It takes a beginner’s mind

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”

In Japan the phrase shoshin means “beginner’s mind”. According to Buddhist monk and teacher Suzuki Roshi, this is the goal of Zen meditation practice—to have a beginner’s mind, a mind open to everything and ready for anything.

In his book, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, he writes, “In the beginner’s mind there is no thought…of achievement, no thought of self, we are true beginners. Then we can really learn something. The beginner’s mind is the mind of compassion. When our mind is compassionate, it is boundless.”

Keeping a beginner’s mind is at the heart of a successful entrepreneurial venture. For the emerging business owner, everything is in a beginning stage. Everything may seem new and groundbreaking. Yet to develop a unique business model and a specific selling proposition, we need to be creative, respond to a changing marketplace and deal with continual competition. We have to constantly stay open to what we can learn and then put into practice in our business.

For the established business owner, we are now successful to a certain degree and yet always trying to re-invent ourselves and our approach to business. We may have new products, design new services or attract more clients. Perhaps we are attempting to have more sustainable practices or adjusting our management style to be more transparent. Staying open and keeping that “beginner’s mind” can lead to “ah ha” moments, whatever our level of expertise or experience. Through the beginner’s perspective we stay flexible and compassionate—both with ourselves and the stakeholders all around us.

Being a successful small business owner is a blessing. We have a chance to run our business just how we want to do it… not how someone else is telling us to do it. We have a principle, a perspective and a generosity that we want to express. We may be established business owners but we are also beginners. Every day we look at how to adjust to changes and make a statement that will make a difference and have an impact. As a small business owner, we can begin – again and again… and bring the world with us – one business transaction at a time.