Becoming your own boss, setting your own schedule, and finally running the business of your dreams are all welcome benefits of becoming an entrepreneur. However, entrepreneurship is a goal that requires a lot of determination and a lot of self-discipline to achieve, and not everyone is fit to be a business owner.
But if you think entrepreneurship is the right path for you, there are steps you can take to build your self-discipline and prepare yourself for the arduous journey ahead. Below nine members of Council for Young Entrepreneurs each shares their top tip for building self-discipline and why it’s so important to succeed as a future business leader.
Members of the Young Entrepreneur Council share how to build self-discipline.
Photos courtesy of individual members.
1. Be patient and resilient
Life will test you with many setbacks and failures; however, you must move on to the next challenge regardless of the results behind you. Focus on your end goal and eventually you’ll develop a routine and strategy to help you stay motivated. I start my morning with a routine and incorporate timeboxing into my project management system to keep me focused and maximize my time. – Julian Hamood, Trusted technical team
2. Determine what distracts you
For me, discipline means staying on the job, even when there are distractions around me. If you want to build self-discipline, you need to be aware of the things that derail you and make changes to avoid similar situations in the future. For example, I’ve learned that turning off my phone is essential if I want to achieve maximum focus and productivity. – John Brackett, Smash Balloon LLC
3. Focus on what’s important instead of urgent
Self-discipline for me is making time each day to focus on the important versus the urgent. Urgent things crop up in our business and personal lives all day, every day. However, if I have dedicated, scheduled time to focus on what’s important to me and my business, I can go much further and faster. – Jessica Fialkovich, output factor
4. Tackle any procrastination
If a lack of discipline means procrastinating, look for the reasons why it is happening. Procrastination is neither a matter of time management nor a matter of self-control; it’s a matter of emotion regulation. Most likely you keep putting off certain tasks, so try to find a pattern. Are you afraid of failing, or are you bored with something in particular? Once you know what’s going on, you can deal with it right away. – Solomon Thimotheus, OneIMS
5. Start with small steps
Successful entrepreneurs are often hard on themselves. They must be able to work long hours, be resilient and think long term. When it comes to building self-discipline, it’s important to start with small steps. For example, set a timer for yourself if you want to work for more than an hour without taking a break. Start small and build self-discipline over time. – Kristin Kimberly Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
6. Delay gratification
Be responsible and happy without satisfying yourself as quickly as possible. Sometimes we are disciplined in thinking that we are now ready for a new gratification. Try putting it all off – especially with your “wishes” – and see how long you last, knowing that you still have more to do and the reward will take time. You learn patience and stamina as a bonus. – Daisy Jing, Banned
7. Create and follow a schedule
One way to build self-discipline is to create and follow your own schedule. New entrepreneurs think they need to work at least 50 hours a week to succeed, so they don’t bother creating a set schedule. If you are disciplined, you can get the same amount of work done in 30 to 40 hours. I recommend choosing a six to eight hour work block that suits your peak productivity levels. – Chris Christoff, MonsterInsights
8. Keep a daily to-do list
Keep a daily to-do list that is organized. This will help you keep track of what you need to do, schedule the tasks, and organize them by priority. I use my calendar app to do this, listing my tasks individually by date so I can make sure I don’t miss anything. This way you stay responsible and organized. – Andy Karuzac, NachoNacho
9. Change your mindset
Self-discipline is the ability to keep promises to yourself. Becoming a master of self-discipline comes only by failing at it hundreds of thousands of times. Give yourself some grace and treat yourself as someone you are responsible for helping. This paradigm shift greatly reduces the negative thoughts and emotions that occur when you inevitably fail, and gives you the courage to fail again and again. – Shane Levinson, Arizona Carpets
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