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5 Lessons Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Stephen Key

Stephen Key

Who is Stephen Key and what you can learn from him:

As an award-winning inventor and author, Stephen Key and his runaway success serves as a motivator to all other entrepreneurs. His belief that all a person needs is a well-executed idea in order to be truly successful provides hope to those who lack it. Key is determined to show budding entrepreneurs the ropes and give them the lessons they need to turn their fortunes around. Here are five of the most important ones.

1. Trust Your Instincts

Key teaches his followers to trust in their gut and believe in their instincts. He achieved his success by trusting in his instincts and you can too. Key preaches the importance of accepting when something does not have the right look or feel to it. When a situation does not feel right to you, there is typically a very good reason for that.

If you are looking into something that does not sit well in your gut, it is time to do your homework and take a long look into whatever aspect concerns you the most. We tend to minimize our own intelligence in these sorts of scenarios, but Key teaches us that we are much smarter than we believe.

The old saying that if something walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck holds true here. There is no need to over think a situation to death. Trust your instincts and go with the choice that makes the most sense to you.

2. Time Is Your Friend

Rushing into a decision due to time constraints goes against every principle that Key attempts to teach. He is not afraid to talk about times that he made a decision hastily and how it did not benefit him to do so. Since he makes it so easy to learn from his mistakes, it becomes easier to make the right choice in our own lives.

One of the most important lessons Key teaches is that hastiness has no place in the world of business. When a deal is being made, there is no reason why the other side of the negotiation table should be pushing for a fast decision. If they do, this should serve as a gigantic red flag.

In order to come to the right decision, a person needs time to think it through. While others will try to convince you that there are great reasons for urgent behavior, Key preaches the importance of not buying into such a mind state.

3. The Wrong People Can Waste Your Time

Key has experienced a great deal of aggravation by trying to convince businesses to change their ways and try something new. By spending time selling his inventions, he has been able to get an insider’s view as to how business is done and is not shy about sharing all of his revelations.

As such, he has learned the importance of tailoring your products towards the people who actually need them, as opposed to selling to someone who has no need for your product. When you waste valuable time trying to pitch to someone whose mind is already made up, that is time that you cannot get back.

Most people have a comfort zone that they like to remain inside of and pitching to those is a hopeless endeavor. Even the best idea of all has little to no value when it is being wasted on someone who has no interest, so plan accordingly.

4. All Things Are Not Meant To Be

Just because we want something badly does not mean that we are meant to have it. Key teaches us that things not going our way is not always a cue to work harder. Sometimes, we must accept that a situation will not turn out in a way that is favorable to us. Instead of continuing to battle, it is preferable to cut our losses and live to fight another day.

While having a great deal of willpower is great, it does not always serve us well. Stubbornness and the ability to fight are great, but they are not always the most useful tools we have at our disposal. Letting things go is often the best course of action, whether we want to admit it or not.

Pushing too hard to make something happen that is not meant to be can lead to regrets. One of the hardest lessons in life is knowing when to push harder and when to let something go. Navigating this difficult divide takes time and no one should be expected to fully grasp this concept overnight.

5. Don’t Be Afraid To Call

In a world where more and more communication takes place over e-mail and text message, lack of proper communication is bound to happen from time to time. When you are in doubt as to whether your message is being communicated in the manner you prefer, do not hesitate to pick up the phone.

Key teaches that e-mail and text message are convenient, but do not have the personal touch needed to properly convey a message. When a person is unable to witness or hear the intent behind your words, this leads to issues that can be tough to solve.

Picking up the phone can be inconvenient, but it also nips minor problems in the bud before they have a chance to become major ones. By making the call and/or taking the time to meet someone in person, you demonstrate a far greater level of commitment, giving you an advantage over your competition.

More information about Stephen Key

Preview One Simple Idea with Stephen Key himself
Buy One Simple Idea by Stephen Key on Amazon today
Visit Licensing Lifestyle on Inc. to read more of Stephen’s content
Visit InventRight.com to learn more about Stephen’s company
Follow Stephen Key on 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.

  • http://www.blogengage.com/ Brian Belfitt

    Hi Cody,

    Sometimes it’s very important to trust one’s instinct. It’s probably one of the most powerful strengths that a human being has. However, instincts doesn’t always come through for us. Sometimes, it depends on the situation you’re stuck in.

    I also agree all things are not meant to be. In most cases, you will see that something better was meant for you. You would just need a little patience to hold your ground and wait for the good times to come.

  • http://www.nerdycreator.com/ Nerdy Creator

    Hi Cody,

    Great article! As a creative person, I can relate to #1 and #2. I have learned to trust my instinct over the years. And having too many creative ideas but not enough time to execute all, do upset me a little sometimes, especially when I have to rush through my execution! Thanks for the reminder to slow things down.

  • http://www.luma-coaching.com/ Jodi Flynn

    All great tips! I need to remember that time is my friend. As an entrepreneur everything can feel so urgent and important right now, and the reality is they’ll keep a little longer while the details are worked out. Urgency too often becomes overwhelm if you lose sight of reality.

  • http://www.aabreastfeeding.com Lori J. Isenstadt

    Five excellent bullet points for me to remember. I sometimes get “married” to an idea.. to my baby. I need to remember that sometimes All things are just not meant to be.