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Being aware of your own approach to Business is the key to your success. How aware are you of your own response to challenges? How well do you manage yourself? What kind of 'leader' are you for your Business? How disciplined are you?
Do you even KNOW the 10 Steps to Personal Success in Business?
Believe it or not, this is an area that many business owners ignore and dismiss. They simply go from day-to-day until something happens to make them stand up and take notice. Being aware of how your mind works is an important foundation for growth. As a business owner and decision maker, it's your responsibility to be completely aware of every aspect of your business.
Here are the 10 Steps to Personal Success in Business.
Step 1 - UNAWARE / UNCONSCIOUS INCOMPETENCE
This is where you don't know anything and don't do anything. Things just happen. You live each day as if you photocopied it from the day before. You're at the bottom of the ladder to success.
Step 2 - REACTION
You're operating on animal instinct. It's fight or flight. You simply react to whatever comes your way without thinking. This is a very stressful place to be.
Step 3 - GROUP
This is where most people are, yet it's the most dangerous step. It's where you follow everyone else - the masses. It's comfortable here. You seek reassurance and guidance from peers, family and friends. The thought of breaking away is scary. Maybe you've had a great idea to break out and do something innovative but when you mention it to a network group, friends or family for their opinion, the response may go something like: "Are you kidding?", "Haven't you seen the news?", "I can't see that working!". So, you put the one thing that can TRANSFORM your life back in your pocket, agree with them that it's a bad idea and stay as you are. You're back in your comfort zone, feeling safe. You feel relieved, thinking everyone else is right - after all, you think to yourself, who would have supported if you had taken that next step?
It might be comfortable being with the group, but it holds you back. When you move out of the group, it's the best step you can take!
Step 4 - ASPIRATION
You want to BE more, DO more and HAVE more. How many times have you aspired to do something but done nothing about it? Have you ever made a resolution then forgotten about it? Can you remember a time when you used to think about doing something but never got around to it?
Having an aspiration is good, but without action, it doesn't amount to anything.
Step 5 - HESITATION
Now, you step forward into your future. But wait! You look around and then panic because you're on your own. Being a leader can be lonely and when you look behind and see the group, it's easier to step back into that old comfort zone. How many times has that happened to you?
Step 6 - DISCIPLINE
At last! This is the key step. It's when you take congruent action AND MOVE FORWARD. When you have the discipline to do this, you know you've taken the most important step towards your personal success. You no longer hear those people calling you back. All you focus on is your future, pulling you forward.
You've decided to do something positive and have taken the ACTION to do it.
Step 7 - EXPERIENCE
Almost immediately, by taking decisive action your knowledge increases. You learn new things and gain the confidence to continue moving forward. Others follow you, perhaps for the first time. You're now the leader. You gain the experience of having taken action and this experience encourages you to continue going forward, gaining experience of new situations all the time.
Step 8 - RESPONSE
Now it gets really interesting...With your new discipline and growing experience, you learn how to respond, rather than just react as previously. When you're confronted with an issue, instead of a quick reaction or hiding from it, you evaluate it, test & measure different options, and then respond with the best solution.
Step 9 - 'KAIZEN'
This is the Japanese principle of constant-and-never-ending-improvement or "ongoing change for the better". Your focus is on continuous improvement. This step is the natural state of successful people. It applies to every aspect of your business and your life.
Step 10 - AWARENESS
Finally, you display the characteristics of success. You Plan, Do and then Review. You've learned how taking action produces results and how the right decisions give you the right results. You're ready to start creating new steps of your own!
So, do you recognise the steps above?
Perhaps not. After all, most people are stuck in the Group level and don't know there's anything above them. Or maybe you've already stepped out and are taking action. You may even be further ahead. However, unless you've made it to the DISCIPLINE stage, the best you can ever be is in constant hesitation. This robs you of time, your most valuable non-recyclable resource.
Challenge yourself! How are you going to move up a level? How do you get away from following the masses? All it takes is just one step at a time.
Find out who the successful people are in your industry and find out what makes them successful. They are the few going in the opposite direction from the masses.
Study them. Follow them.
Remember, the power to your Personal Success in Business is developing yourself personally.
These 10 Steps are just one element of the 7 Principles of Business Success, developed from years of studying the best business models worldwide to create an easy model to follow.
Julie McGloin is co-founder and Director of award-winning Business Coaching and Development company, Straight Forward Success Ltd, which she runs with her husband and Master Business Coach, Anthony.
For further information about how to improve your business and for a free download of The 7 Principles of Success, visit: http://www.straightforwardsuccess.com/7-principles