From Employee to Owner: A Shift in Mentality

Introduction: For generations, the traditional educational system has played a pivotal role in molding individuals into employees, has bred employees for generations, which isn't a bad thing, it has been a stable economic state for the masses, while also providing skilled labor for those who know how to organize efforts of skilled labor. It creates an income for the laborers (doctors to blue collar trades fall into this category). It creates wealth for those who can organize the efforts of the right people into a business system or team. Both win in this system, as nations without this type of system continually struggle with mass poverty. However if one decides that they want to move from employee to owner, for a variety of reasons, perhaps more opportunity, control over their time, and so on. There are fundamental shifts in thinking that must occur for success and I will outline a few here.

1. The "Figure It Out" Mentality: Owners adopt a "figure it out" mentality, understanding that the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. So when problems inevitably happen, (they are hopefully predicted ahead of time), an owner can't wait to be managed (having somebody else to tell you what you can do). An owner has to take the reigns and figure it out, hopefully even predicts problems in advance of having them and designs a better system continually. An owner doesn't make excuses, they take ownership. It's called responsibility, which can be broken down response-ability meaning your ability to respond. So no lame excuses allowed. This really breeds creativity, competence, and credibility. When you don’t wait around for others to figure out solutions to your problems, others see you are more valuable and you naturally become a leader. The best leaders don’t set out to become leaders, they are simply good examples and that example produces influence. The adage is that only those who don’t desire power can be trusted with it.

2. Disciplined Time Management: Owners embrace disciplined time management and calendar planning, prioritizing tasks based on importance. This shift requires problem-solving and critical thinking skills. The focus is not merely on creating checklists but on discerning and organizing efforts effectively. Success demands discipline in prioritizing the essential over the trivial, ultimately leading to time gained and progress.

3. Leveraging Time: Unlike a manager's checklist mentality, owners must navigate through tasks with a different perspective. It's not just about completing tasks; it's about discerning the most important priorities from the trivial many. This shift requires a combination of problem-solving and critical thinking skills. However, the transition from thinking to doing is essential for tangible results.

Prioritizing tasks: At the core of effective time management and calendar planning is the ability to prioritize tasks. Owners must invest time in discerning the significance of each activity before organizing their efforts accordingly. This disciplined approach ensures that the most important tasks take precedence over the less critical ones.

Goal-Oriented Decision Making: To filter through choices and prioritize effectively, owners need to assess each decision's impact on their overarching goals. Every choice is viewed through the lens of whether it brings them closer to or farther away from their objectives. This mindset eliminates the perception of neutrality of choices, forcing owners to be serious about their decisions.

Discipline and Success: Success is not sympathetic to the validity of one's excuses. Owners need to embrace a disciplined approach to focus on the most important tasks rather than succumbing to the trivial many. While this may seem rigid, exercising discipline in prioritizing tasks not only yields progress but also creates a surplus of time. By consistently prioritizing the most important tasks, owners find themselves gaining time rather than losing it. The proactive approach to time management results in progress and accomplishment. This stands in contrast to the common tendency of focusing on less critical tasks, leading to stress and unfulfilled goals.

Owners are disciplined with time management and calendar planning. The tasks chosen to be put on their schedule day to day end up netting out their results, productive or unproductive. So an owner needs to be able to sort through and prioritize the most important priority over the trivial many. This is very different than a check list mentality generated by a manager to keep people on task. This shift to owner requires problem solving & critical thinking skills. But it can't only stay in the thinking state, it needs to shift to the doing state. So back to time management and calendar planning, scheduling your calendar to prioritize the most important to least important activities is paramount. An owner must first take the time to discern, then be disciplined enough to organize their efforts accordingly. One of the best ways to filter the most important instead of the trivial, is to consider every choice and if it will get you closer to your goal, or farther away from it. Nothing is neutral and it makes you get serious about your choices. This may seem rigid, but success does not have sympathy for the validity of your excuse. The good news is that if you exercise discipline in the most important things over the trivial many, you actually gain time back and drive progress. But most people focus on things that don’t actually generate the results they want, and then try to cram in with guilt and pressure the most important (if they ever get to it), which produces stress and never manifests the desired results.

4. Dominating Their Minds: Entrepreneurs focus on dominating their own minds, understanding the importance of minding their own business. By concentrating on their goals and the path ahead, they avoid being consumed by external distractions. The phrase "Mind your own business" takes on a literal meaning, emphasizing the power of one's dominant thoughts in shaping their life.

5. Fearless Decision-Making: Entrepreneurs base their choices on faith rather than fear. While not dismissing the possibility of failure, they prioritize success. Unlike employees who focus on paying down debt with limited income, entrepreneurs aim to build something of substantial value, paying off debts through asset-based income. They understand that a wealth-conscious approach is essential for creating lasting prosperity.

Conclusion: The journey from being an employee to an entrepreneur involves more than a change in occupation; it requires a fundamental shift in mentality. Entrepreneurs embrace responsibility, disciplined time management, leverage their time wisely, dominate their minds, and make fearless decisions. This transition is not just about financial success but about creating a lasting impact and contributing to a legacy that extends beyond one's lifetime.

-Bobby Campbell

https://linktr.ee/BobbyCampbell