Mike Anderson, founder and CEO of the National Small Business Chamber, opens his book with a direct question: are you willing to fail, do you have a burning desire, and are you willing to go after success anyway? His answer is that people who conquer themselves first, moving from arrogant to humble, lazy to hardworking, negative to positive, tend to be the ones who go on to succeed.
Ten habits worth building deliberately
- Wake up early. The first hour after waking is often the best window to prepare mentally, physically and practically for the day ahead.
- Find your passion. Identify what you would genuinely like to do, and what you are actually good at doing.
- Believe in yourself. Seeing yourself as capable of succeeding, before the evidence exists, is what makes the courage to keep going possible.
- Practise gratitude. People who stay grateful during setbacks are better able to put failure into perspective rather than being derailed by it.
- Just start. Begin with a genuinely small goal, then build momentum by completing it before moving to the next.
- Determine your priorities. Shift from simply being busy to being productive, focusing on what actually moves the business forward.
- Take control of your money. Savings provide the flexibility to act on opportunities when they arise, rather than being constrained by cash flow.
- Push your own boundaries. Step outside your comfort zone deliberately, treating setbacks as experience rather than failure.
- Associate with positive, successful people. The people around you shape your energy and standards more than most founders realise.
- Be persistent. Consistently learning, trying new things, and refusing to give up outperforms raw talent over time.
Frequently asked questions
Are these habits realistic for someone running a small business with limited time?
Yes. Most require a mindset shift and consistency rather than significant extra time, such as reframing priorities or practising gratitude during a difficult period.
Which habit tends to matter most in the early stages of a business?
Just starting with a genuinely small, achievable goal, since momentum from an early win tends to carry an entrepreneur through the harder stages that follow.
Is self-belief really as important as practical skills for entrepreneurial success?
Both matter, but a lack of self-belief often stops entrepreneurs from acting on practical skills they already have, which is why it is treated as a foundational habit.
Habits compound over time
None of these habits guarantee success on their own, but practised consistently, they build the resilience and discipline that most successful entrepreneurs eventually credit for getting them through the hardest periods.
Further reading: Negotiation Skills Every Entrepreneur Should Have | Department of Trade, Industry and Competition for official small business support information
Originally published in May 2019. Updated September 2026 to tighten this guidance from the National Small Business Chamber’s Mike Anderson. The ten-habit framework remains sound.
