Why Determined CEOs Fail

What is willpower? Merriam-Webster defines willpower as energetic determination. Mahatma Gandhi is quoted saying, “Strength does not come from physical capacity, it comes from indomitable will.” However, as a CEO or Founder of an SMB, willpower is a rose and a thorn. Energetic determination doesn’t sound like a bad thing, and it's not in combination with other tools. Alone, it’s fleeting and leads to self-centric decision making; it's not the end-all be-all. 

 

If you’re going to try, go all the way. Otherwise, don’t start. - Charles Bukowski

 

If it's not willpower and determination then why do some SMBs fail while others thrive? The answer may be as simple as the power of time. Malcolm Gladwell, author, journalist for The New Yorker, and public speaker, is an outspoken advocate of the power of repetition and time. He says, “Natural ability requires a huge amount of time in order to be made manifest.”

To grow a business requires dedication, and time is our most valuable resource.

It’s small actions over time that increase the chance of success. With a client work management platform like Accelo's, we believe in making your life as a Founder or CEO as easy as possible. Keeping up with projects, monitoring progress and time spent, and scheduling should be easy. Put in the hours, don’t waste time counting them. Utilize time tracking in emails and projects, company-wide scheduling tools, and a dashboard that organizes the information you want to be on top of every day. If you haven't yet, start a free trial today and see the solution when it comes to easy project management. 

Running an SMB is not easy, and the determination to make your product or service successfully can be fleeting or temporary. That’s where the hard work comes in and the need for workflows and processes that run smoothly are the difference between sink or swim.

If you are just starting out, take stock of what’s important to you and what the longterm goals are. Where are you in your life today and where do you want to be? Where do you hope your team will be next quarter, next year? Live that vision, take it step-by-step with task management, and trust that it will fall into place.