In business, attitude is everything

I recently posted a somewhat short and trite article on Platinax called How to Succeed in Business.

Point 7 raises the issue of attitude, and I’ve got to admit I’ve been very acutely aware of this as late.

I recently moved house - bought my first property. The size of the mortgage is scary. So is the repayment rate once the discounted introductor interest rate goes bye-bye after 2 years.

For weeks I fretted over the issue of repaying the mortgage. Sure, I’ve been paying in rented, but there’s nothing like the huge debt of a mortgage hanging over your head to reconsider your view of those monthly payments for living under a roof.

I considered selling my main business - that should pay off the mortgage.

I also considered selling off the company assets - the forums I’ve been building, and even Platinax. Those sales should pay off large sections of the mortgage.

Then I figured I was losing a grip. Sure, if things looked bad with the mortgage repayments, then at least I could consider selling assets as an emergency measure.

Now that we’ve moved, my attitude has gone into business mode again.

Sure, a mortgage is a debt. It’s a risk. But so is all business.

Point is, it’s a challenge and it’s to be overcome, not by selling my assets or even business, but instead my focusing on developing and expanding my existing business successes.

All too often I’ve found myself procrastinating instead of prioritising, and that’s something I’m changing.

This is not least on the web development front - the internet, especially Google - has changed so much over the past 3 years that I’ve long felt like I was playing catch up, than leading the field.

A combination of outsource work and self-discipline means for the first time in 2 years I feel like I’m reaching the breaking point, from follower, to leader - to being proactive, not reactive.

In business, risk is an integral part. You learn to gauge it, challenge it, overcome it.

And there’s no reason why that attitude can’t enter your personal life either.

After all, who succeeds by feeling defeatist? Maybe in Disney cartoons, but probably not in the real world.

The way I’m applying that to the mortgage?

Simple - I’ve recalculated my dividends and income so that I can double the mortgage repayments on a quarterly basis.

All things going well, when the discount mortgage rate falls away to higher interest rates in two years time, I should be paying less than my currently monthly totals.

And if I can keep this up - the entire mortgage itself should be paid off well-within 10 years, instead of the 30 year term I put it on to make it more affordable.

Point is, that’s applying a business attitude.