Businesses are not the product of a Eureka moment. They are decisions shaped by thoughts, perceptions, habits, behaviors, and preferences that you’ve developed over time.
Since all these things are, in turn, shaped by culture, upbringing, environment, education, and experience, the decision to start a business won’t happen in a second. It’s not like you woke up one morning and realized that starting a business would be a good idea. Most likely, it’s an idea that’s been brewing in your brain for some time; you simply didn’t have the maturity or drive back then to act on it like you do right now.
Did you dabble with selling small things as a child or teenager? Apart from the obvious fact that you needed money, these early attempts at doing business, in a way, reflected your thoughts, habits, and behaviors at the time. For example, did you sell brownies in school? Either you were into baking or knew someone who was — your mother or sister, perhaps?
What you choose to do for a business is not entirely separate from your life. According to Catholic lay preacher, entrepreneur, and best-selling author Bo Sanchez, in his book 8 Secrets of the Truly Rich, you are the product of your thoughts, choices, and habits. ”You’ve been creating your life a long, long time ago. Even if you didn’t know you were doing it. By the choices that you made in the past (even the choice of not choosing), you were creating your life,” he wrote.
He explained that the thoughts you choose become your psychology, which then evolves into your habit or behavior and produces specific consequences. By choosing a particular thought or habit, you are in effect choosing a particular consequence in your life, such as becoming rich or poor.
If you plan to start a business now or in the future, check your thoughts and habits. Do you have the thoughts and habits of a potentially successful entrepreneur?