Entrepreneurs are generally highly energetic and self-motivated individuals. However, entrepreneurship is a battle that many cannot endure. The struggle to maintain entrepreneurial spirit is something every founder struggles with throughout the lifetime of their business.

As the founder of an agency for the past 11 years, I understand the struggles of entrepreneurship. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs; situations that could discourage anyone. But I’ve learned how important it is to concentrate on the positives.

Recently, I attended a Sales 2.0 conference and heard a great talk by Gerhard Gschwandtner, the CEO of Selling Power magazine. He shared why salespeople need to maintain a positive attitude. It dawned on me that as an entrepreneur our biggest battle is also our mindset.

The right mindset is critical if you want to overcome the challenges that come with entrepreneurship. Consider these two important mindsets that all entrepreneurs should aspire to achieve.

Positive vs. negative mindset

The results between positive and negative thoughts are immense. Negative thoughts tend to limit thinking, undervalue achievements and generate a variety of negative feelings. Negative feelings, in turn, lead to lack of confidence and underperformance. People with a positive mindset, on the other hand, tend to have a better outlook on life and are more energetic, productive and successful.

As an entrepreneur, I have learned that staying positive, even when setbacks arise, is key if you want to move forward. A positive mindset can also help you turn a bad situation into a good one in a much shorter period of time, and with better end results. It’s the process of making something good out of something bad.

For example, our business relies heavily on online tools and software. We’ve often seen disastrous results when we adopt a new tool or system. However, that hasn’t discouraged us. Instead, it taught us how to be more efficient. It led us to create our own tool. A negative mindset, on the other hand, would have led us to give up and lose faith — which is certainly not what entrepreneurship is all about.

Growth vs. fixed mindset

The second mindset every entrepreneur must master is a growth versus fixed mindset. A growth mindset views the opportunities ahead as limitless. A fixed mindset is limited by the current state of things. Successful entrepreneurs largely focus on a growth mindset, as it allows them to think big and push forward.

An entrepreneur with a fixed mindset will suffer failure and give up. An entrepreneur with a growth mindset will take a failure and use it as a chance to demonstrate the resilience and determination necessary to overcome that failure. A fixed mindset views the market as limited and shrinking, while a growth mindset sees the market as ever-growing and full of opportunities.

As the leader of our company, I know I have to be growth-minded. I tell my salespeople every day that we have thousands of customers we can reach out to. That encourages them to keep trying. That positive reinforcement goes a long way in motivating all of us to push through.

Develop your mindset

The right mindset is important if you want to succeed in business and in life. But how can you develop your own mindset and lead it in the right direction? As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned there are some key things you have to keep doing in order to maintain a positive and growth mindset.

• Don’t limit your thinking

  The first is to not limit your thinking. Two years ago, I envisioned our internal toolset becoming a self-sustained, fully-integrated marketing platform. Today, it has become the toolset of our customers and even our partners. It all started with a big dream that’s now a reality. Don’t limit your dreams or goals: Limited thinking leads to limited ideas, which stunt growth and performance.

• Take deliberate action

  Just as important as limitless thinking is being deliberate about your habits and actions. Imagine having a dream about losing weight, but not being deliberate about eating healthy or exercising. How soon would that dream come true? The same thing can be said about any goals you set for your company or business. If you’re not deliberate about taking actions to achieve those goals or dreams, it’s as good as not having any goals or dreams. I’ve learned to set short-term and long-term goals that help me achieve those dreams. Each milestone reached will take you one step closer.

Limitless thinking and deliberate behaviors and habits, are key ways to maintain your entrepreneurial spirit, develop a positive mindset and be open to growth and success in your business.

This article has been edited.

Solomon Thimothy is the founder of Clickx, a marketing intelligence platform that helps businesses and agencies with marketing attribution.

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