There’s no doubt that starting and growing a business is no easy task. You’ve got to make payroll and make tough decisions about hiring and firing employees. Often, you find yourself working past midnight and starting again early the next day. Being an entrepreneur takes sweat, grit, determination and strong will to succeed. Some folks make it look easy, but it never is.

That said – being an entrepreneur doesn’t have to be as hard as some people make it. And often, the very qualities that drive people to start their own business are the ones that get in their way and make what is already a Herculean effort even more daunting.

In my book, No Try, Only Do I talk about my own journey as an entrepreneur. There’s a lot that I did right, and a lot that could have been done better – if I’d had the tools. Here are 4 tips to help you avoid some of the mistakes that can make being an entrepreneur harder than it needs to be:

1. Set aside the need for control

You’re in charge. You make the decisions. And, if you want it done right, you usually have to do it yourself. Sound familiar? If it does (especially if it’s what you currently believe), you need to release control. You hired the A-players around you to do a job – now let them do it. Get your ego out of the way and have faith in their decision-making capabilities. This will afford you time to focus on other things. Not only that, the trust you show will breed loyalty in your team, which will serve your business in the short and long term.

2. Adopt good habits…and practice them

When I discovered the Rockefeller Habits, they not only changed how I managed my business, but they changed my life. Once I had a system in place whereby I could set goals and achieve them, I began to experience a new level of success both in my work and my personal life – but it wasn’t overnight. Like anything new, it took practice for me to fully integrate better habits into my daily routine. Practice enough, and you’ll build muscle memory for your habits. Neglect them, and you’ll fall back into your old routine.

3. Get out of your own way

You’re stubborn – so much so that it alienates the people around you and leads you to make decisions that might not be in your best interest. Stop that right now. You can be an asset to your business or you can be a liability, and it all hinges on your willingness to be self-reflective enough to realize you’ve got blind spots. Take a breath. Be flexible. Take the time you need to think through situations and decisions using the TAG Method. Ask for help when you need it, and take advice when it’s offered.

4. If necessary, change who you are

I’m sure you’ve heard that “people don’t change.” Well, I can tell you that’s not true. And if you want your business to reach its full potential, you need to be open not only to change around you, but also within yourself. How you act and react, your decision-making process and – most importantly – how you interact with the people around you will require adjustment along the way. Stay open and flexible. Think of yourself as a work in progress and be willing to do the work to make yourself the best you can be.

So, it’s not going to be easy. You know that already if you’re an entrepreneur. However, I assure it doesn’t need to be as hard as you’re making it. Are you ready to make your life a little easier?

This article originally appeared on Huffington Post.