10 Commitments of Entrepreneurship

Let's keep this short and sweet. Here are 10 things I think all entrepreneurs should be committed to. There are hundreds more so put what you think are other commitments in the comments!

1. Be a pro in your industry.

I had a boss that used to tell me this all the time. "Be a pro" meant more than be good. He was telling me to learn everything, practice what I learned, and be the person that taught others about my industry. Professional athletes still get coaching but they also know their craft better than anyone in the world. So be a pro and never stop growing!

2. See the good in others and in circumstance.

It's too easy to slip into negative thinking. We didn't hit our goal, we need more revenue, the team isn't big enough, There's too many problems. We can't ignore those but we need to give attention to what is good. Praising our team for hard work and taking time to celebrate a victory is very important for everyones health.

3. Work hard.

The universe doesn't care about your feelings but it does care about your effort. Not only do we need to work harder but I like we need to work hard at the right things. Pay attention to details and but pay attention to the things that will meet the goals you have.

4. Recruit your team don't hire them.

This is something I have learned recently. Recruiting looks a whole lot different than hiring. Recruiting means you are having quality conversations with people you think would take your business to the next level. Hiring means you put out an add and then responded. Being proactive always is a better route, wouldn't you agree?

5. Care about value given over revenue received.

Please note that i'm not saying throw profits in the garbage and never make money. I'm simply saying put 51% effort in value you give your customers and team and 49% effort you give to profits.

6. Feed your relationships.

It's so easy to spend 18 hours a day 7 days a week working on your business and neglect your personal relationships. Having a grounded group of individuals and friends is vital to keep yourself on track. If you don't take time to nurture those relationships it will be very lonely when your business succeeds.

7. Consistency is key.

Have a routine! Get yourself up at a certain hour, start your day a certain way, and show up to the office with a certain attitude. Without your routine the day will control you. As the business owner or manager you have to be in control of what you can control so you have the capacity to respond to the curveballs of the day.

8. Seek out feedback.

Find a select number of people that are willing to tell you the things you suck at and what you are doing wrong and latch onto those people. It's also vital to create a culture where a team member can speak openly about frustrations I might be causing in the office to me not other team members.

9. Grow personally.

Part of your routine should be educating yourself. Grow personally in leadership skills and knowledge along with skills and knowledge of your field. Stretch yourself to do something out of the ordinary. Record a podcast, write an article, or find a public speaking opportunity to discuss something you are learning. If you push yourself out of your comfort zone you will find an opportunity to grow.

10. Give your team opportunities to learn and grow.

Your team is the ceiling of the growth of your business. While we are managing the business we have to trust our team to make day to day decisions. If we aren't helping our team grow as we have grown you can't trust them. Give them opportunities to learn and grow through books, seminars, guest speakers, and one on one conversations with them.

Again, these 10 commitments are not the only 10 out there. I would love to hear some other things you have committed too as a manager or entrepreneur. Thanks, for reading!