How often have you referred to or considered the expression “Success is a journey and not a destination”? Probably many times, although we are often in a hurry to get there, we forget that success is not an end in itself, but an ongoing process.
Although some people seem to have the Midas touch and easily turn everything to gold, most of us have to put a lot of time, effort and sweat of our brows into our endeavors before things come to fruition. The simple truth is that most of us are not just born leaders, but become leaders because of who we are and the actions we take. Consequently, whether or not you are an established entrepreneur or just beginning your journey, there are particular traits that you will generally find operating within the exceptional entrepreneur. In fact, there are 7 particular traits that you will usually discover deeply ingrained in the exceptional and successful entrepreneur.
If you’ve already taken the plunge as an entrepreneur, you know that it takes a great deal of strategic planning, development, and marketing to be successful. At any given moment, there are changes to consider and new directions to explore. In which case, whether you’re the CEO, CFO, chief marketing officer, or chief solutions officer of your company, your journey to success is likely to be filled with trials and tribulations.
To support him on his journey to success, be willing to open your mind and sense of reasoning as you consider whether these traits are part of your driving force. If they are not yet ingrained within you, I recommend that you give them some thought.
THE 7 TRAITS FOR SUCCESS
1) Successful entrepreneurs earn the respect of their peers
One of the first and most obvious characteristics you’ll notice in an exceptional entrepreneur is a fair and impartial disposition. Plain and simple, the successful entrepreneur recognizes that no one is above or below. With an attitude of respect for others, the successful entrepreneur earns the respect of everyone he meets. The strategies, attitudes and methods are filtered to each person and are reflected in all actions and activities. A successful entrepreneur gives everyone the space to be great. No matter how effective or beneficial his experience may be, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires developing the muscles, traits, and habits of his character that consequently make his dreams come true.
2) Successful entrepreneurs believe and trust in themselves
The smart entrepreneur is good at trusting his own ideas and instincts. Getting started as an entrepreneur requires persistence, determination, and a high level of self-discipline. Continuing as a successful entrepreneur requires even more persistence, determination, and self-discipline. The wise and successful businessman knows this and works hard to develop his level of confidence. If you have a strong code of ethics and believe in yourself, then your ideas can work. Having the desire and passion are the first steps on your journey; getting there requires believing in yourself.
3) Successful entrepreneurs follow a plan
The successful entrepreneur follows a plan. Chance or trial and error have no place for the successful entrepreneur, because no one reaches their destination without a map or a guide to follow. That doesn’t mean that he won’t go astray if another path seems better to him, but it’s still more effective to have a plan in place. Most successful entrepreneurs start by writing a basic business plan that acts as the impetus and guide for their efforts. It doesn’t have to be elaborate or extensive, but it should include marketing strategies, goals, intentions, ideas, and why you can do better than your competition. A business plan should be regularly reviewed and updated because every new idea sparks and inspires other ideas.
4) Successful entrepreneurs think creatively
Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid to think creatively. If a business idea has already been tried, it makes no difference to the exceptional entrepreneur. He or she sees better ways of doing things and knows that every idea can be expanded, improved, enhanced, or extended. The successful entrepreneur is willing to think outside the proverbial box, which means using their imaginations, trying new things, and expanding a vision. The smart entrepreneur pays close attention to whether a particular strategy is working. If after giving his best, the entrepreneur realizes that the particular strategy is not working, he knows that there is no point in continuing to invest energy, time and effort in the strategy. They move to another focus and idea.
5) Successful entrepreneurs explore their exceptional abilities
Successful entrepreneurs realize that each of us has strengths and weaknesses, as well as a multitude of skills and talents. Successful people often wonder what skills they have that no one shares in the same way. An exceptional and successful entrepreneur explores his particular skills until he finds the ones that come closest to his ideal. They do not try to be and do everything. If the successful entrepreneur needs help, he is willing to find someone who can do better and allows support. The successful entrepreneur stays open to change because he recognizes that as he moves forward, doors open in unexpected places that take him to the next level of success.
6) Successful entrepreneurs visualize their success
The successful entrepreneur takes time to visualize what they want their business to look like and how they want it to be. Intention is a powerful and dynamic tool. For those not inclined to intent and visualization, talk to a successful athlete and you’ll discover that before every sporting event, the successful athlete envisions exactly how they want things to turn out. Imagine how you will feel when he has achieved a particular set of goals. Get in touch with the feelings that he would have as a successful businessman. Practice and conceive the feeling of empowerment and the joy of having achieved it. The successful entrepreneur knows that he has the power to live life as he wants, but to make it happen, he knows that he has to see it first.
7) Successful entrepreneurs never give up
Giving up is never in the vocabulary of the successful entrepreneur. Of course, there may be days when a successful entrepreneur feels discouraged or disappointed, but giving up is not an option. Having faith, security, confidence and determination are the qualities necessary for the successful entrepreneur. To keep their focus on track, they seek support from those who know them, encourage them, and bring out their natural enthusiasm. The smart and successful entrepreneur realizes that there will be good days and not so good days. Being a successful entrepreneur requires embracing the ebbs and flows of business because, in fact, it is what separates the exceptional and successful entrepreneur from the one who gives up too soon.
© 2004