If you are considering starting your own Ambit Energy Business or have just started one, here are five important questions you should ask yourself. Think about these questions to help you figure out your goals and commitment level. These could each be an entire article on their own, but hopefully this helps you develop the mindset of a successful business owner.

1. What’s my Why?
This is by far the most important question you can ask yourself, and it’s a question you should ask often. This is the reason you are working your business. The how, when and where are not nearly as important as the Why.

This has to be strong. Making a little more income a month is not a strong Why. If that’s your goal, that’s fine. Different people have different goals. But don’t expect your results to be bigger than your Why. If you want to build a big business, you have to have a big Why. Is it to make enough money to quit your second job, or pay off medical bills, or take care of your elderly parents?

Your Why is your driving force. It’s the heart and soul of your business. Everything you do every day goes back to your Why. It’s that important. When you run into tough or frustrating times (which WILL happen), go back to your Why and see if you are going to quit on your Why. Write it down and put it in places where you will see it often.

“When you want this thing as bad as you want to breathe, then you will be successful.”
-Eric Thomas

2. Am I willing to learn from failure?
The most successful people in the world failed first many, many times. No matter how big or small your goals are for your Ambit Energy Business, expect to experience failure. What are you going to do when you hear “no” or miss out on a customer? Quit and blame someone or something else? Sit in the corner and suck your thumb?

Business owners not only deal with failure, they expect it. Here’s the thing: failure is part of success. It just is. If you fail (and you will), just know that it’s part of the process. Will you quit, or will you learn and keep going? That will be the determining factor. Fail and learn. Fail and learn. Over and over and over. The only true failure is when you fail to learn from your mistakes.

“Success is a poor teacher. We learn most about ourselves when we fail, so don’t be afraid of failing.”
-Robert Kiyosaki

3. Am I coachable?
This one goes along with failure. Ambit Energy is structured as a team business. Your team leaders are there to teach you, coach you, and help you reach your goals. But are you coachable? Are you going to reach out for coaching? It’s your business, and it’s up to you how coachable you will be. Learning from others who have been where you are and who know how to get to where you want to go is critical.

I have been an Ambit Energy consultant for nearly five years and I can tell you that this company has some of the best, most successful and most humble coaches you will find anywhere. There are many ways to plug into coaching, including weekly conference calls, local meetings and trainings, or just calling at any time for coaching. There is a culture that is unmatched in the industry. Countless consultants are completely willing to help even if they are not tied to you financially.

“Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.”
-James Allen

4. Will I still be here a year from now?
If you’re serious about growing a successful Ambit business, or any business, you have to give it at least one year. I would even say you need to give it at least two years, but you have to be willing to work consistently for at least 12 months.

Sure, you can make some good extra money in your first few months (even weeks), but if you want to treat it like a real business, you have to give it time to grow. You also have to give yourself time to grow as a business owner. Do not expect immediate success. Anything worthwhile takes time to develop. That’s sustainability.

“The difference between winning and losing is quitting.”
-Ross Perot

5. Will I sacrifice?
There are several different degrees of sacrifice depending on your Why and your goals in your business. But you will have to determine your level of sacrifice, and this can change as your business grows. Everyone has 24 hours a day. How you spend those 24 hours is 100 percent in your control. NEVER tell yourself, “I don’t have time.” You have 24 hours, just like everyone else.

The vast majority of consultants work their business part-time, so they are cutting out part of their day to devote to Ambit. For some, sacrifice might mean not watching TV when you want (record it!), sacrificing time with family, or building Ambit during their lunch break. Have this conversation with your family to see when you will need to devote time to your business at different times throughout the month and year. Get them on board and set goals together as a family.

“In order to have the life you want, you have to be willing to leave the life you have.”
Chris Chambless, Ambit Energy Co-founder and CMO