Unraveling The YES Entrepreneurial Mindset: Loops of Success Beyond Q1
This blog doesn’t include an HR Department….
This week’s blog is all about The YES Entrepreneurial Mindset Loop. There’s nothing that loops me into corporate jargon like the letter and number combo of “Q1.” Since I’m not about that corporate life, let’s keep this newsletter business-casual...Trigger Warning: I did use the word “input/output” a few times, just in case that launches you into a corporate jargon spiral of doom.
We’re ending the madness of March with a deeper dive into WTF the YES Entrepreneurial Mindset even means and why it matters. Don’t worry, I’m also looping back to the newsletter from last week to show you how it’s all connected…..ya know, per my last email (ha, see what I did there?!)
What is the YES Entrepreneurial Mindset?
The YES Entrepreneurial Mindset covers four (4) key areas that are pivotal in fostering business mastery, personal development, and mindset strategy:
1) Creative thinking and Curiosity
2) Decision-making and Decisiveness
3) Ability to Learn from Experiences
4) Accountability
I always try to consider one of the above things when writing topics for blog posts, developing tools, or finding ways to cultivate more mindfulness and entrepreneurial growth.
So, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that you read last week’s newsletter (if not, you can read it here) but I looped you in about all things “The Feedback Loop.” Last week, we used that framework to help conquer your to-do lists and increase your productivity. Now, I’m taking The Feedback Loop framework as it pertains to each of the four (4) key areas of The YES Entrepreneurial Mindset so that you can build upon your productivity even further.
Think of it like this: last week was a zoomed-in version of your productivity focusing on one key area, and this week is a zoomed-out version of your productivity focusing on the whole picture.
Hot Tip: Each of these categories can be its own loop, and each can build upon one another…so it’s like loops within loops….
Now let’s bring it to life.
Creative Thinking and Curiosity - Whip your creativity into shape with feedback
Feedback Input: Gather feedback from customers, employees, mentors, and the market regarding current products, services, and business practices.
Process: Use this feedback to engage in creative thinking. Brainstorm innovative solutions, alternative approaches, and new ideas that could address the feedback received.
Output: Develop new or improved products, services, or processes based on creative solutions.
Decision-making and Decisiveness - Make decisions that count and stand by them
Feedback Input: Reflect on the outcomes of the decisions made in response to the creative thinking phase. Collect data on the effectiveness, customer reception, and operational impacts of these decisions.
Process: Assess this information critically to understand the effectiveness of your decisions. Consider the results in the context of your business goals and values.
Output: Make informed, decisive actions to continue, adjust, or discontinue the changes implemented. Commit to these decisions and implement them promptly.
Ability to learn from experiences - Learn from every outcome. Rinse and repeat.
Feedback Input: Analyze the results of your decisive actions, focusing on both successes and failures. Gather detailed feedback on what worked well and what did not.
Process: Reflect on this feedback to identify lessons learned and insights gained. Understand the reasons behind successes and failures.
Output: Apply these lessons to future strategies, decisions, and creative processes. Adjust your approach based on what you have learned to improve outcomes.
Accountability - Learn from your results and set your sights higher.
Feedback Input: Hold yourself accountable for the outcomes of your actions and decisions. Collect feedback on your own performance and the impact of your leadership on the business.
Process: Evaluate your actions honestly, recognizing your successes and acknowledging areas for improvement. Share these findings with your team, mentors, or a personal journal to formalize the reflection process.
Output: Set personal and business goals based on this self-reflection. Develop action plans for personal development and business improvement. Communicate these plans and your commitment to them to your team and stakeholders.
Just like last week - let’s put this to work in your actual life and actual business instead of just all the talking/reading and conceptualizing…
It’s time to take a Reality Inventory:
The YES Entrepreneurial Mindset Feedback Loop can be broken down into daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly exercises that can help with your productivity and business ideas. It’s also a great time to start discovering, reflecting, and implementing these key tools because Q1 is about to be over and it’s the perfect time to check in with yourself and your business. Just a quick self-promotional plug - this is loosely based on my book The Possibility Project.
Daily Reflections - This is perfect for Creative Thinking
Morning or Night reflect on your previous day on what worked and didn’t work (whether in business or life)
Write down any new ideas, solutions, or new choices you can make moving forward. Don’t filter, just write - this is a great “brain dumping” exercise if you don’t practice one already.
Weekly - This is perfect for Decision Making and Decisiveness.
At the end of the week reflect on the ideas you collected above. Ask yourself, “Where am I struggling?” “Where do I need help?” “Where do I feel confident?” and “What did I learn?”
Choose which of the ideas to implement. Make clear action steps for the next week ahead.
Monthly - This is perfect for the Ability to Learn from Experiences.
Each “a” is the same - At the end of the month, look back at each of the previous week’s actions to implement. Which worked, which didn’t work?
Journal or reflect on what you learned, where you failed, and where you created success. This is also a great place to set a goal for yourself for next month.
Quarterly - This is the perfect place for Accountability.
At the end of the quarter, reflect back on your own performance in business or life, but honestly do both. Focus of the impact of your decision-making and the ability to adapt and learn.
Set a goal for yourself for the next quarter. Develop a clear action plan that you can use this feedback loop to begin again. Ask yourself, “What do I need to pursue, pivot, or punt next quarter?”
Share your goals. Whether it’s with me, social media, your team, your mentor, or your cat…. You are more likely to achieve your goals with this accountability.
Bonus - Add a moment at the end of your feedback loop for new integrations. What is a problem you need to solve? What is something that isn’t working? Where is somewhere you are struggling? These questions can help set you up for the next upward momentum of the Feedback Loop to keep propelling you forward.
This reality inventory is something that I practice a lot and have for a long time, I just didn’t realize the framework I was using until I wrote my book. While many people find goals to be daunting, breaking them up into small sections like quarterly, monthly, weekly, and all the way down to daily has really helped me stay focused and intentional.
With March and Q1 coming to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on your business and your mindset…and the best way to do that? The Feedback Loop - OMG I hope you didn’t forget already. Using the four cornerstones of Creative Thinking and Curiosity, Decision-making and Deciseness, Learning from Experiences, and Accountability - we’ve dug into how these loops propel us forward into personal growth and business innovation.
No more conceptualizing or actually spiraling into doom. By discovering and using The Feedback Loop you can zoom in or zoom out on your business and productivity practices anytime you need to using The Feedback Loop for your to-do’s or The YES Entrepreneurial Mindset Loop.
Now you will be the greatest entrepreneur who is a proactive synergy cultivator, masterfully blending high-octane productivity with serene mindfulness practices, orchestrating a holistic ecosystem where innovative workflows meet zen-like focus. As a visionary leveraging mindful methodologies to navigate the bustling marketplace, crafting a balanced portfolio of mindful initiatives and productivity hacks, all while maintaining an aura of calm amidst the entrepreneurial storm that is your life. Honestly, I don’t even know what any of that means, but you sound like a BFD (Big F*cking Deal.)
Don’t let all these loops get to your head, grab hold and use them as tools for productivity, purpose, and growth. From here it’s time to spiral into courage, stand in your capability, and harness your strength because you can only soar up from here.
Before you go, I’d love it if you could give me some feedback about this newsletter…ya know so I can walk the walk. CLICK HERE to take THE YES Entrepreneurial Mindset Newsletter Survey.