Two weeks ago we talked about how you could predict your own success with five simple questions.
(If you didn’t take the quiz or if you need a reminder of how you scored, you can retake the quiz here.)
Based on your score, you can adjust three things (I call them the three A’s of success) to increase the likelihood that you’ll succeed in business (or at anything!). And who doesn’t want that?
Remember what I told you two weeks ago; the good news is this:
You determine your own success.
The three A’s of success — your attitude, actions, and approach — are the greatest determinants of your future results. This means you have the power to create your desired outcomes.
Read that again because it’s important.
YOU have the power to create your desired outcomes.
Pretty powerful stuff, right?
Today I’m going to tell how how to identify which of the three A’s you need to shift and how, so you can create what you want. Sound good?
Let’s dive in.
Attitude
I find that people either get it or they don’t: attitude determines (almost) everything.
If you believe you will succeed, and you will. If you believe you won’t succeed and you won’t. It’s nearly as simple as that.
This is why I personally feel so lucky to have been trained as a life coach. It’s also a big part of the reason my clients are so successful — I help them see when they’re getting in their own way and when they need a little attitude adjustment!
You can understand and implement smart marketing tactics, write blogs like a pro, and have strong sales skills, but if you don’t have the right attitude, you’ll only get so far.
Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude. —Thomas Jefferson Tweet it!
In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.
—Dalai Lama Tweet it!
Do you believe you’ll be successful? Do you think you can create what you want?
If you do, great! If you don’t, it’s time for a little attitude adjustment! I strongly recommend you find a talented life coach to help you work through your fears and doubts, because until you do, you’re likely to stay stuck-stuck-stuck.
Once you shift, this however, everything gets easier, and you’re more likely to create the business you desire.
My Personal Recommendation for You9 Things I Gave Up to Be SuccessfulActions
There are go-getters, massive action takers, and big do-ers. And there are those who ….. wait…..
You can’t wait (or think) your way to success. You can only work your way to success.
There is a time and a place for a planned, thoughtful pause (and I’m known to regularly take them in my life and business), but for most new business owners, that’s not what they need. They need action. Massive, focused, deliberate action.
At the same time, I want to be clear that not all actions are good ones. This is important.
As my friend and Master Certified Life Coach Bev Barnes teaches my Make It Work Online clients, some people have a tendency to simply “tornado.” This is about taking action simply for the sake of taking action. It’s not directed at a specific goal, it’s simply chaos. This is not the type of action I want you to take.
It’s essential that you take actions specifically targeted at your goals. You must be focused and following a plan that will get you where you want to go. Actions are great, but only focused, calm action will help you get what you want.
When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don’t adjust the goals, adjust the action steps. —Confucius Tweet it!
Action is the foundational key to all success. —Pablo Picasso Tweet it!
Are you taking action? Or are you waiting? Are you tornadoing, or are you taking focused, directed action to help you move toward your goals?
You must keep moving forward, pushing your comfort zone, and trying new things. Take focused action step after action step after action step.
My Personal Recommendation for YouHow to Stop Fear & Perfectionism from Holding You BackApproach
Now, with the right mindset and a commitment to take action, you need a third factor to increase your chances of success. You need the right approach.
Approach is about HOW you move toward your goal. It’s about flexibility in mindset, techniques, and style. It’s a willingness to learn and adapt as you go. It’s like having a good mindset around your actions.
Earlier this year I talked about using a scientist’s mindset in approaching your business (even when you’re afraid of failing). I also talked about how to experiment in your business using this mindset. Plus how to learn from failures (and wins) to create more success in your business.
These approaches ensure that you keep moving forward toward your goals no matter what obstacles get in your way — because obstacles will appear! Learning to keep going despite those obstacles is essential to your success.
Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach. —Tony Robbins Tweet it!
You will enrich your life immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and always challenge yourself to try new things. —Nate Berkus Tweet it!
Are you employing the right approach when it comes to your business? Are you willing to try new things even if they won’t turn out perfectly? Are you thinking like a scientist in your business?
Adjusting your approach to be flexible and open while still moving forward, taking action and maintaining the right mindset is essential for your success. This is what my most successful clients learn to do very, very well.
My Personal Recommendation for YouI Eff’d Up: How I Failed My Way to SuccessPutting It All Together
Success requires the right attitude, actions, and approach. Actions without a good attitude and a solid approach will get you nowhere. A good attitude not backed by definitive action and a solid approach also won’t help either. You need all three to be successful.
As you approach your business each day, take time to notice where you are on each of the three A’s.
How’s you’re attitude today?
Are you taking smart, strategic, focused action?
Are you remaining flexible in your approach, knowing it’s about moving forward and learning, not simply avoiding failure?
The more you become aware of each of the three A’s and tune them to success, the more likely you are to succeed in business.
Because, like I’ve been telling you:
Click to TweetYou determine your own success.Now, I want to hear from you!
I’d love to know…
Of the three A’s, which one comes most easily to you and which needs some work?
What shift are you going to start making today to increase your changes of success?
What stories, experiences, or tools have you used to adjust your attitude, actions, or approach in your life or business?
I can’t wait to hear your thoughts, ideas, and insights in the comments below!
Great blog, Jenny! I’d say on most days, Approach is easiest for me and focused Action needs work. 🙂 I’m writing down these 3 A’s in my planner so I can see them at the start of the day to stay focused and on task. I think I’m going to add some great quotes from this blog, too!
My biggest task is learning not to be attached to an outcome in biz (staying open and flexible) and EFT tapping has really helped attitude. 🙂
Thanks for the eye-openers!
It’s great that you’re being honest about where you’re strong and where you need to focus. Keep taking action, following through, and making things happen. And tap along the way, of course!
Great advice, Jenny! Like you, my coach training has really helped with my attitude & approach. (Although it’s always a work in progress!)
I think for me, action is the hardest. I’m always taking action, but as you mentioned, I have to be careful that it’s focused action. I have to keep the big picture in mind to make sure I’m taking the right actions and not just filling my time in order to feel busy or productive.
This is something I see with my clients too (so I know I’m not the only one, lol!). There are usually 2-3 focused actions that get us the best results, and those are the ones we should be concentrating on over and over. Yet, we often second guess ourselves or feel like we’re missing something by staying focused. But like you always say, it really doesn’t have to be that hard!
Life coaches are so essential for attitude and often for approach. Love that!
Action can be challenging for many, and staying focused taking action on the right things are essential. (And hiring a business coach often helps with that 🙂 )
Great post, Jenny! Both for myself and the majority of my clients, focused action is the toughest part. We all have great intentions and while a positive attitude is SO important, it’s so easy to get stuck in analysis paralysis mode because we just don’t know where to focus our attention next.
Yes, when you don’t know what steps to take, it is absolutely hard to take action! Knowing what to do in what order can help so many people keep moving forward even when it’s terrifying!
Attitude is the easiest by far in my book, and Action is probably the hardest. It’s not that I don’t take action, but I REALLY REALLY REALLY want to get things “Right,” and so I tend to wait longer than I should. My challenge is to keep taking the small consistent steps no matter what – which means tough love for myself when I want to wiggle out of things. And Jenny, I particularly love the quote about being commited to your decisions and FLEXIBLE in your approach. Thank you for that!
That’s a great way to help yourself keep moving forward when you’re challenged to take action: small consistent steps day after day no matter what! It also fights procrastination along with perfectionism. Nice one!
Yes, I’m a HUGE fan of staying flexible in approach. Rigidity makes us fight back and resist, and we’ll never get anywhere that way!
Hi Jenny,
I just wanted to say a huge THANK YOU for this post! I’ve not only shared in on social media, but I’ve shared it privately to someone who can definitely benefit from this great advice! Those three A’s are sooo important….and not just in business, but in LIFE! Attitude, Actions, Approach…they’re essential survival skills/needs! THANK YOU!!
Thank you for your kind words and thank you for sharing, too! Much appreciated!
Love the new touches 🙂 can’t wait to see the new makeover. For me, working on building up my confidence directly affects my attitude, approach and ultimately action. Thank you Jenny!
Thanks, Veronica! Sounds like you know what you need to do and you’re doing it!
I LOVE this post. Your comments on HOW to approach goals, with the link to using a scientist mind is a refreshing take! It resonates with the advice from my coach to revisit the second of the Miguel Ruiz’s Four Agreements, “Don’t take anything personally.”
Thank you.
Glad you like it — it’s a fun way I put my previous professional career to good use in this one 🙂 Love your addition of not taking things personally — that’s so important!!
I am learning to stay flexible around all of these.. How to do things. so that I my strategy is working. ugh.. sometimes I dont feel like it is. I want to do your exercise.. I think I will work on that one night. I hope.. I am promoting online during day and working on some other things.. going to networking at least once a week. so sometimes it seems like so much.. then getting the blog together every other week.
Attitude, actions, and approach — consider them in all that you do (or think about doing), and keep up the forward momentum, Connie!
I think my attitude is pretty good, I’m hopeful but sometimes not always believing in the possibility for me.
I know the “action” portion needs some work. Not because I don’t take action, but because I’m rather like a tornado and so not all of the action gives me the results I’m really after.
My first change was to re-think my CEO Dates which are admin & review days for me. I used to have just 2/month but now I’m going to consider weekly check-ins so I can stay on task for my monthly goals.
I need a mindset shift to keep my attitude positive and just need to see where I am for what it really is (I’m way farther than I used to be, and I’ve corrected a bunch of my previous biz faux pas!)
I love that you know where you need to grow as a business woman, Naware — that’s so important! Even better, it sounds like you have the action steps to make those shifts. Time to put them into play and step up to this next level as a biz owner!