10 Questions Every Successful Entrepreneur Asks Herself

“I can’t wait to be a huge success! But how can I THINK like a successful entrepreneur before I actually AM one?”

Ask any hugely successful entrepreneur or CEO what has been the #1 KEY to their success, and she’ll almost definitely tell you the same thing: Having the right mindset.

And that mostly comes down to asking herself the right QUESTIONS throughout the day, and at each key moment in her business!

So how can you adopt the right MINDSET for success starting today? Start by reading through the top 10 questions every successful entrepreneur asks herself!

1. How is my attitude impacting my results?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO pays close attention to her mindset, because she knows that negative or destructive attitudes can creep in and sabotage the success of the business! As an entrepreneur, you are the heart + soul of your business.

Try it on for size

When something isn’t working in your business, ask yourself:

If my attitude contributing to this situation?
How might a different attitude make things better?
What attitude would be more effective here?

2. What can I learn from this mistake or setback?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO doesn’t have time to wallow in failures and setbacks! Of course she feels disappointment like the rest of us, but she immediately bounces back and starts looking for the lesson. She knows that real success is built on a pile of failures, and setbacks offer valuable teaching moments that make the business stronger over time!

Every obstacle and setback has a lesson to teach you, if you pay close enough attention!

Try it on for size

Think about your last setback, whether it was five months ago or five minutes ago. Ask yourself:

What can I learn from this?
What is the universe trying to teach or remind me?
How will my business (and I) be better one year from now BECAUSE of this setback?

3. What is going well that I want to continue or expand?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO focuses on what IS working, just as much or more than she focuses on what isn’t. She knows that what she focuses on and nurtures with her time and attention tends to grow.

Try it on for size

Anytime you think about the future of your business, ask yourself:

What is already going well?
What deserves more of my attention?
What should we do MORE of because it is working?

4. What is the best use of my strengths in this situation?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO knows that it’s smarter to lean into and leverage her own strengths, than to waste time trying to compensate for her weaknesses. She doesn’t try to be “all things to all people” - instead, she knows it’s better if each person operates in their own zone of genius.

Try it on for size

Look at a situation where you feel pressure to perform. Ask yourself:

What weaknesses am I trying to hide?
What gifts + strengths would benefit this situation?
What could happen if I fully leverage my gifts in this situation?

5. Who could do this task better or faster than me?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO knows the value of delegation and bringing in the experts. She doesn’t waste time trying to do a task she’s not adept at or passionate about; instead, she creates space for others to shine, and for everyone in the business to operate within their own zone of genius.

Try it on for size

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the tasks on your plate, ask yourself:

Which of these tasks am I not very good at?
Which of these tasks drain my energy + enthusiasm?
What is the cost to the business of me trying to do these tasks?
Who would thrive at these tasks?

6. What single action will make the biggest impact?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO is always looking for the shortest possible path to success, and the strongest leverage points that create the biggest results. It’s tempting to throw extra steps into the path, in an attempt to increase the distance between you and a potential failure. But the successful entrepreneur would rather fail sooner, and learn from it.

Try it on for size

If you’re not sure where to focus to reach your goal, ask yourself:

What is the shortest path to reaching my goal?
What steps are not actually necessary?

7. What are the main points of friction limiting results?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO knows that if a system isn’t working, it’s better to fix it than to throw it out and start over. She knows that the work poured into the current version is valuable and worth saving, and she just needs to smooth out the points of friction in order to get the system working.

Try it on for size

If you’re frustrated with a current system and want to fix it, ask yourself:

What parts are already working well? What parts aren’t?
What are the main points of friction?
What 3 small tweaks could I create a smoothly running system?

8. Where is the opportunity in this challenge?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO sees challenges as opportunities. She knows that “the obstacle is the way,” and the main challenges she faces are there to illuminate the fastest path forward. She doesn’t get bogged down in regretting the challenge, or wishing it weren’t there… instead, she looks for the opportunity.

Try it on for size

If you’re frustrated by a current challenge, ask yourself:

One year from now, why will I be grateful that I faced this challenge?
Who else can benefit from my solution to this challenge?

9. What are the long-term impacts of this action?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO thinks long-term about her actions. She’s interested in quick results, but not at the expense of long-term success. She thinks about long-term impacts on: public + brand image, customer satisfaction and success, financial gains, community sustainability, etc.

Try it on for size

If you’re making a big decision, ask yourself:

What choice will I wish I had made, 10 years from now?
What choice would I want my children to make someday?

10. What is the biggest customer problem we can solve right now?

The successful entrepreneur or CEO may focus on expanding the things that are working, but she’s also always on the lookout for new problems that need solving. She pays attention when her customers express their pain points and frustrations, and looks for ways to solve those problems in new, innovative, convenient, and SCALABLE ways.

Try it on for size

If your sales aren’t up to snuff, ask yourself:

What is the biggest problem that my customers have, that I can solve?
How can I solve their problem in 3 steps?

Recap

To recap, here are the top 10 questions every successful entrepreneur asks herself!

How is my attitude impacting my results?
What can I learn from this mistake or setback?
What is going well that I want to expand?
What’s the best use of my gifts in this situation?
Who could do this task better than me?
What single action will have the greatest results?
What are the main points of friction limiting results?
Where is the opportunity in this challenge?
What will be the long-term impacts of this action?
What is the biggest problem our customer is facing today?

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