Small business owners are waging a constant battle against stress and their own emotions to stay at the top of their game, however, in the majority of cases, this is a fight they are destined to lose. Business owner and Entrepreneur Ben Lambert has spoken to BrandMag on how he overcomes emotional baggage to hold on to his crown as one of the UK’s most celebrated sales and marketing entrepreneurs.
Launching his first sales and marketing business back in 2010, Ben Lambert has become one of the industry’s most respected figures and has played a significant role in the development of the sector in the UK. In his current capacity as a business owner, entrepreneur and leading consultant for one of the UK’s most successful sales and marketing organisations, Mr Lambert is focusing his expertise on mentoring up and coming industry talent; providing support and motivation to the next generation of leaders and business owners.
Mr Lambert’s success has stemmed from his ability to keep his head in the game, and not fall victim to distractions outside the realms of business. ‘Keeping yourself fully present and engaged with the task at hand isn’t always easy. However, it is paramount in the pursuit of success. In every situation, you need to ask yourself ‘will this contribute to my goals? Will this better my future? If the answer is no, then investing time and attention in that situation will stifle your success.’ Outlines Mr Lambert.
Yet in practice, it is far harder to put distractions and emotions to one side, and much of what people experience in their personal and professional lives do overlap. This is never more evident than when individuals are launching new ventures and laying the foundations for their future business empires. ‘Starting a business is a highly stressful and emotional process. Some of these natural responses are vital to success, for example, emotion fuels passion which is the driving force of achievement, however others, such as stress and negativity are toxic. It can be difficult to compartmentalise these feelings so it’s not surprising that these feelings can ebb into a person’s actions and decisions. As professionals, we all need to take responsibility for finding mechanisms to keep focused’ states Mr Lambert. ‘This is where the business concept of the 1% club originates. People who give their all to their business and value it above all else are the rare 1% and can reach phenomenal success. They know when and what to focus on at any given time and can keep their head in the game no matter what is happening around them.’
Ben Lambert believes that the first step towards joining the 1% club is to take a reality check and assess the emotional baggage, distractions and stressors that are preventing future success. ‘By allowing yourself one opportunity to acknowledge how these factors are standing in your way of success you begin to see the bigger picture, and how insignificant these things are compared to the greatness of your goals and potential rewards you stand to gain by pursuing them.’ Highlights Mr Lambert. The entrepreneur then suggests expanding this decluttering process beyond the mind. ‘Your brain is constantly absorbing stimuli from your environment which can lead to a mental overload. To keep your head in the game you need to declutter your life, this means creating a clean, organised workspace, associating with positive people and removing yourself from trivial situations that could cause unnecessary stress and distraction.’
Of course, ultimately, stress and emotions are natural responses and cannot be bypassed entirely, even experiences that an individual may not consciously think about day to day can have an impact on their professional performance. However, Mr Lambert is confident that people can manage how they cope with these factors and remain fully engaged and committed to their career goals. ‘it’s all about finding what works for you’ concludes the business owner. ‘clearing your mind of distractions is a great first step, but you need to be willing to do the leg work and create your own mechanisms that ensure you are giving 100% to your goals, no matter what life throws at you.’
