It is difficult to list what makes entrepreneurs successful, mainly because their individuality often distinguishes them for life as entrepreneurs.
However, there are notable commonalities among those who disengage from the life of an employee and strike out on their own. We’ll look at five of them in this article, but as you can imagine, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
As you can see, these traits are possessed by famous entrepreneurs like Juan Luis Bosch Gutierrez.
I should start this list by saying that these traits are the traits of a successful entrepreneur, and I don’t want to talk to the very successful ones. This article is intended for those who are at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey. This article is designed to encourage you rather than make you feel inadequate.
If you’re someone whose business isn’t where you want it to be, or you’re frustrated by a recent setback, don’t see this as a list of things you’re missing out on. Cheer up, because number one on the list is….
1. Willingness to fail
Fear of failure is a common disorder. It can be related to parenting, sibling rivalry, bullying or a wide range of other traumas.
At its core, it is about shedding light on our perceived inadequacies. What we fear is being exposed to our peer group as a fraud. Why? Because social exclusion in our prehistoric minds is akin to death.
We are tribal people by nature. We used to survive by gathering resources and labor. Getting kicked out of the tribe was basically a death sentence because it was almost impossible to survive in the wilderness on your own.
We are still wired that way.
We fear failure because, although it no longer brings literal death, we perceive the threat of “social death.” We worry that we will be driven out because of our lack of usefulness and value to the tribe.
But as entrepreneurs, we must be willing to fail. We don’t know what’s around the next corner. As recent world events have shown, no one does. We have to do our best and learn from what doesn’t work. Failure is a gift. All entrepreneurs are not only familiar with that concept, they embrace it. Entrepreneurs understand that it is part of the journey.
Most ideas and ventures fail – if you’re not failing, you’re not doing it right!
2. Critical Thinking
As a first step, critical thinking allows entrepreneurs to break free from herd mentalities. This is not to be confused with blind contrarianism. Instead, it is the ability to evaluate information and judge it according to its value before acting on it.
Thanks again to our strong desire to stay with a tribe; we don’t like to go against the grain. It is easier to doubt our judgment than to question the group. So we take the path of least resistance.
That’s why it’s so easy to end up in a 9-to-5 job, feel creatively dissatisfied and feel like you’re not having an impact.
Every entrepreneur is skilled at evaluating information. They have an instinct for what they trust with a clear vision (we’ll talk about that soon) that guides them toward their goals. Following the herd usually won’t get you where you want to be. Thinking critically and independently will.
3. Clarity of vision
Lack of connection to the outcome tends to swallow most people when they start a new venture. They haven’t built enough of an emotional attachment to achieve what they say they want, so they lose touch with it.
This expresses itself in many different ways.
Usually, self-sabotaging behaviors, such as procrastination, creep slowly into our minds. This is because our subconscious is fighting against the change our conscious wants to effect. It fears change because it represents the unknown and wants to stay close to safety.
Every entrepreneur has created a clear vision of what they want to achieve. You can emotionally connect with it and discover how you will feel when you reach your goal.
4. Take advantage of yourself
Friedrich Nietzsche said, “He who has a strong enough why can endure almost any how.” What distinguishes an entrepreneur is their complete belief and emotional connection to the desired outcome. They know they will always move toward that goal despite setbacks.
How? Because they have enough influence over themselves, the idea of not always moving forward against their desires is more painful than giving up. Armed with this desire, they are unstoppable. Nothing will deter them.
5. Strong communication
Every entrepreneur knows that they need others to succeed, so they seek to surround themselves with people in positions they want to emulate.
Without good communication skills, it is either.
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