1. Simplicity
Keep It Simple. Too many people want to complicate things, add more, and when they think they are making it better they are actually making it worse. It is MUCH HARDER to make something SIMPLE- whether a product, or a business, than it is to add more and complicate the crap out of it. Dumb it down, and then when you have made it it even simpler.
2. Clarity and Focus
You cannot be a jack-of-all-trades and be successful at all of them. It’s hard enough to be successful at one. Focus on one thing so that your mind stays clear. Things that shouldn’t and don’t matter to you will start to just “bounce off” of you when you have clarity and focus. Practice this daily and stay focused.
3. Market Need
Make sure that whatever it is that you have invented or started that there is a major market need. Otherwise you’re just wasting your time.
4. Team
The Team is key. Everyone must have a shared vision and respect one another and work together. It takes the entire team to make something successful, just like in football where the quarterback alone cannot win the game.
5. Finances
You must not half ass things. Anyone can do that. The key is to have, find, raise, loan, or make the right amount of money so you can do things right. Everything in this world costs $$, and if you want things done right they either take a lot of time, and/or a lot of money.
6. Belief
If you don’t believe in yourself, no on will. There will be times when others don’t believe in you, but you MUST still believe in yourself. This is contagious, and the people who don’t believe will be weeded out by natural selection. ALL of the greatest minds and most successful people in the world have one thing in common – unwavering belief in themselves.
7. Planning
“If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”. Planning is a key step not only because it gets your thoughts out of your head, but it also makes you accountable and puts a direction and deadlines to things. You don’t need to over plan, because plans usually change, but it’s important to at least have some milestones and objectives.
8. Vision
Your vision must transcend through the organization, even if that’s only you. You have to be able to see the end before you have even begun. Visualize it. Imagine that you are going through it in your head, step by step. There is incredible power to visualization, in addition to helping you belief that your goal is possible.
9. Perseverance
Perseverance is what sets apart the boys from the men (or girls from the women). When times get tough, you must dig your heels in. When you are on the brink of failure, you must work harder, and when you are at the 1-yard line, you must put in ALL of the extra effort and never give up until what it is that you want to achieve is achieved.
10. Be The Best
I saved the simplest, and often most overlooked for last. It doesn’t take any more effort to be the best, and as it does to be mediocre. Most people will supplicate to mediocrity. DO NOT settle, and set out the very best in your industry. Go that extra mile, do that special little thing different, and people will remember you. Being the best starts with how you think followed by constant execution.
