After spending years working with expertise businesses, it’s become pretty easy to figure out who is most likely to grow their practice—and who will get stuck.
The soloists who are reaching their self-defined pinnacle of success are constantly practicing—and mastering—five key mindsets:
You follow your north star—a vision that guides you in your work and your life.
When you first hang your shingle, your vision might be as simple as “I don’t want to work for a paycheck ever again.” In the early days, that’s a powerful motivator.
But over time, master soloists get more focused on the change they want to make in the world—and for whom. They get hyper-specific on what their ideal world looks like and it’s much bigger than just themselves.
You think like an investor.
What did you tell yourself the last time you made—or chose not to make—an investment in your future?
Did you say, “Yes, this would be good to do but I just can’t afford it” and then let it drop?
That’s poverty thinking when the expense is an investment that will build your business far beyond this cost.
Instead, your job is to find a way to fund what you need (even when the “cost” is your time).
You are willing to experiment, even when it feels risky and/or vulnerable.
There are seldom guarantees in life or in business. Part of becoming a master soloist is getting comfortable with taking different kinds of risk.
Putting yourself in a vulnerable spot pretty much always feels risky. The trick is to get in the habit of experimenting, so you gradually get more comfortable with incremental risk.
Then when it’s time to decide whether a major risk makes sense, you can evaluate your next big move with a clear head.
You know your genius zone and park yourself there.
It usually takes some twists and turns to identify your genius zone, never mind the courage to stake your business to it.
The most successful soloists have figured out what they do well (and want to keep doing) and have aligned their business model and ideal clients around that fact. They say no to even tempting distractions because they are exquisitely clear on their right fits.
You create circles of support—from industry allies to service providers to home front partners.
It takes a village—one you’ve carefully constructed to meet your needs and have your back.
And that includes a home team: your various partners who ensure you have the time, energy and health to devote to your business and ALL your other priorities.
Your mindset is a powerful thing in your business—why not work at mastering it?
Related: Why a Few Reminders of Your Best Work Can Come in Handy