Running a business can be stressful and scary, and for these reasons, it is perhaps one of the most amazing things that individuals can strive to do. Sure, there are countless ways that things could go wrong, but all it takes is for a couple of things to go right for you to see some level of success and reap the rewards of making your own way.
Hope is perhaps the single most important thing to have when you start your business venture, i.e., the desire and faith that something better will come out of it. Some entrepreneurs are confident that they can innovate within an existing system, while others will deliberately breach their comfort zone in an attempt to make a splash. There is some truth to both of these, but you are not going to be running a successful business if you are not willing to get at least a little uncomfortable in the process.
If you aren’t willing to try new things and experiment, then you’ll be stuck doing the same-old, same-old forever, and no business can survive doing that. Here are three tips you can use to jumpstart your business venture through leaving your comfort zone.
Educate Yourself
Knowledge is power, especially in business. The more you know, the more knowledge you can call upon to make difficult and informed decisions as you grow your business. There are certain things that all business owners should understand, like payroll, taxes, ordering and inventory, vendor relationships, and regulatory compliance. Once you think you know everything, throw that idea out the window, because there will always be more to learn about and understand.
It’s also helpful to know what you don’t know. If you are willing to accept and embrace your own shortcomings, you can make more earnest attempts to learn more and adapt your practices in the future.
Don’t Let Yourself Down
One of the best ways to beat the comfort zone stagnation is to set goals that you work toward. Start small and work your way up to bigger and more lofty goals. If reworking the way some of your policies are implemented sounds like too much, just focus on purchasing some new equipment that can help make operations a bit easier. You can hire new employees, as well, who will be helpful to keeping your growing business afloat.
Of course, you’ll have to invest time, money, and commitment in order to make any of this happen, and balancing it all will make for some tough decision-making. You’ll have to be ready to embrace failure and hold yourself accountable for when things go awry. Don’t place the blame on your employees or your clients for not seeing your brilliant ideas; instead, focus on what actually happened with an unbiased lens so you can do better next time around.
Always Move Forward
Eventually, things will start going so well for you that you might think to take your foot off the pedal for a bit and coast. This is not a good strategy to implement, as eventually, you’ll come to a halt and get complacent with where you are at. There are always opportunities to improve for those who actively seek them out, and one step forward slowly is better than staying in the same place forever. Just think, what would have happened if businesses all over the world were too afraid to commit to remote work in the face of the pandemic?
Stepping outside of your comfort zone is a crucial skill to have for any business owner, and one that will help you develop the gumption to make tough decisions moving forward. If you push yourself beyond what you think you’re comfortable with, then you’ll never find yourself short of innovation or ways to improve your organization.
To learn more about how you can take the next step and make your technology work for you, reach out to us at (954) 575-3992.
