Everyone wants to know the secret to success, which is why we all look up to role models such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg. But one of the biggest lessons you can learn from them? It’s simply to worry only about the things that you can control, and ignore the rest.
There are many things that stop would-be founders that successful entrepreneurs simply don’t worry about. Here are 21 of them to get you started:
1. Failure
Successful entrepreneurs don’t worry about failing. Instead, they know that every failure leads to their next success.
2. Success
Many would-be founders are tripped up by fearing success. Successful entrepreneurs know that what they have to share is important, so they don’t fear being corrupted by success.
3. Happiness
This sounds odd, because successful entrepreneurs are often very happy. But the key is they don’t worry about it. They know that happiness comes when you’re doing the work you’re meant to do.
4. Limits
Mary Kay Ash could have worried about the limits of being a woman in the 1960s, but she didn’t. Instead, she went on to found a massively successful company and encourage others to live their dreams.
5. Quitting
Successful business owners realize that quitting isn’t always bad. Sometimes you have to cut your losses and move on to another idea.
6. Charging what they’re worth
Great entrepreneurs never worry about what they charge. They know they’ve created enough value that they’re worth it.
7. Things that might go wrong
There’s no room in a successful entrepreneur’s mind for pessimistic thinking. If there’s an issue, they handle it, but they don’t invent problems.
8. Work-life balance
This may sound harsh, but the early stages of entrepreneurship require your all. Successful founders don’t worry about this — they dig it and get it done.
9. What they didn’t do last week
Maybe last week wasn’t 100 percent productive, but those who are successful don’t worry about it. They’ve already moved on to what they can accomplish today.
10. Living someone else’s life
Steve Jobs famously urged those who heard him speak to live their own lives to the fullest. He never wasted his limited time worrying about others’ expectations.
11. Following the established rules
Famous for flouting the rules of how things “should be done,” Richard Branson doesn’t worry what others think. Instead, he follows his gut to make his ideas a reality.
12. Being safe
Successful entrepreneurs see life as an adventure. They don’t worry about being safe or doing the easy thing. They want to see and experience what life has in store for them each day.
13. Regret
Successful founders realize that we don’t regret the things we do, we regret the things we don’t do. As a result, they don’t worry about regret. They focus on seizing every opportunity that comes their way.
14. What they can’t do
Successful entrepreneurs know they can’t do everything, and they don’t worry about what they can’t do. They simply hire people to make up for their weaknesses and focus on their strengths.
15. Taking chances
Debbi Fields, the founder of Mrs. Fields cookies, knew that reaching her goals would mean taking chances such as giving away cookies to strangers for free. As a result of her efforts, she’s a household name with over 700 stores in 10 countries.
16. Why they can’t
Successful founders don’t worry about why they can’t do something. Instead, they think of ways around obstacles and discover how they can accomplish their goals.
17. Others’ success
Successful entrepreneurs realize that the world has room for a lot of different ideas. They don’t worry if someone else is already successful. They just focus on making their own contributions to the world.
18. Being wrong
Drew Houston, co-founder and CEO of Dropbox, said, “Don’t worry about failure. You only have to be right once.” Successful entrepreneurs don’t worry about being wrong — they just keep looking for what’s right.
19. Having smart employees
Great entrepreneurs don’t worry about hiring team members that are smarter than themselves. They realize that they need to hire the best if they want their companies to succeed. They look for the A-players, and they aren’t threatened by them.
20. Being proved wrong
Successful founders are never afraid to test their assumptions. They’re more concerned with doing the right thing than with always being right.
21. Making tons of money
Ironically, chasing money is the surest way to not get it. Successful entrepreneurs don’t worry about getting rich. They focus on sharing the value they create with others and riches follow naturally.
Maybe you were surprised by some of the items on this list. Perhaps it makes perfect sense to you. Either way, you can learn a lot about business success by studying the things successful entrepreneurs never worry about.
Which of these 21 have you fallen victim to before? Share your experiences, and how you’ve handled them, by leaving a comment below.
Credit: Entrepreneur Middle East.
