The Warrior Mindset

In each and every one of us, there is a desire to make a difference in this world. Whichever medium we choose, by being involved in an organization or starting a new business, the passion and desire drives us to be the best and to make the biggest impact possible.

For entrepreneurs, it can be a rough road. Competition is fierce, the economy may be contracting, business could be slow and little or no capital can cause lots of stress. But through all of this, the end product, what you set out to accomplish, that is why you have chosen this path. That is why you work the long hours and drive the extra miles just to make one more sale to help drive the company forward.

The entrepreneur must go into a state of mind where they know they will not lose. Where mistakes are seen not as bad, but as learning experiences. They know that their company is heading into battle and that they must lead their troops to victory. This is what I call the Warrior mindset.

Not everyone has this mindset. It is a self-discipline and determination on a whole other level above the rest. The people who have this ability to push through when times are tough, are the same people who will thrive when times are great. They know that to build a strong business, you must put in everything you have in order to get the most out of it.

The warrior mindset believes that business is like war. There are winners and losers. Everyone is simply not a winner. That is not how business works. If it did not work like that, we’d all be rich, fat, and happy. The reality is that competition is severe and doing business at any scale can be like going into battle. The warrior mindset knows this going in to business and has instilled in its employees that they are here to win.

Character Traits to Improve your Warrior Mindset:

Courage: Know and trust in yourself and your team to take you to where you want to be. When you truly believe in yourself and your company, no one can hold you back.

Fearlessness: The business world can be daunting. However, not taking risks can end up being even more daunting when you ask yourself countless times, “what if?” Don’t just wonder “what if,” make the choice now to be fearless and to stick to your plan and implement your strategy. The worse thing that can happen is that you learn more than ever when you lose, than if you are successful the first time around.

Mental toughness: It can feel like everyone is against you. Your close friends and family may tell you to go back and get a real job instead of fueling this dream. They say these things out of love. Take it for what it is, love, and continue to push through. You know inside that you must give it your best shot. Failure as part of the process equals learning- failure of the dream altogether, is simply not an option.

Self-Discipline: It is too easy to sit on the couch and watch TV, daydreaming about making it big in business. Or going out with friends and talking about great ideas, but never actually making them a reality. You owe it to yourself to be disciplined now, knowing that you can relax and take fantastic trips with your friends in a few short years. Not that you can’t enjoy life, but know that the sacrifice you make now, will more than reward you in the long run.

A great quote from billionaire Warren Buffet, sums up the warrior mindset quite perfectly. He states, “Rule #1: Don’t Lose. Rule #2: Don’t Forget Rule #1.”

Continue to Practice, Never Stop Learning

For those who have become aware of these traits in themselves, keep honing them until they are second nature. If you have not yet become skilled in these areas, now is the time to start. Practice by setting a time and place to work on a project on a daily or weekly basis. As you begin to get a routine, self-discipline will start to kick in. Just like in sports and building muscle memory, when you don’t practice, you will have to re-train yourself to get into the habits that you had created. It is best to just continue the tasks, small amounts of time over many days, rather than one large amount over one or two days. It is the small steps that lead to the big steps. Just like in anything and everything that you set out to do. Business is no different- people are no different.

Another good habit to get into is to keep yourself out of your comfort zone from time to time, especially if you want to advance your business, or advance yourself to reach a personal goal. Have the courage to meet with an industry leader to learn more about the field, their experiences, and to learn from their mistakes. Firsthand knowledge is the best information out there. Besides the fact that you are learning firsthand from an industry leader, you have made a contact with which you can start to build your network from. Business is people. It is not always what you know, but whom you know. Use these experiences, although sometimes uncomfortable and nerve-racking to your advantage

When you look back on these experiences that seemed so tough and out of your normal reality, you will realize that when you focus, you can do anything you set your mind to. These small bursts, when you step out of your comfort zone and strive to meet a goal you thought may be impossible, will become more frequent as you continue to push yourself and your confidence builds. For the warrior mindset is one to never give up.