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5 Negative Habits Every Entrepreneur Needs To Quit For A Successful BusinessĀ 

building self-confidence finding contentment negative self-talk positive thinking relational business Jan 25, 2023
Stressed woman sitting at her desk and leaning on her hands
The fastest way to kill your business is with negativity.
 
Let’s be honest - practicing positivity is much harder than coasting along in negativity. And it’s really easy to be negative when you’re tired, stressed, stretched, and anxious - 4  very common characteristics of entrepreneurs.
 
But a negative attitude is a serious danger to growing a sexy, relational business because negativity is heavy.
 
Focusing on the negative things we see in our own selves makes it harder to do what we are supposed to and want to do. 
 
And focusing on the negative things about other people makes it harder to build relationships. 
 
Negativity can creep into your thoughts and conversations without realizing it. Before long it can transform the landscape of your business by poisoning your team culture and laying bad foundations in your client relationships.
 
A sexy, relational, growing business thrives on positivity.
 
So here are 5 dangerous habits to look for and stamp out before they cause major harm to your growing business.
 
 

1. Stop Tolerating Trash Talk

 
It’s easy to shut down gossip about other people because you believe in them. You don’t want other people putting them down or spreading lies about them.
 
And listening to it (even passively) can affect your relationship with that person subconsciously.
 
Even more importantly, you need to shut down the trash talk about yourself with the same amount of passion because it defines your self-worth.
 
The problem is that negative talk often comes from the person in the mirror.
 
If you want your business to grow and succeed, then you need to believe in yourself. And so the negative talk in your own head has to stop too.
 

2. Resist The Urge To Always Be The Funny One

 
Being funny is not actually the problem. The problem is with the kind of humor you use.
 
If your go-to punchline is self-deprecating humor then it keeps you in a very negative space. 
 
Living in that negative space causes you to think differently about things and have issues that you don’t need to have.
 
And if you’re trying to be funny to keep people around, ask yourself, “Are those the kind of people you should want to keep around? Are those the relationships you want to nurture?”
 
So keep a close eye on the kind of humor you’re using in your team, and with your clients.
 

3. Tone Down The Sarcasm

 
Sarcasm usually includes some honesty that you’re not brave enough to say. It’s the delivery system you use to share a message in a passive-aggressive way. 
 
The problem with sarcasm is that the message isn’t always clear. And there is a huge space for misinterpretation and misunderstanding.
 
Why not just have an honest conversation about what you’re thinking and feeling? It might risk a friendship or a relationship. But keeping the negativity out gives your relationship the best chance of working through that problem, whatever it may be.
 
Brave people do hard things. Courageous people do things even when they are afraid. And those are 2 words that are at the heart of entrepreneurship.
 

4. Stop Being Completely Honest

 
This might sound like a spicy opinion, but honesty is not always the most important thing. A lot of people bring a lot of negativity into their conversations because they think they need to share ALL their opinions and thoughts on a particular topic.
 
Now it’s important to never lie. (Read that again.)
 
But remember that your team and your clients don’t necessarily need all the information all the time.
 
They don’t need to know everything you are thinking. And that’s true especially when you weigh it up against the goal of your interaction. 
 
So work hard at figuring out the best way to deliver your message. And only include the most important things that will help them move toward the goal.
 

5. Stop Dressing Up Gossip As Concern

 
There’s no such thing as kind gossip. 
 
Starting off your “juicy bits” as a prayer request doesn’t make that kind of negativity acceptable.
And neither does adding “bless her heart” at the end. 
 
It’s an easy trap to fall into, but don’t ignore the harm it may be causing to your thoughts, relationships, and business.
 
Spreading negativity sabotages your potential relationship with the person you’re talking about, and the people you are talking to. 
 

 
Negative thoughts build negative attitudes. 
Negative attitudes create a negative outlook. 
And a negative outlook only brings about negative outcomes in your life and business.   
 
What’s the alternative? Becoming aware of what’s going in your head and changing the negative to a positive.
 
It’s a choice everyone has to make. Nobody is naturally positive all the time. But once you start practicing positivity, it’s contagious for yourself and others.
 
Join our Mastermind Groundwork Brigade to practice positivity with like-minded entrepreneurs growing their own relational businesses in a sexy way.
 
If you missed the conversation between David White & Kim White (they aren't related, but relatable), you can listen to it here. 
 
To further connect with David White email him at [email protected]. To connect and find out more about Kim or how to create a sexy business for a sexy life, you can reach her and the My Sexy Business Team at mysexybusiness.com.