A growth mindset for entrepreneurs is a must.
We have all heard about growth mindset when it comes to students and their education, however this mindset stretches far beyond school and is extremely advantageous for entrepreneurs as well. When we embrace challenges, look for new ways of doing things and understand that we are always learning, we adopt a growth mindset into every facet of our lives.
What is a Growth Mindset?
“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” (Carol Dweck)
People with a growth mindset understand that knowledge can always be acquired and that intelligence can be developed. Nothing is fixed and we can always improve. A “growth mindset,” thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities. (Forbes)
Employing a Growth Mindset for Entrepreneurs
Below are five ways that entrepreneurs can work on their growth mindset while building their product and scaling a business.
View Challenges as Opportunities. Don’t be afraid to fail. Whether this failure comes when you are developing you first prototype or you hit an unexpected manufacturing snag, try to view these challenges as opportunities to learn and improve.
Embrace Imperfection and Mistakes. When it comes to building a product and launching your business, it’s only natural that you want everything to be perfect and go smoothly. More often that not, this is not reality though. As an entrepreneur/inventor you are going to hit roadblocks and it’s how you handle those that shows your true grit and pushes your business persevere.
Take Risks. Calculated risks are worth taking when it comes to building your business. Try to avoid the negative “what ifs” and embrace the empowering “What if I succeed?” Of course, we all understand that failure happens, but by failing, iterating, pivoting and trying again you are much more likely to come out on top.
Stop Seeking Approval from Everyone. This is a hard one for entrepreneurs because it seems like approval is necessary when it comes to building your product, however it’s not. You don’t need mass approval, you only need approval by those who matter, your customers. Not everyone is going to like your product, and that’s okay, they aren’t your target market. Your customers are what matter and by talking to them frequently you can build a strong relationship where you both learn from one another.
Be Open to Change. We see entrepreneurs and inventors come in with a product idea and they are hesitant to change even the slightest detail of it. Understanding that your product can change to meet manufacturing requirements or customer needs will help as you scale your business. You might think that a product feature is necessary, while your customer finds it cumbersome. Be open to listening to your customer and making necessary changes.
Harnessing a growth mindset for entrepreneurs is one easy way to propel your business forward towards success.
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3D Innovations is a Product Development Company – from the 3D Design to a fully functional 3D Prototype & Product.
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