Who is Greg Reid and what you can learn from him:

Greg Reid is the modern voice for inspiration and motivation. He is a best-selling author, a motivational speaker, and a highly acclaimed filmmaker. He has published over 45 books, despite claiming that he isn’t a writer, including Three Feet From Gold which is inspired by the original landmark seller Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. Greg Reid has learned to overcome his weaknesses to find success. Here are five important lessons that any entrepreneur can learn from his life in order to find their own success.

1. Work Your Strengths, Hire Your Weaknesses

Chances are, if you’re starting your own business you’ve already spent a bit of time figuring out what your strengths are. Be brutally honest in this process. It’s not shameful to admit that there are some things that just don’t come easily to you. Focus on the things that do fall under your natural abilities. There’s no reason for you to pay someone else good money to do something that you are perfectly capable of doing yourself.

Likewise, there’s no reason for you to spend a lot of time trying to achieve skills that you can hire out. Hire quality employees whose strengths match up with your weaknesses. People might say that birds of a feather flock together, but we’re looking for more of an opposites attract approach here. Find someone who can fill in the gaps in your skill set. Together, you’ll form an unstoppable team.

2. Don’t Quit

Perseverance is the most important quality in an entrepreneur. In the early days, there will be setbacks. There will probably be setbacks in the later days, too. Some of these might feel like catastrophic failures, but you can recover from anything that life hits you with. It’s okay to take a step back to get yourself together after an unexpected blow, but then get right back into the game.

You never know how close you are to success until you get there. Holding on just one more month, week, or even day could be the difference between closing your doors and finding the answer to your biggest problem. A new investor could be right around the corner. Hold out for him to get there.

3. Be Committed

Most people will tell you to go into a business in a field that interests you. But the fact is, being interested isn’t enough. You have to be committed. Most people have a variety of interests. Those are your hobbies. Those are the things that you do when you find yourself with some free time. That’s what you do when you’re in the mood and it sounds found. But a business isn’t a hobby, it’s a commitment. You make time for your business, which means some things are going to have to take a backseat. You take care of your business no matter what mood you’re in, even when it’s anything but fun.

Interest is what gets you to the office the first couple weeks when everything is new and exciting. Commitment is what gets you to the office an hour early to go over the books even though your kids kept you up all night. Don’t just be interested. Be committed.

4. Seek Wise Counsel

Everybody has an opinion. And most of those people will let you know that opinion, whether you asked for it or not. It’s certainly good to take advice wherever you can find it, but consider the source. Don’t let your family talk you out of your dream because they’re concerned about what it will do to you if your business doesn’t make it. Nod, smile politely, and don’t pay any attention to the know it all who’s convinced that he hold the answers to all of the universe’s questions. To run a successful business, you don’t need the opinion of everyone who walks through your door. You need sound advice from people who know what they’re talking about.

Successful people seek out counsel from experts in their field. Spend a lot of time networking. Talk to people who own businesses in the same area as you. Talk to people who own the same type of business on the other side of the world. Pick their brains for what worked and what didn’t work. As important as it is for your business to stand out, don’t feel like you need to reinvent the wheel just to be different. Listen to those who have experience in your field.

5. Turn Your Obstacles into Opportunities

No obstacle has the power to stop you. It might delay you, will certainly force you to reevaluate and perhaps change your approach, but an obstacle is not the end of the road. Keep this in mind whenever you hit a stumbling block and you will blast right through whatever is in your path. Instead of stopping at an obstacle, take this opportunity to strengthen your resolve. Remember to be committed. An obstacle is the perfect opportunity to test that committed. The interested walk away from an obstacle. The committed charge right at it.

An obstacle is also an opportunity to try new things. Maybe you’ve had a crazy idea floating around in the back of your head that you never would have tried with smooth sailing. But since you have to change your course anyways, you might as well give it a shot, right? Some of your best ideas may be inspired by spur of the moment desperation. Embrace the opportunities that obstacles present and you will find yourself on the path to success.

More information on Greg Reid

Read and listen to a detailed summary of Three Feet From Gold given by Greg Reid himself
Visit BookGreg.com to learn more about Greg, his books, films, and events
Follow Gred Reid on Facebook and Twitter

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Cody Faldyn

Cody is a blogger, social media specialist, graphic designer, and the Marketing Evangelist behind The Entrepreneurs Library. With a long time passion for personal growth, Cody helped create a website and podcast with the intent to educate aspiring entrepreneurs on the latest and greatest books on business growth and personal development.