When starting a business many people set goals of what size they expect to grow it to, how much money they want to make… and many other ‘end results’ they expect from their business.

Of course we all want to be successful.

Doesn’t everyone want to be the very best version of themselves they can be? – If you’re reading this you most likely fit in that category… Are you willing to do whatever it takes? Are you willing to take action? Do you have what it takes to make it happen? –

Of course you want to live the biggest, boldest life you can… and the thought of living life surrendered to mediocrity is virtually unbearable. I know I feel like that…

So what is holding you back?

Making excuses or quitting is never going to get you where you want to be.

Having goals is absolutely important, but goals are just dreams if you don’t take action.

Achieving those goals is awesome and will feel great – but that is not what the big win is. After all, don’t successful people set new, higher goals even before they attain the current ones?

So what then is the real win?

What is the single most valuable takeaway from any worthy experience?

It is the development of the mastery of a whole new set of skills.

In the world of business, developing and mastering highly specialized ‘start-up’ skills will allow you to apply them to virtually any business, product or idea and create a successful path each time.

Here’s one tip; take the emotion out of the process. This is easier said than done – but it becomes easier with more experience, skill development and focus. Everyone is excited when first developing the ideas behind starting a business; but what is it that carries them through the troubled times later on? Emotions need to be reserved for important stuff – like family, dear friends, health, births and deaths – to name a few. Not business, believe me when I say, your business doesn’t have any ‘feelings’ toward you, it couldn’t give a rip who owns it, or even whether it succeed of fails – it’s just a thing. It has no feelings, and if you dig deep, a business owners feelings and passion for their business is not really about the ‘business’ – it’s about what the business does for them, what it provides for them and their loved ones.

Another tip; set reasonable goals AND apply deadlines – goals without deadlines are just dreams. Don’t be a dreamer, be a doer.

And one more tip while we’re at it; Successful business people do not allow themselves to get stuck in the weeds. They do not allow challenges to stop them – as I like to say; “They get shit done”. From my perspective this is a very critical skill that most every successful entrepreneur has learned to master.

And learn to celebrate your victories – regardless of their size.

The bottom line to being successful is in business (as in professional sports) there are no acceptable excuses.

This quick blog post was to share some of the basics about becoming a successful entrepreneur and business owner – of course there are more critical skills to learn and master and I discuss these greater depth in my book, “Live in Entrepreneurial Freedom” or my online entrepreneurship program.