5 Limiting Beliefs (That Limit Your Success)

In business and in life, we are heavily influenced by our beliefs. Some of them are more inspirational, like Henry Ford’s quote, “If you think you can, or can’t, you are right,” and some are more practical or pragmatic, like the world is flat.

There are beliefs about the remodeling business that are critical. They help you think clearly, guide your decisions, and communicate with others, both internal and external. The following are some “limiting beliefs” that can hold you back. If any of these ring true, you need to either adjust your thinking or really prove to yourself that you are correct in your present thinking.

"Bigger is better"

We tend to get giddy with the thought of landing a “whale” project. Unfortunately, more than half the time, a year later, you wish you had not gotten or done the project. Most businesses have their sweet spot in terms of size and type of project they do best. The only winners in the “big is better” model are businesses that specialize in extra-large projects. Find your sweet spots (the bull’s-eye) and stick to marketing and selling them.

"We are too expensive"

If you hear this from prospects (or your team), then you have not built value in working with your business. Is going to a nice restaurant that provides a white-glove experience “too expensive”? Is flying first class too expensive (why are these seats always full?) Most remodelers shoot for a 5-15% net profit…That is not too expensive. If you build value into your sales process, this head trash might vaporize. Begin to see yourself as a bargain, not too expensive.

"I don’t have time"

We are all given 24 hours in the day; why are some so much more effective with their time? How much time is spent on mistakes, miscommunications, or just wasting time? How much time is spent on lower priorities? If you take a deep dive into your time and reduce the time spent on low-value things, you will be given a gift of time that you can spend on the most important things. We all have time.

"It’s the market" (not me)

These are tougher times than 3 years ago. Most are blaming the lack of leads/sales on the market and the consumer. There are many remodelers having not only a good year, but in some cases a record year (sales/revenue). Businesses that are doing well spend twice as much time and money on marketing. They are also tweaking their sales process to pivot in this environment. If you look in the mirror rather than blaming the market, you are more likely to see better results.

"Personal referrals make great clients"

Personal referrals make for an easier sale, not a better client. Many remodelers will let down their guard and corrupt their process for a personal referral, only to regret it later, either by wasting time or letting the wrong client swim into the net. You want to be flexible with every prospect but try to discriminate with every opportunity. Review my “right client “checklist, and it will help you in this process (and belief).

There are many others that I unpack in my podcast (Remodeling Mastery); however, begin by really drilling into these and try to adjust your limiting beliefs. They are the foundation that will help you make better decisions, avoid wasting time, and achieve greater success.