We all know that it takes a great deal of effort, passion, stamina, commitment and self belief to get a venture off the ground. We also know that there are many things and people waiting in the wings to see us or help us to fail. I was thinking about my early days and the failures that I had experienced my self and got to thinking about three of the things that I could have had some control over, things that might have made the journey that bit more successful.

I would love to share these with you and as always would love to get your views on these points too. There is nothing new here but these three key points are not spoken about much and I think that is to our disadvantage as people in business.

The 3 key things to ensure your passion does not blind you:

1. Take praise with caution – Being praised is not the same thing as having success. By all means use the praise in marketing and to get attention. But never let it distract you from what it is you are working toward.

2. At least tell yourself the truth – Being honest with yourself is very underrated. It is a skill that is not always present in the entrepreneurs I meet. So try this, stop and ask yourself the kind of tough questions you would ask of others: Is this a great idea? Do I have the right investment? Have I got the right people?

3. Know when to stop – I learned this one very early on and in my view this is one of the toughest and most important points. If you want to be the best entrepreneur you can be then know when slow down,know when to stop and know the right time to press the restart button. Always manage the risk by being quick to find failure, regroup and then move on.