Let me start this post by admitting, I have an addiction I am not always proud of. It’s something I do almost daily, and often have a hard time talking myself out of when there are many more “important” things I should be doing. It’s an app on my iPhone called Candy Crush.

At the outset, it’s just a game with nice colors, a challenge, and a welcoming male voice. It’s fantastic during subway rides, and long waits for a doctor to see you. Until recently, I thought it was just a game, and a time zapper, and a meaningless addiction. But, for other business owners out there also addicted to Candy Crush, I’m about to justify your addiction! 😉

In fact, Candy Crush has all the core elements that any entrepreneur hoping to succeed needs to implement. If you really pay attention, you can actually learn from Candy Crush how to succeed at business. Here’s how:

1. Always Know Your Goal. The first thing is, each board of Candy Crush has a goal. You must do things like make striped candies, create color bombs, or drop fruit down to the bottom of the screen. There is always a goal to accomplish in order to get to the next level. Hear that? If you are an entrepreneur you need to set goals for yourself. And, when you accomplish those goals, you get to move on to the next challenge. That new challenge will require you to set new goals. Those new goals may relate to the old ones, or they may be totally different. Always know which “game” you are playing, and the rules to win that game, and stay with them. Which brings me to the next point.
2. Focus is Key to Success. On some Candy Crush levels, (as of this post I am only on level 230) I have found delight at how easy it is to make striped candies and color bombs, and I get caught up in seeking out these combinations, or avoiding a bomb. Then, I realize I have gotten completely distracted from the goal of the level I’m on. In fact, I don’t need striped candies, or the bomb has more turns to explode than moves I have left in the round, so exploding them doesn’t matter to the goal. In your business, once you have set a goal, you need to focus on it. Activities you do on a daily basis need to align with that goal. You need to quickly call yourself out when you are doing anything that distracts you from that goal (unless, of course, you are taking a break to allow yourself to recharge.)
3. Believe You Can Succeed, and Don’t Quit. I have played some levels of Candy Crush for what seems so long I actually go to the walkthrough cheats. Often, I learn that the strategy I am using is the right one, it’s just not paying off for me. I return to the level, frustrated, and wondering if I will actually be able to make it this time. If I have the mindset that the level is just not winnable, I usually lose. The other day, though, I stared at the game board, and I realized I CAN win. I just knew with absolute certainty that this was a challenge I was prepared to meet. It was uncanny, everything came into focus – the goal of the level, where I was on the success meter, and what I needed to do to meet the goal. I mentally knew I was going to win, and I did! There was some logic, some luck, and a core belief in my capabilities. All of these things are crucial to your success as a business owner. First, the going WILL get tough. There will be days, as a “business-on-the-side” owner that you debate whether you will ever be able to do your business full time. Full-time business owners, you will have ups and downs, and in a down moment, you have to make the decision to stay in the game. All of this takes intense belief in yourself.
4. It’s OK to Accept Help. Every day I spin the Candy Crush Booster Wheel and get a nice treat I can use to make a level easier, or to help me win a level versus re-do it. I often talk myself out of using these boosters because I feel I should be able to do this by myself. It’s just a principle thing – like I’m saying I am less capable if I use one of these boosters. Well, what about your business? Just where are you turning down help? It could be due to cost, but make sure it’s not because you believe you have to do everything yourself. That’s just nonsense, and will guarantee failure, because there aren’t enough hours in a day for you to do it all yourself AND make money. Help is within your reach, and it’s ok to use it. This could mean hiring employees by using things like resource forecasting software (more info here) to see how much help you will actually need, in order to get all the tasks done well.
5. Believe in Abundance. The other reason I have caught myself using to avoid using a booster is, I might run out. Isn’t it ironic? Every day we get a new booster, and I’m worried that I’m going to run out. At any moment in our businesses, we may have a low financial moment. If you look outward, though, money is everywhere. Just because it is not currently in your bank account, does not mean it doesn’t exist. You have to believe in the flow of money and that there is always more out there that you can attract.
6. Take a Break. Let’s be honest, if I play Candy Crush all day, it WILL amount to a waste of time, not to mention contributing to no social life. Not to mention that some levels are so frustrating that if I carry that energy into replaying a level, I’m bound to lose. And, after a break, returning to that level, I often see opportunities I missed because of my state of mind. If you’re a business owner, you must take breaks. It’s not just about your health, it’s about your mental sanity. Focusing and working non-stop will, over time, lead you to burn out. If you burn out, you will just want to give up, and will lose passion for what you’re doing. Why let that happen? Like in Candy Crush, there are often opportunities waiting for you all the time. But when you are in a low energy state, and exhausted, and frustrated, you are more likely to miss those opportunities. Just allow yourself a break, and time with loved ones on a regular basis – it will help you succeed!
7. Invest Wisely. Doing background checks and investing in the right things will allow profits to grow within your business. One way to do this is to invest in cryptocurrency stocks, which are growing and thriving in the modern business world. It is easier to invest and trade in things like Bitcoin (cryptocurrencies) by using things like the Bitcoin Revolution, which can predict the rise and fall of how Bitcoin is doing within the business community at your time of investment and predict how your investments will turn out. So build your profits and invest!

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