Success is Easy with Debbie Allen

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“Every business I’ve ever started, I knew nothing about. If you’re passionate about wanting to learn something, you can learn it.” — Debbie Allen

I sat down with Debbie Allen, life-long entrepreneur, builder of several million-dollar businesses, accomplished speaker, and the author of nine books, her latest being Success Is Easy: Shameless, No-nonsense Strategies to Win in Business. 

We discuss: 

  • The need for a sharp mindset
  • The power of coaches and mentors
  • How a growth mindset fuels success

The need for a sharp mindset

We could all benefit from sharpening our minds, but that practice is particularly prevalent across entrepreneurship, a lifestyle that’s known for constant change and reinvention.

“Successful people make success look easy, but a lot of it is a mindset for them as well.” Debbie explains, “They've worked on it to make it look easy. It doesn't just happen magically, there is work behind it.” 

Success often looks calm on the surface, but, much like a duck, underneath that smooth exterior, there’s ceaseless effort. Success is a constant choice to keep moving forward and develop the skills and mindsets that propel all of that paddling. 

With the understanding that change comes from application, Debbie chose life-coaching to embrace a more hands-on approach.

“I was always wondering how much stuck, how much really stayed with people.” She shares, reflecting on her keynotes, “Motivation is fleeting, but what can I do to help and see personal individuals grow?”

The power of coaches and mentors

Any plans for success or change start within our minds. Having someone to help translate those plans into visuals—vision boards, goal lists, actionables, etc.—can make a crucial difference.

Debbie has taken multiple leaps into unfamiliar industries and verticals during her career. Every time, her zest and vigor for learning drew the right mentors and coaches to her. She knows firsthand what having that type of guidance and advice can do in the way of career progression and success, and now provides that service to others. 

“Everybody doubted me.” Debbie shares, “And that just pushed me to want to do it more, because I remember one of the things my dad said to me, when I left the family business, he said, ‘You better make this more than just a hobby.’ That has resonated with me my entire life.”

Debbie’s mentality is honest-won and forged from failures and lessons learned the hard way; after all, failure is one of the best teachers in life. Debbie found her footing through finding people who were successful at what she was trying to accomplish. 

“They took me under their wing and allowed me to take my business from 100,000 to two and a half million in two years while knowing nothing.” she continues, “I have always followed the path of coaches and mentors and learned. That's why I believe success is easy.”

That said, you must have some basic skills and passion—the drive to invest in yourself. But the odds are if you go to someone already successful at what you want to do, you can follow their lead and find that success. In Debbie’s view, mentorship is a large chunk of that formula.

How a growth mindset fuels success

Another critical ingredient to success is curating a growth mindset—a familiar concept here at The Mindset Zone—and leveraging that under all circumstances.

“Failures a lesson.” Debbie points out, “Plan A didn't work? Okay, what's your plan B? It might not have been your number one, but plan B is still pretty good. You're gonna get there.”

A growth mindset uses failure as a learning opportunity, a chance to improve. It doesn’t do much good to focus on mistakes beyond the point of them serving the present. 

Everyone has missteps. It’s what we do with those missteps that differentiate us from those who shrink back and believe the naysayers after a stumble or rally and use what they learned to move forward.

“Success is different for every single person.” Debbie shares, “It will flow to you easily if you're really, really clear on what success means to you.” 

Define what success means to you, and aim for that feeling, that result, with everything you have. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone but you. 

Do you have a recent failure that helped move you forward? What does success look like for you, and what can you do towards that goal today?

Check out Debbie’s full episode to learn more about how she leveraged her network and skills to build success, and be sure to explore DebbieAllen.com!