I am so proud to see my former students pursuing business, finance, or economics majors or starting their own ventures. When I was starting out, I had no one to receive guidance or direction from. If there was advice, it was generic such as “make us proud” or “give your best.” Sometimes, it is hard to articulate what it takes. I have put this together in the hopes of sharing my learnings that have become my ethos in professional as well as personal interactions. The following are essential business lessons for life.
These are 10 important lessons I have learned from my life experiences.
Business lessons for Life:
- Know your bandwidth
- Calculate your delivery time wisely
- Come prepared and make prepared
- People before numbers
- Own your mistakes
- Learn to say “not yet”
- Regular updates
- Acknowledgement
- Gratitude in your attitude
- Disconnect to connect
1. Know your bandwidth
In other words, commit to only what you can handle and do not double book yourself; take only as many orders or enrollments or participants or customers or followers that you can handle. You cannot run from A to B and from B to C in a click and switch. Somethings require gap or wait time; give yourself ample breathing time before jumping to the next meeting, contract, or event.
2. Calculate your delivery time wisely
Anticipate roadblocks and keep a buffer before committing to a timeline or deliverable. Have alternate backup solutions for errors, mistakes, and failure – human, technological, etc. Having good time management skills is essential. Learn more about time management
3. Come prepared and make prepared
Every presentation or meeting that requires your input or representation also necessitates your mindful planning and active execution. If you will be presenting, have your device charged beforehand. It may also help to have a backup on a flash/pen drive. If you are a sketch artist, come stocked with your supplies – your sketchbook, your sketch pencil, and anything else you may need. If you are a teacher, prepare your students on what to anticipate in the lesson. Imagine the dentist telling you before beginning a procedure, “This is going to feel a little uncomfortable.” Announcements help alleviate not just your audience’s inhibitions and anxiety but also your own.
4. People before numbers
Employees, customers, staff, clients – however you address your bread and butter – are people – with emotions, aspirations, history, background, triggers, and reactions. Acknowledge and appreciate your support system often – publicly as well. They need to know and learn how much they mean to you. Networking should not be limited to building contacts because that is good for business; networking also means staying connected, meeting, showing support, liking, and sharing posts, and promoting and celebrating others’ work, crafts, talents, businesses, and achievements.
5. Own your mistakes to hone your craft
It takes courage to admit you made a mistake. However, mistakes are part of the learning process. No one has not made a few throughout life. Apologize gracefully when you make a mistake, assume accountability, face consequences, learn, reflect, make amends, make new mistakes but not the same mistake twice.
6. Learn to say “not yet”
Say you are only comfortable teaching adults how to swim and a parent approaches you to teach their toddler. You know you are not there yet. Admit your limitation and do not commit to teaching the child before you train yourself for the process because the approach, language, duration, mannerisms will all be different from what you are used to.
7. Update
No movement is also information worth passing along. Update your team and your clients of delays, of changes, and even when smoothly passing through the finish line by simple announcements such as “everything is under control” or, “we may need some more time.” Updates help everyone feel they are in some control of the situation.
8. Acknowledge
Received an update? Show appreciation for the information received. Someone shared a contact or post that may interest you? Recognize their effort for thinking of you. Someone helped you sail through? Write them a thank-you note and give them credit for their assistance. Hold your allies and well-wishers very close to you as they cheer for you and become your spokespeople. It takes commitment and work to build and keep meaningful relationships. Acknowledge anyone who helps or helped you grow!
9. Gratitude in your attitude
Thank your support system, family, friends, staff, confidantes, associates, customers – people often. They are supporting your goals and vision and need your appreciation, validation, and encouragement as fuel often to keep going.
10. Disconnect to connect
Make time often for people, experiences, self-care, and things that give you the ability to rejuvenate, fill your cup, preserve your sanity, and charge your mind and body’s battery. Set alarms or reminders to disconnect to connect with yourself routinely. As I have said before, find time for what you love!
Summary:
While individual human experiences may vary, some general principles and wisdom gathered the hard way can help pave the way for others who may walk the same path. These 10 tips are the essence of what I have learned and what I feel is really important when striving for success. Learning from others’ experiences is what many people don’t master. Consider tested advice an asset, and utilise it to the best of your capability. Hopefully, my learning will become your pre-lesson that you will reap rewards from. Here is a quick summary of all 10!
Jaspreet Sethi:
Jaspreet Sethi is an education influencer and the founder of Math with a Smile – a space to collaborate with schools, teachers, parents, families, and children to make teaching and learning experiences more engaging and meaningful. If you liked this article, definitely check out her website and feel free to connect with her.
