5 habits to strengthen your entrepreneurial mindset
Welcome to the Dojo!
Knowing that you have a limiting belief is useful.
But recognizing it doesn’t automatically change how you respond the next time a prospect rejects you or you struggle with something new.
That part takes practice.
Growth mindset is sometimes misunderstood as positive thinking: Believe in yourself. Work harder. Tell yourself you can do anything.
That’s not how I see it.
On the Mat
- Let’s Train: Five habits to strengthen your entrepreneurial mindset
- Ask Feras: “What if I've tried something repeatedly and I'm still not getting better?”
- Sharpen the Blade: [Video] Turn setbacks and discomfort into opportunities to learn and improve
Let's Train
Developing a growth mindset means combining effort with better strategies, feedback, and repetition.
Here are five habits you can practice:
1. Learn your triggers
Pay attention to what causes you to doubt yourself.
Is it rejection? Criticism? Comparing yourself to someone more successful? Trying something and failing?
You can't change a response you don't notice.
2. Listen to the story you're telling yourself
When something goes wrong, pay attention to your internal conversation.
“I'm terrible at this.”
is very different from:
“What can I learn from this?”
The situation hasn't changed. Your response to it has.
3. Turn intentions into specific actions
“I need to get better at networking” isn't a plan.
“I'll attend one event each month and start conversations with three people” is.
Make the behavior specific enough that you know whether you actually did it.
4. Review your process
After doing something difficult, don't only ask:
“Did I succeed?”
Ask:
“What did I learn, and what will I change next time?”
A disappointing result can still produce valuable information.
5. Become a beginner on purpose
Every quarter, choose one skill that makes you uncomfortable.
AI. Public speaking. Negotiation. Financial management. Sales.
Then learn, practice, get feedback, and do more reps.
Stay uncomfortable long enough to become competent.
I've done this throughout my business career and in martial arts, and I still do it today.
You don't need to transform yourself overnight.
Pick one skill your next stage requires and start practicing it.
Ask Feras Recap
The Challenge
"What if I've tried something repeatedly and I'm still not getting better?"
What I Told Them
More effort isn't always the answer.
Look at how you're practicing. Get feedback from someone more experienced, try a different strategy, and identify specifically where you're struggling.
Repetition helps when you're also learning from the reps.
Sharpen the Blade
In my latest video, I share the mindset shift that changed the trajectory of my career and five practical habits you can use to train yourself to respond differently when things get difficult.
And download the free Entrepreneurship Mindset Assessment to identify the areas you should work on next.
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