Thinking in An Entrepreneurial Way

The below is an excerpt from Rha Goddess’s new book, THE CALLING: 3 Fundamental Shifts to Stay True, Get Paid, and Do Good.

THE CALLING offers a step-by-step roadmap for defining your goals and establishing practices for success—both in your business and personal lives—that are always in alignment with your values, talents, and the difference you want to make in the world.  As we begin 2021, take stock and start to recover from an unprecedented time defined by COVID-19 and the racial awakening, Rha’s six-step True. Paid. Good. process has never been more relevant for anyone ready to set a radically new foundation for life and work. 

True entrepreneurs believe in their power to create—but to be honest, just because someone owns a business does not mean that they are entrepreneurial. There are many business owners who run their shops by default, just as there are many leaders at corporations who intentionally run business units that soar. And much like the concept of sufficiency, entrepreneurship begins as a state of mind. How will your new perspective on money and economy inform the choices while doing business? Whether or not you consider yourself an entrepreneur, as a conscious creator, there is tremendous value in bringing a conscious entrepreneurial approach to your business interactions. To that end, I’ve come up with 14 keys to thinking in an entrepreneurial way. Which of these resonate with you?

1. You Have A Bold Vision: You have an idea or inspiration that won’t go away. You can’t stop thinking, dreaming, scheming, and sometimes, much to others chagrin, talking about it. Basically, you’re obsessed—and you won’t be happy until you do something about it. 

2. You’re Goal/Action Oriented: Your natural inclination is to go the extra mile and do more about things that are important to you. Speaking is a great start, but it only gets you so far—at some point, you know most of your talking will come when you’re moving the ball down the court. You also see a strong connection between who you are and what you’re doing. 

3. You’re Willing to Learn As You Go: You don’t need to have all the answers, and you inherently know this. You’re willing to figure it out and make the road by walking. 

4. You’re Resourceful: You know how to use what you’ve been given and leverage your knowledge, skills, networks, and opportunities. You see multiple possibilities when it comes to getting things done. You always cultivate new resources even if you’re not yet how you’ll use them. 

5. You’re Courageous: Fear does not paralyze you; it inspires you to move. Anything worth doing is going to invite you to grow. 

6. You Know How to Listen: You know how to listen to your gut, your team, keep your ear to the ground with your clients, and read the zeitgeist. All of it informs how you serve. 

7. You’re Up for the Challenge: When things get interesting, you lean forward. Natural curiosity kicks in, and you get energized. You’re willing to hang in and try to figure it out when most run for the hills. You make tough calls and hard decisions from a place of motivation, not defeat. 

8. You’re Resilient: You keep rising even if you get knocked down. When one door closes, you know another will open. You take the shots and integrate the learning. You use everything that happens to make you clearer, stronger, and more determined. Nothing stops your zest for life. 

9. You Focus On What’s Important: You focus on vital actions—IE, things that forward your goals and aspirations. You keep your eyes on the prize and do what matters. 

10. You’re Results Oriented But..: You deliver. You’re clear on objectives and work to achieve them. But they don’t define you. You determine when and where they’re best used, and when they need to change. You bring your best effort and intention to every goal, and let go of what you can’t control. 

11. You March to The Beat Of Your Own Drum: You feel like an outsider because you see things differently than the people around you. You may not fit in, but you know you have something valuable to contribute. Your methods may be a bit unorthodox, but they are effective. 

12. You Know Your Value: You know the impact of what you have to offer in any given context. You are adamant about ensuring the quality of those benefits. You continuously invest in yourself and in those benefits so you can deliver even more value to those you serve. 

13. You Take Responsibility For Your Success: You have a vision for what success looks like and take full responsibility in achieving what you want. You realize that success is both defined by and up to you. 

14. You Know How To Inspire Others: You know making things happen is a team sport and requires an ability to ignite the potential for meaningful contribution in others. You know how to be both collaborative and directive.