As business owners we are usually focused on our day-to-day activities.  The everyday tasks can become habitual and repetitive.  It is a good idea to have some things on cruise control, but not those things that have the greatest impact on our business.  It's time we focus on our ABS...no, not those abs, but our Attitudes, Beliefs, and Skills!

Imagine you had to remember every little action or thought in the day, like how to brush your teeth, how to tie your shoes, how to drive, or how to turn on your computer.  There is no doubt that habits are helpful, but they also can be harmful.  Bad habits can cause us to continuously repeat non-productive behaviors.  And when we rely on them too strongly, we fail to exercise our imagination and stretch our capabilities.  We become complacent with the familiar and fail to try new, creative and possibly better ideas and methods.

In order to succeed, we must develop beneficial habits that result in productive behaviors. We need to continually evaluate the effectiveness of our habits and eliminate the ones that are preventing us from achieving our goals. We can replace ineffective habits with more constructive habits, when we understand the process of habit formation and habit change.

We form habits by assessing a given situation. By deciding what action to take, taking the action, and then evaluating the result. Much of this happens below our level of consciousness.  If the outcome is satisfactory, we will repeat the action in similar circumstances. If it continues to produce desirable results, our brain catalogs this action as a good habit for future use.  The goodness of a habit is reinforced by successful repetition. Over time a good habit becomes instinctual.  The brain no longer needs to filter the catalog of habits.  

Attitudes are habits of thought that govern the way we relate to people and situations.  We develop these over time as we form views on how people should act, how things should be, and how situations should be handled. What we think will determine our attitude toward it.  Our attitude prompts our behavior and that behavior will dictate our results.  There is no doubt that we want to grow our business, our client base, our relationships and our bottom-line. 

So here are 3 tips to help you:

1) We must be continually sharpening our skills to stay on top of what is new and what differentiates us in our specific industry and our business in general.

2) We must continue to meet new people who are not in our industry or field, and ask them for solutions to problems we may encounter. Many times exposure to a different perspective can help us solve an issue or prevent one. 

3) We must learn new skills that will help to revive our imagination or stretch our creativity.  

So remember to exercise your ABS: Attitude, Behavior & Skills often to develop your strengths.  Just like your physical muscles, these core muscles in your business must be kept flexible for growth!

For more information, contact Bertha Robinson at (201) 481-2133

Or visit her website: Star One Professional Services