A growth mindset is vital when starting or running a small business. To put a growth mindset into practice so it becomes a habit, I use my CHAMPION process:
- Chunk it down
- Have a go
- Assess your results
- Mindset maintenance
- Connect with the right people
- Investigate the best
- Own the outcome
- Never give in
Chunk it down
People often overestimate what they can achieve in 12 months, yet underestimate what they can achieve in three years. One way to avoid this is to break the goal down into manageable chunks, which can be completed before moving on to the next one.
Have a go
“Having a go” means not just having a go once but again and again, learning each time and noting your progress. Think back to when you learned to ride a bike, drive a car, surf, or play netball. It took effort and repetition, and only with persistence were you able to master the activity. You were persistent then, so you know you can do it this time too.
Assess your results
There has never been a truer saying than “what gets measured gets done”. When we know what we are aiming at and how we’re tracking it’s so much easier to achieve our goals. Metrics need to be clear, concise and easy to assess. and it’s a good idea to share your metrics with a coach or mentor who can keep you honest about how you are going.
Mindset maintenance
It’s not just a matter of getting your mindset right once and then forgetting about it. You must continually reevaluate your mindset and make sure you stay on track. Being entrepreneurial can be lonely and entrepreneurs can suffer from self-doubt, so try to spend some time daily reading or listening to positive messages that inspire you.
Connect with the right people
In my opinion, motivation is 50 per cent ourselves and 50 per cent the people we hang out with. If your current network of friends, family or work colleagues is not supporting you and encouraging you to grow, you will never have the opportunity to be who you could be. You need to seek out those who believe in you and your goals and can encourage and guide you on your journey.
Investigate the best
Once you have a goal or dream and are committed to it, part of your strategy should be to find out who does it best in the world and study them. As we live in Australia, this might mean taking some overseas trips. But the internet, podcasts and webinars and TED talks are great resources and accessible from anywhere.
Own the outcome
Possibility leaders own the outcome – whatever the result. If you get a positive result, be happy for yourself for putting in all the effort and work that went into your achievements. Don’t play them down, and don’t let anyone steal the glory. If it all goes horribly wrong, don’t look for someone to blame. Take responsibility, admit your error and then get on with locking down the learning and move on.
Never give in
Along the way of your growth journey, you will be tested. You will meet negative people. There will always be critics and those people who woulda, coulda, shoulda but haven’t. You need to have self-belief and, as Steve Jobs said, “You need to believe that all dots will connect down the road to give you the confidence to follow your heart.”
Rob Hartnett, CEO, The Hartnett Group and author of “It’s all possible – how to lead an epic life and unleash the high performance hero within”
