Most entrepreneurs live in a very fast paced environment filled with mind-boggling problems and difficult decisions to make every single day. At some point, we barely have time to stop, relax, and assess the big picture. If you fit this description, let me share a story with you about a woodcutter…

A man was struggling in the woods to saw down a tree. An old farmer came by, watched for a while, then quietly said, “What are you doing?”

“Can’t you see?” the man impatiently replied, “I’m sawing down this tree.”

“You look exhausted,” said the farmer. “How long have you been at it?”

“Over five hours, and I’m beat,” replied the man. “This is hard work.”

“That saw looks pretty dull,” said the farmer. “Why don’t you take a break for a few minutes and sharpen it? I’m sure it would go a lot faster.”

“I don’t have time to sharpen the saw,” the man says emphatically. “I’m too busy sawing!”

This classic productivity story came from the infamous book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. In short, we should take time out to renew our energy and come back strong. It’s more of working smart rather than working hard. Here are some simple things you can do to sharpen your saw:

1. Take a long vacation and spend more time with your family or friends
2. Read business books and listen to
3. audio books to improve your skills
4. Get a good night sleep
5. Take power naps during breaks
6. Eat the right food
7. Exercise regularly to improve your physical well-being
8. Stick to your schedule
9. Listen to classical or chillout music
10. Meditate or take time to be alone to contemplate about your life and business
11. Clean your office
12. Clear your e-mail inbox
13. Study different skills (preferably not related to your small business)
14. Maintain a journal or diary for all your rants and raves
15. Solve complex puzzles or crosswords
16. Talk with intelligent people
17. Take time to laugh
18. Engage in sports and other recreational activities

We have this popular dictum that excellent salespeople are made, not born. In reality, it is easier said than done. Some of us come from different technical backgrounds and don’t have much experience in selling. Others are introvert by nature and might not have good people skills.

Although there are many selling tactics and exercises to help us become effective sales person, it is very important that we change our attitude first before anything else. Otherwise, all these trainings and lessons will not work. Some of the things we need to improve on include:

1. Patience. Selling is similar to a tree for it takes time to grow. We can’t be very successful salespeople overnight. We should be patient to learn each lesson and not too eager to get ahead.
2. Hard work and persistence. Don’t believe those e-books claiming they know the 150 powerful secrets to closing sales in less than 5 minutes. There are no secrets at all. What we have are basic selling strategies, practice, practice, and a lot more practice. You have to rely on hard work and persistence if you want to be effective.
3. Being objective all the time. A good salesperson should always be open to suggestions and criticisms from other people. You should not blindly believe your product is effective even if your customers are saying it’s not.

For entrepreneurs, negotiation is a powerful skill we need to master to get better results like lower supply price, longer payment period, or additional discounts. As one master negotiator, Chester Karrass, said, “In business, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.”

What would you do then if you find yourself dealing with a more skilled negotiator? In this critical situation, here are additional negotiation tips to help you out:

1. Work with experts. If you are dealing about legal or financial matters but you don’t have enough knowledge or experience, it would be a great help to partner with experts in these fields. Although you need to shell out money, this will give you enough leverage to haggle more effectively.
2. Be prepared all the time. Don’t feel cocky and relaxed even if you already commissioned an expert to handle the negotiations. It is important that you still do your research and cover all possible arguments.
3. Use the mirror strategy. Based on a new research, mimicking the mannerisms of the other party is proven effective in closing the deals more effectively. Get more details at Business Pundit.

When pitching to potential investors, customers and employees, a number of entrepreneurs focus more on what they need to say and less on how to say it. But do you know that our tone can boost or bust our business?

Yes, a monotonous voice sometimes denotes lack of passion or even commitment. This will definitely not win you any funding or close any sale. Although not everyone is given the gift of gab, there are still some things you can do to improve your vocal approach:

Pitching is something you should learn even before you start your business or present to VCs. It will take some time and lot of effort before you can get a standing ovation.

Starting a business is a very exciting yet awfully challenging venture. Your passion is overwhelming and you have this great idea that you want to make a reality! Suddenly, reality sets in and fear is now taking over. Are you really ready to start your own business?

There are some issues you need to assess objectively before you quit your job and venture in entrepreneurship. It includes:

Winning qualities

• Do you have the much needed self-determination and self-confidence to turn ideas to realities?
• Are you a self-starter? This measures your ability to work alone, fine tune ideas, and take some risks.
• How much are you willing to sacrifice to succeed in your endeavor? This is not all about money but also time and effort. There are times when you have to work long hours and give up some leisure time.

Business Know-How

Setting up a business is a lot easier if you have knowledge and business skills in people management, sales & marketing, financial planning, and strategic planning. Do not be discouraged if you do not have all these skills. The important thing is you are aware of your capabilities and what skills you need to delegate to other people.

Personal Matters

Some entrepreneurs started out as office employees. The transition can be very shocking to you and your family. Yes, you must involve your family in this big decision because this will have a strong impact on your relationship. More importantly, are you ready to accept that if you fail your whole family will suffer?

In case you are not ready to jump off the cliff and become a full-time entrepreneur, check out Young Entrepreneur’s tips to make this big leap less scary.