I recently wrote about the power of developing small habits as an entrepreneur that can lead to big things. Here are some thoughts on bad habits to avoid that can negatively impact your business in the long run.

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Focusing on things you can’t control

It is easy to get caught in a cycle of focusing on news, competitors, market conditions, etc. Be careful: not only can they suck time out of your day, you have very little control to change them. Instead, observe and apply the learnings to how you act as a company versus spending energy dwelling on areas outside of your control.

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Focusing on results at the expense of process

It is easy to focus on achieving specific results - and those are important. However, good process is usually a leading indicator of future outcomes. In the short term outcomes can be achieved or missed; but in the long run you won’t consistently hit outcomes without good process. That process could be in sales, with your team, with your operations, etc. Don’t focus too much on short term results and miss the bigger picture.

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Looking for (and believing) “yes’s”

As an entrepreneur (and human) you are often looking for validation. As you are doing customer discovery or as you are having sales meetings, the tendency is to listen for what you want to hear. This can be misleading as people are often nice and tell you your idea is great or they want to buy your solution … but that is often not the truth. Instead, look for people who say no and understand why. Use different perspectives to challenge and evolve your thinking versus just hearing all the “yes’s” and not making the adjustment.

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There are many other examples of dangerous habits in terms of culture, operations, or other areas. Focus on building small quality habits that can lead to positive outcomes.

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