How to Start Now and Use Your Mistakes to Fail Forward

Mark Twain once said, “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” 

Truly, today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want. 

So, stop thinking. Fast-forward your career now by getting out there and taking action. 

To do that, you need to avoid certain million dollar mistakes. They are:

1. Not starting. 

The only way to get ahead is to act on your idea, build a plan, and take the steps it takes to do it. Too many people keep their ideas locked up because they’re afraid and don’t think they know what to do. This is a mistake. Do something every day that gets you closer to your goal.

2. Getting sloppy.

When some people are good at something, they start a business without thinking it through and then get sloppy. They make decisions before they’re ready or have the experience. It is a colossal mistake to start acting like a boss too soon. 

Think about when you were an employee. Your boss told you when to come in, take breaks, and leave. In exchange for them controlling your time and wage, you had the security of an income, benefit plan, and retirement plan. 

As an entrepreneur, you should still think like an employee. This means you need to have a plan and work it daily. Decide what your schedule will be and stick to it.

3. Spending beyond your means.

If you’re doing good now, have the hang of business, have a schedule down, and are making money, you still must have a sleep at night number in your bank account. This is your emergency fund in the event of anything unexpected happening in your life or business. 

To figure out your sleep at night number, ask what it costs to run your business and household per month? Then put away 3-6 months of every single expense you come up with.

4. Quitting

5. Not reflecting on your mistakes

One of the greatest questions you can ask is to yourself. All of the learning in life is in the questions. All that it takes to get past that and finally reach the gold is reflecting, adapting, and overcoming. 

Make a decision to learn from your mistakes. If you don’t, those lessons will be repeated until they are learned. 

Get really focused in the area where you made the mistake and then create systems, structures, and strategies to learn from it. Ask why something keeps happening, what you are doing to attract that level of chaos, and what 3 options are for doing things differently?

6. Thinking you know it all

Be humble enough to find mentors who are a few steps ahead of you, ask them questions, and be open to their advice.

If you want to learn more million dollar mistakes, check out Episode 050: Million Dollar Mistakes Part 4: Start Now and Never Quit.

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