3 Essential Power Habits Every Entrepreneur

I’ve always been a hard worker.  When I decided to become an entrepreneur, I thought hard work was all I needed to succeed.  I was very wrong. 

I eventually learned that it takes more than hard work. Success in entrepreneurship doesn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of deliberate actions, well-formed habits, and a good mindset—mindset being one of the most important aspects. But that is not where we will start today. 

As an entrepreneur, you’re pulled in countless directions—trying to scale your business, manage your team, and make critical decisions—all while juggling personal obligations. To thrive in this chaos (and it is chaos), certain foundational habits are non-negotiable. They serve as the pillars for sustainable growth and personal well-being.

In this post, we’ll explore three essential power habits that every entrepreneur must embrace: Make a Plan, Prioritize and Execute, and Take Care of Yourself First. These actions will help you build a resilient business while maintaining your sanity in the process.

1. Make a Plan: Chart Your Course with Clear Intentions

The entrepreneurial journey is full of twists and turns; without a plan, you’re flying blind. A well-thought-out plan provides clarity, direction, and focus, ensuring that you’re not just busy but busy doing the right things.

• Start with a vision: Imagine where your business will be in one year, five years, and beyond. Let this vision guide your short—and long-term planning.
• Set goals: Break your vision down into goals, which will give your plan structure and allow you to track your progress.
• Plan daily and weekly: It’s not enough to have a yearly goal. I start by breaking them down into quarterly goals and then building action plans that allow me to work on the goals over the weeks/days of the quarter.  
• Adapt, but don’t abandon: While flexibility is key in entrepreneurship, don’t ditch your plan at the first sign of trouble. Instead, adapt to circumstances, learn from mistakes, and keep moving forward.

I like to think about this as your vision is your lighthouse, your destination.  Your goals are major makers on your way to that destination.  And your plan is the route you will take.  Things and detours will happen, but the key is not to abandon the overall destination but to make course corrections and adapt.  I see too many people abandon their plans when things go wrong instead of making adjustments to the overall vision.   It’s ok to make changes.  Just be clear about where you want to go and keep rowing. 

2. Prioritize and Execute: The Art of Doing What Truly Matters

One of the most common pitfalls for entrepreneurs is getting bogged down in the minutiae. There’s always an email to respond to, a meeting to attend, or a problem to solve. However, not all tasks are created equal. Prioritization is key to staying productive, not just busy.

• Identify the big wins: Every day, ask yourself, “What’s the one thing I can do today that will have the greatest impact on my business?” Make that task your top priority.
• Use the Eisenhower Matrix: This popular tool helps you divide tasks into four categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and neither urgent nor important. Focus on the important tasks.
• Embrace time blocking: Carve out chunks of your day for deep work on high-priority tasks. Turn off distractions like email notifications and social media, and dedicate that time solely to execution.
• Delegate the rest: If a task doesn’t align with your strengths or highest priorities, delegate it to someone who can handle it more effectively. Your time and energy are your most valuable assets—use them wisely.

When I first became an entrepreneur, I slowly gave up everything that brought me joy and focused on the business only. Before long, I couldn’t remember why I wanted this life. It wasn’t better than the one I had when I was working and climbing the corporate ladder. It wasn’t making me happy. 

Slowly (and the hard way), I learned to prioritize what was important to me (my husband, friends, family, hobbies I enjoyed, my health) and prioritize business tasks. I learned to set boundaries and say no. I now work on impactful tasks for my business, clear out what is not important, and make time for things I enjoy, not just check boxes on a Todo list.

3. Put Your Mask on First: Prioritize Your Personal Well-Being

There’s a popular phrase used by flight attendants: “Put your own mask on first before helping others.” In entrepreneurship, this metaphor holds immense value. You can’t pour from an empty cup. If you’re not taking care of yourself, both physically and mentally, your business will inevitably suffer.

• Establish boundaries: Set clear boundaries between work and personal life. This might include no work after a certain time in the evening, regular time off, or keeping weekends sacred.
• Invest in self-care: Whether it’s regular exercise, meditation, hobbies, or simply time with loved ones, self-care isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Schedule it just like you would a business meeting.
• Get enough sleep: While the “hustle” culture glorifies sleepless nights, lack of rest is a quick path to burnout. Prioritize sleep as part of your productivity strategy.
• Work on yourself: Regularly assess your mental and emotional well-being. Are you feeling burned out? Are your stress levels too high? Do you have clear beliefs that no longer serve you? Do you need to rewrite old stories to move forward? If the answer is yes, it’s time to pause and do the work to heal yourself. 

Taking care of your mental health is non-negotiable. I may have this one as number three, but it is actually the most important habit you can build.  My belief in myself took me out of the entrepreneurial journey three years after it started.  Three years, and some work on myself later, I came back.  A few years after that, I was burnt out because I didn’t keep making my mental health a priority.  Today, I practice self-care, I check in with myself regularly, I rest, and I get help when needed to clear out heavy emotions and beliefs that keep me stuck.  

You are your most important habit. 

Conclusion

Being an entrepreneur is exciting and challenging, but it’s also incredibly demanding and hard. To ensure that your business thrives—and that you do, too—make planning, prioritizing, and personal well-being the cornerstone of your approach.

• Make a plan, so you always have a roadmap.
• Prioritize and execute to stay focused on what matters most.
• Put your mask on first to keep yourself in peak form for the long journey ahead.

When practiced consistently, these three power habits will help you navigate the inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship and create the foundation for long-term success.

Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire

Arnold H. Glasow

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