Have You Got What it Takes to be a Successful Entrepreneur?
It’s a classic that entrepreneurs have been telling for ages:
While the optimist and the pessimist are arguing over whether the glass is half full or half empty, the entrepreneur is selling the glass.
The ability to sell the glass, however, stems from a certain set of characteristics that most successful entrepreneurs possess.
You’ve been dreaming of going it alone, but before you ditch your 9 to 5, measure yourself up against these key attributes, which experts say are the common denominators of successful business owners, freelancers and entrepreneurs.
You possess the ability to walk away from naysayers
No matter who they are…. If your family and friends are telling you that you can’t do it, you need to distance yourself from their negativity. At a minimum, opt not to discuss your business plans with those who are not on board with your enthusiasm.
Surround yourself with likeminded people, as well as with those who share your optimism and support your efforts.
You have the strength of character to withstand uncertainty
Look, the reality is that when you are building a business, working freelance, or doing, well, anything that doesn’t entail suiting up and showing up for someone else’s company (and being on the receiving end of the paycheck that goes with that) you have got to have a certain kind of grit.
Clients don’t always pay on time. Deals don’t always pan out. Businesses don’t always succeed. Not everyone has got the nerves to deal with that kind of uncertainty.
Before you give up that steady paycheck, you better ask yourself if you can handle it. But, at the same time, you should remind yourself of the reality that there simply is no such thing as “job security”.
You are willing and able to work your proverbial ass off
I know there are lots of self-appointed gurus out there telling you that you can get rich over night with a few clicks of a mouse. Not so. Yes, there are amazing tools and software systems out there that can, and will, help you take your business to the next level (or any level at all) and you should use them. I do.
And, no tool, system or piece of software is going to replace hard work. They go hand in hand.
While it’s true that over time you may be able to create some passive income or build your business to a point where you can sell it big, it isn’t going to happen with the magic click of a button; you are going to have to work hard and do so for awhile to make it happen.
When you do though, you’ll no doubt reap the rewards of the life you’re dreaming of.
Work hard today so you can live like most can’t tomorrow.
You’ve got access to cash- yours or someone else’s
The reality is, you have to have some capital in your corner. You might want to use your own money, but there is something to be said for leveraging the assets of another.
Either way, though, make sure you manage your company’s money with deference and caution. Don’t over-leverage, but don’t leave yourself without your own cash reserves either.
You are able to defer gratification
Being a business owner doesn’t necessarily require a brick and mortar office with a view and the most amazing site on the web.
Start with the lowest overhead you can possibly get away with and scale with your business. Know that as you grow, you will get there.
You are able to fail fast and move on
The ability to quickly recognize and accept failure is a key characteristic of the successful entrepreneur.
When faced with failure, the successful entrepreneur immediately cuts his losses, regroups, and starts again.
You are teachable
You have the courage to go it alone, sure, but you don’t know it all. Find a mentor or coach to advise you and consider it a business expense of the most basic, and important, kind.
Listen to those who have gone before you; they have plenty to teach and can save you a ton of time and money on costly mistakes.
Not every lesson has to cost you though. Join a group, attend Meetups, listen to an expert advice podcast like Freedom Strategies, check out a book or find a good blog; there are a number of ways to learn with out spending a dime.
You are optimistic
The entrepreneur may have sold the glass, but he wouldn’t have even tried were he not an optimist.
If you have a personality that tends toward gloom and doom, you’re probably going to negate yourself right out of business. A positive attitude goes a very long way toward creating the success you dream of.
