I will admit to being a lifelong learner. It doesn’t seem to matter if I find new information in books, webinars, workshops, or learn from wise teachers – it is a basic tenet that has helped me grow my design business into a $2 million per year enterprise. Throughout the years, I studied and applied everything I could find about interior design and business. I just love to find and learn new ideas and concepts that I can apply to my Taylor Design Group and Design Biz Blueprint.

One of my success secrets is to actively experiment with all sorts of ideas in my businesses and my life, and then hold a non–judgmental space to see what happens. I know that the results often won’t turn out exactly the way that I thought it would, especially on the first try.

This means that there is nothing but feedback going on…

I want to know what parts of this new concept worked and what pieces were not effective. I look at what I want to keep and use in my business and what needs to be tweaked or changed.

The thing that I never do and you should never do is to tell yourself you didn’t do it right… that you didn’t get it perfect the first time.

This kind of “I have to get it perfect instantly” mindset prevents learning, and immediately stops your growth, while keeping you from moving forward to where you want to be.

Here are the three steps that you need in order to have an effective learning mindset.

Step #1 – Take action and show up. Go to the call, be at the CEU presentation or attend the workshop and intentionally gather the information that you need. Within 24 hours, review your notes and choose the strategy that you can best apply to your business.

Step #2 – Observe results. First, give yourself a “pat on the back” for initiating a change. Then go to 40,000 feet and observe what happened when you held your ground on your offer for services or you presented the higher priced product instead of the budget version. Chances are that you immediately won the job or sold the higher priced product with far more profit.

Step #3 – If it didn’t work, try something else. Remember, it doesn’t mean that you didn’t do it right. Experiment, try a different direction, and tweak your offer a bit. There are many, many stories of hugely successful people who failed time and time again. And just when they were saying this is my last try, success came in a big way. Don’t blame yourself and don’t give up too soon. The success you are looking for is just around the corner.