While the things that inspire entrepreneurs may vary from person to person, there are some things which most have in common. Nikesh Patel, CEO of HRS Invictus looks at some of the most common habits shared by successful entrepreneurs.
The one thing that Nikesh Patel understands as common amongst successful entrepreneurs is that they have the fortitude to persevere even when all odds seem to be against them. They know they have something worth pursuing and they are willing to put in the effort over the long term because success doesn’t usually happen overnight. While some experience short bursts of activity, in the beginning, keeping a business alive over a longer period takes more fortitude than might be expected.
What HRS Invictus noticed is that working long hours wasn’t enough to help budding entrepreneurs surge ahead. Rather, those common habits seem to be the impetus that leads to success. These habits include such things as scheduling their important tasks around times when they know their body and mind to be at peak performance and creating a structured routine around that.
Nikesh Patel also notes that sometimes there is so much activity in the sphere of a busy entrepreneur that distractions keep them from the tasks at hand. As has become habitual at HRS Invictus, Nikesh Patel suggests that every owner or director of a company removes those triggers that lead to distraction. Whether it is turning off all mobile phones or informing the receptionist that they wish not to be disturbed, it is important to find ways to stay focused when running a business.
Speaking of mobile phones, the team leaders at HRS Invictus are aware of just how distracting all those text messages, emails and requests for video chats can be. Unless it is a conference call important to a client or supplier, Nikesh Patel suggests leaving digital devices on silent unless absolutely necessary. It can feel rewarding knowing that you’ve answered a correspondence, but when that leads to a chain of messages, that’s time wasted in the grand scheme of things.
HRS Invictus has found that setting a scheduled time for answering correspondence frees team members up to be totally committed to any task they may be working at any given moment. Finally, Nikesh Patel says that successful entrepreneurs set the example for the rest of the team. “It’s hard to ask my team to avoid texting or chatting on their mobile phones if I am constantly being interrupted by the very same devices I ask them to set aside.”
“We may be living in a digital world, but that doesn’t mean that those digital devices should rule your world,” he concludes, and sage advice that is.
