Everyone knows business comes with its challenges but learning from the best is a great way to overcome those hurdles. You can research all day about building your business but there are certain habits and traits that many successful entrepreneurs have that you need to start doing too.

From successful serial entrepreneurs to famous ones like Richard Branson and Mark Cuban, the lessons they’ve learned have allowed them to follow a set of habits and become successful at any business they set their mind to.

You may think it’s hard to compare yourself as a small business owner but remember many of the most successful entrepreneurs were once in the same place you are. Here are some of the top things highly successful owners do that make all the difference for their businesses.

1. Never stop learning

Read, read and read some more. Never feel like you know everything and be prepared to make mistakes, instead of brushing those failures under the carpet, ensure you reflect and take the opportunity to learn. Keep teaching yourself, stay aware and always be on the lookout to learn some more, the truly successful continue to stay dissatisfied and hungry with what they know. Whether that’s finding a great business podcast you like or subscribing to a magazine, find what works for you so that you can always keep well informed.

1. Set SMART goals

Before setting your business goals, ask yourself these questions: what do you want to get out of your business? What will your business look like in 5 years and what can you be doing now to reach your long-term goals? There’s a good reason why your teachers would constantly bang on about critical thinking, it helps you reach your goals by ensuring you’re looking at the bigger picture to know if your efforts are worth your time and money. The next time you’re setting yourself a goal, use SMART goals (specfic, measurable, achievable, results-focused and time-bound). Instead of saying you want to “increase website traffic” try “Increase the number of new users onto the website landing page by 15% by December 2022.” This will help you to measure and keep track of your goals for success.

3) Create success routines

The most successful entrepreneurs are strict with their routines, I’m sure you’ve heard of some famous business owners saying they wake up before the sun rises, hit the gym, go to work and don’t leave until they finish everything for that day. You don’t have to wake up at 4 am to be successful, find a routine that works well for you, still be kind to yourself and ensure you’re keeping a healthy work-life balance but try to maintain that routine as much as you can. Organising your time keeps productivity and motivation high which are key for creating a successful routine and business.

4) Always be self-aware

Knowing what you can and can’t do well will really help you understand your strengths for delegating tasks. Being aware of your personality can help you seek help when you need it and allows you to work better in a team. To become more successful, it also helps to know your flaws so you can focus on improvement and encourage a better environment for yourself and others.

5) Make long-term decisions

To be successful you need to be thinking ahead, if you consistently base your decisions around ‘the now’, you will inevitably make more work for yourself. Strategise and make decisions that will benefit your business for the months to come. Ask yourself where do you want to be in your 1st year? How many products or clients would you like to have? Organising your goals and time around long term plans allows you to focus on your business’s future for success.

We know how stressful it can be to run a business and ensure you’re doing everything right but remember these things can take time. On average it can take 2 months to build a new habit but if you’re consistent and always trying then you’re already heading in the right direction. We hope we’ve helped to give you some tips and insights on successful business habits but if you need more help and guidance, we are here.

Our Engine Room programme provides expert guidance through weekly Zoom sessions in small close-knit groups of 6. The sessions include expert-led masterclasses delivered every 3 weeks by our wonderful partners. This is your chance to be part of an engaged community of founders, delivering business growth and collaboration. To find out more please visit https://www.enterpriseorchard.co.uk/the-engine-room