The entrepreneur must be a self-improver.
There's no greater commandment for entrepreneurship than to learn, to grow, and to develop as a person.
The most famous and successful entrepreneurs are committed to self improvement. For example, Elon Musk is committed to self-improvement and self-analysis by reading books and studying. Mark Cuban is known for his willingness to learn from everyone he meets to improve himself.
The importance of self-improvement for entrepreneurs
Let's back up for a second and ask a basic question: What's your goal as an entrepreneur?
There are plenty of possible answers. Some want freedom. Others want a legacy. Even more want wealth. The list goes on.
Now, how do you get there?
There are plenty of possible answers here too. Some say hard work and hustle. Others say raw talent and smarts. Some may say innovation and creativity.
All those possible combinations of answers spring from the basic drive to improve.
The only way to achieve your ultimate goal as an entrepreneur is to work at self-improvement in whatever form it manifests itself to you.
How to do self-improvement.
Clearly, self-improvement is necessary for successful entrepreneurship. But how do you actually do it? What's a process to follow?
- Consider it absolutely essential. Realize that self-improvement is the only way that you will achieve your goals.
- Schedule time each day for self-improvement. If you're not scheduling it, you're not doing it. In fact, one of the most important self-improvement skills you should work on is time management.
- Set aside a minimum of 30 minutes. This is the absolute minimum. When you begin to reap the rewards of self improvement, you'll want to devote more time to it each day.
- Ideally, your time for self-improvement should be at the beginning of each day. Starting the day with personal self-improvement sets the tone for the remainder of the day, and puts you in a mindset of success.
- Develop the habit of asking others for book and resource recommendations. Some of the most successful people I know devote substantial amounts of time to self-improvement. To access the same level of self-improvement that they have, just ask people you admire to recommend their resources.
The top six sources of self-improvement.
There are plenty of ways to find self-improvement, but here are some of the best and most popular sources for self-improvement.
- Books. The so-called "self-help" genre is a powerful source of improving your mind and your business acumen. Identify the top trending books in business and entrepreneurship, and read those books.
- Podcasts. Podcasts are an easy and accessible way to get great information from leaders. Many of the best podcasts are focused on interviewing business leaders. Some of the best podcasts for entrepreneurs include John Lee Dumas' "Entrepreneur on Fire," Michael Hyatt's "This is Your Life," and Lewis Howes' "The School of Greatness."
- Blogs. Since you're reading this article, you evidently know the power of blogs to change your outlook and your business success. Identify the best blogs in your niche to gain advanced knowledge and greater success.
- Conferences and retreats. If you've never attended an industry conference or retreat, make it a point to do so this coming year. If you can't find the space in your schedule to attend a conference, you can at least benefit from watching or listening to the recordings that are available. For an easy place to start, check out the TED topic index.
- Online courses. Online courses are a vast new industry. In-depth courses facilitated by an experienced professional can set you up for major success. By investing the time and money into one of these courses you can gain any new skill you want.
- Coaches. Personal coaches aren't cheap. If you're looking at their fees alone, you're looking at coaching in the wrong way. Coaches don't cost money. No! They make you money by identifying growth opportunities in your business. You can hire all kinds of coaches. If there's an area of life or business that you want to improve in, there's probably a coach who can meet your need.
Smart skills to work on
What are some of the best self-improvement skills to work on? You'll want to pick the skills that are most crucial to your industry and current skill level.
However, here are several suggestions to whet your appetite for self-improvement.
- Time management
- Sleep
- Habit forming/breaking
- Creating routines
- Writing
- Breathing
- Remembering people's names
- Mentoring
- Speed reading
- Public speaking
- Leadership
- Personal branding
- Organization
- Focus
- Goals and vision
- Health and fitness
- Meditation
Conclusion
Self-improvement isn't something that happens automatically. If you're not proactively seeking to grow in every area of life, then you are regressing.
There's no shortage of self-improvement materials. You must make the decision to embark upon your own journey of self-improvement though. It's not enough to look at the materials. You have to determine that you are going to do what it takes to become a better you. That means time. It means effort. And it means toil. Do not be afraid, be brave.
Self-improvement is the only road to success, and there's no one who can do it for you.
What do you do for self-improvement?