’re connected to your goals, and the course of action is nothing but the ladder to get to them.
You have to be willing to learn the theory and then apply it. See for yourself if the advice works. You’ll probably discover more ways and better ones that work for you. This way, you ensure you don’t leave new skills on the table. But also, you recognize that you are capable of more, and you develop a radar for new opportunities.
Self-image issues
Solving problems is quintessential in serving others and making your business lucrative. But if you think you’re not entitled to show up as an authority in your field, life won’t prove you the opposite. However, sometimes it’s just a matter of reframing the new status quo in your mind. What problem can you solve in the market? What makes you authorized to help others? Answering these two questions can provide a whole new perspective on how to make your business thrive. You don’t just solve a problem. You dedicate yourself to an issue you know how to handle because it fits you like a glove. Focusing on the problem you best know to solve will add to your expertise. Serving the people who need your help and providing powerful results in your niche builds credibility and authority.
Many times, rebranding your mission and owning it can bring clarity and dissipate doubt. The person you need to convince that you are capable of helping people and getting paid for that is yourself. High self-esteem is not a matter of vanity but more of setting the record straight internally. You are a valuable human being, and your business must ooze that.
Unworthiness
Numerous entrepreneurs are stuck in the unworthiness loop. Their business never scales because they don’t muster the courage to charge more. Many shy away from charging more because the question, “Who will pay me so much?” is permanently there, increasing self-doubt.
I discovered many years ago that people never get above their opinion of themselves. However, this doesn’t mean you should let that derail you. It all revolves around value. If your offer is incredibly valuable, no one will convince you the opposite, and numbers will confirm that. So, perhaps it helps to revisit your product and your offer and determine if it’s filled with value. It’s never too late to learn more and upgrade your business.
No point of reference in our environment
Skepticism may sink in and prevent us from achieving success in our entrepreneurial journey. Coming from a poor background is another roadblock we stumble upon. If we didn’t have a practical example of business literacy in the environment we grew up in, then chances are, we won’t dare to think outside that box. Not because we aren’t able to, but because we don’t consider ourselves capable. We’re hardwired to seek evidence before making a move. But if that evidence doesn’t exist, is it fair to sit on the fence instead of creating your own evidence and leaving your footsteps in the sand?
Evidence comes from taking action regardless of the outcome you get. Creating evidence on the go is the most efficient factor you can implement in your business. Getting negative evidence is still positive because it proves you’ve tried something. Plus, things not going as you expect still represent forward movement because now you know what doesn’t work.
Another common thing that may happen is being discouraged by our families when wanting to reach for the stars. They lack evidence of success because no one in their families proved to them the opposite, so they may even try to convince us not to aim high enough because of the possibility of failure. Every time you don’t apply what you learn, you miss the opportunity to create the financial future you deserve. Your path is unique, and understanding that success is available to you, regardless of what the past demonstrates, is a game-changer.
The Secret Ingredient to Succeed
There is a secret ingredient that can help you stand out. And that ingredient is enthusiasm. Enthusiasm is the least expensive cosmetic anyone can wear. And it’s also the most beneficial.
Some people are after immediate results, and when they don’t get the results they crave, they run out of steam. Enthusiasm quickly leaves their bodies. But this is not how operating from a place of excitement works. Excitement has to ignite your actions, even when reality serves you a different course than what you ordered. You can’t just be part-time exhilarated.
An enthusiastic attitude can move mountains in all areas of your life. When you apply it to business, it can open multiple doors. People love surrounding themselves with highly driven people because it helps them to keep their excitement alive; just like a snowball effect, a positive and passionate attitude compounds. Excitement rubs off, and you should always be hungry for it. Whether you find it in tiny accomplishments or huge breakthroughs, supercharging yourself with exhilaration will help you create more.
Enthusiasm keeps distractions at bay and helps you stay focused. The results are almost always guaranteed when a positive feeling fuels a behavior. Your mind is always prone to react to stimuli around you or inside you. With negativity out of the way, it’s easy to find clarity and congruence.
A clear mind will highlight what’s worth your attention. Instead of being bombarded with information that overwhelms you, you select what’s essential to keep. And most importantly, it will shed light on the actionable steps you must take.
Also, staying focused is easy when you’re clear on the attitude you wish to embody. Choosing how to show up in advance will portray the right course of action and increase your level of commitment. The reason for that? Excitement encourages engagement. And engagement generates high performance. It’s all interconnected. When you get these dynamics right, competence in delivering high-caliber results will present itself.
Lack of enthusiasm is also linked to trusting the process. We’re always keen to renegotiate our commitment to our goals, especially when things get hard or unpleasant. When everything goes well, it’s easy to find joy in your work. But when things go downhill, you need the same level of excitement to manage or conquer adversities. Being proactive will fire you up, and every small win will fuel your motivation.
Also, excitement attracts excitement. You will attract people who want to be around you because you all operate at the same level. This also dictates how others perceive you – cheerfulness can put everyone at ease. Most people are so blindsided by their own negativity that they need the reminder of a lighthearted attitude.
The same happens with inspiration, another fundamental factor in our business success. There are two types of people in the world, those who are inspired and those who aren’t. One of my favorite quotes from Dale Carnegie is: “Two men looked out from the prison bars. One saw mud. The other saw stars.” This is highly relevant when it comes to becoming inspired. It’s all about perspective. If you see your entrepreneurial trajectory as one filled with blocks, your drive will mimic that. In other words, you will barely find the motivation to level up when you focus on difficulties.
Conversely, if you normalize failure and get past it, life will reward you sooner or later. But you have to stay consistent. Every obstacle is a new opportunity to learn, develop better solutions, and become more resilient.
Inspiration is everywhere, but we must be willing to uncover it. An inspired person will always gather their resources – even if they are limited – and create something from them. On the other hand, an uninspired person will complain because of the lack of possibilities. Living an inspired life implies living out of our comfort zone. And this is very uncomfortable for many.
Creating excitement and inspiration even when reality says the opposite is a virtue. A common virtue that both the mentor and the mentee must share.
The Art of Becoming a Great Mentee
It’s not only vital to find a suitable mentor. You have to be worthy of being mentored and become a great mentee.
When discovering a new passion for our business, tragedy can play an essential role and become a catalyst. People who value learning from every experience will thrive when adversity strikes. Because from disaster to breakthrough, the line is very fine. But you have to apply yourself.
It’s precisely what my mentee, Tony Nicolson did (click here if you haven’t yet watched my viral YouTube video about Tony). The best example I know of living your potential is my friend and student, Tony Nicholson 倪腾, who for 18 years has been in China, living the China dream.
I started to work with Tony after his father passed away in front of him in 2008, and I have seen his meteoric rise from being broke, unhappy and struggling to heights most people could never even imagine after applying all my key mentoring and coaching lessons.
Tony rose to stardom on China’s top television shows (Keep Running and Day Day Up) with billions of views per episode. I have seen Tony progress to a world-class fitness celebrity trainer in China, a successful businessman, owner of a health-focused business, write a number 1 best-selling book and develop a fitness app that beat Fitbit on the App Store. Tony also speaks, reads and writes in Chinese.
After this success, Tony studied simultaneously at both Harvard AND Cambridge. He has since become a movie star in China’s biggest-ever sci-fi film franchise called The Wandering Earth 2. To put this into perspective, the first Wandering Earth film made 700 million USD in China. In this second installment, Tony is the lead foreign actor performing action sequences against China’s biggest action star, Wu Jing. Wu Jing is considered the Bruce Lee of China, and many in the media are calling this Tony’s ‘Chuck Norris’ moment in movie history after Chuck rose to fame after fighting Bruce Lee in the classic Enter the Dragon. However, the sheer size and scale of The Wandering Earth 2 is staggering. It is China’s biggest-ever sci-fi box office film (20,000 extra and hundreds of sets). The film is doing better than Avatar 2 at the Chinese box office in terms of presale tickets, reviews, and box office numbers.
Why Focusing on the Right Market Matters
Sometimes, we may unconsciously pull the rug from under our feet.
We barely realize that we’re repressing our talents and abilities by playing small. Limiting beliefs about finding the right market and audience can hold us back. The idea that we can set our prices high and actually find someone willing to pay us seems like a fluke.
However, addressing the right people is a radical needle-mover. When you do so, you start adjusting your rates to those who can pay them. Because now, you call in the right audience. This can be done by identifying what drives people. We are all hardwired to dream of achieving certain levels of status and recognition. Once you leverage what moves people, you can start solving problems at a higher level and attract the best-matching clients.
From Getting Inspired to Inspiring Others
Finding the right mentor can radically transform your mindset and how you handle your business. Receiving unique teachings, being held accountable, and getting feedback can help you reinvent your goals, yourself, and your business. A personal triumph that, in time, will overflow multiple areas of your life. But it all starts with creating the right mindset and operating from it, which is where most people fail.
Do you believe that finding a mentor can change the entire course of your business?
