Us entrepreneurs are risk-taking, passionate humans on a mission to manifest our dreams and make things happen. We tend to be filled with courage and a willingness to try new things. This is great and absolutely essential to our growth, but an often overlooked skill we must cultivate to be successful is tenacity.
What is tenacity?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, tenacity is defined as “the quality or fact of being able to grip something firmly.”
What tenacity important to entrepreneurs?
As I’m sure you’ve found on your entrepreneurial journey, there are many shiny objects vying for your attention. And because entrepreneurs embrace trying new things, it’s easy to get off track and distracted by all the opportunities that come your way.
From marketing tactics to starting new lines of business, hopping from thing to thing can quickly become a recipe for disaster. You need to be calculated and careful with your actions, so you don’t lose grip of your vision.
Why is being tenacious so tough?
Entrepreneurs constantly find themselves in two states of mind – excitement and fear/anxiety. Because of this you likely experience times when you are doing “all the things” to try and turn your idea into a reality or stop a problem.
When you are starting your business you may attempt to jump on every networking opportunity you encounter to grow your brand awareness. While this strategy in theory is great, the truth is it can take you away from other essential tasks you need to be working on.
When your business is plateauing or struggling, you may take a stab at all the marketing options to try and frantically generate revenue. But without a strategic approach all that energy and financial output is fruitless.
Staying the course isn’t easy.
We live in an era where we have an overwhelming amount of information and opportunities at our fingertips, so it’s important to stay focused in the midst of it all. Let go of FOMO and have the strength to stick with your plan and see it through. Don’t let what others are doing send you astray.
How do you cultivate tenacity?
Here are 4 simple steps from Entrepreneur.com’s article, “Why Tenacity is One of the Most Crticial but Overlooked Entrepreneurial Skills” to cultivate tenacity.
Set Goals
You need to know what you are holding onto, so take time to set clear goals. Without knowing where you are going, you will easily be distracted.
Prioritize Habits
Goals are your endpoint, habits get you there. Since you never truly have control over the outcome of your goals, you need to set your focus on what you can do each day to move towards them. Turn your action steps into habits!
Love what you do
I don’t 100% agree with this tip, because sometimes I think love can be blinding (in relationships and business). BUT…when you love what you do, you are more likely to hold on to it.
Surround yourself with tenacious people
You are who you surround yourself with, so cultivate a circle of tenacious, focused, driven people. You’ll be amazed how much impact this has on your ability to stay the course and get things done.
Tenacity equals success
The most successful entrepreneurs are tenacious in the pursuit of their goals. They fight through the inevitable tough times with determination and persistence. They set goals, create a plan, execute it daily, and maintain a support system of like-minded people. So, moral of the story – hold onto what you believe in and see it through!
Need support?
Sometimes it’s hard to know if your vision and goals are realistic and achievable. Book a FREE Businss Coaching session to talk through your goals, ideas and challenges!
