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In my lifetime, I have seen both...
Those of you who already have it in your blood. There is that fire in your belly that makes you prepared to do what is necessary to reach your vision.
Those of you who develop and grow into one. You may have grown up in an environment that did not fully encourage your entrepreneurial characteristics, but deep down inside you know you are capable of something incredible and with the right environment, will thrive.
Definition of an Entrepreneur
Look up any dictionary and you may come across a description such as "one who organises and manages an enterprise and assumes accountability for the risks associated with it" or something similar.
Fair enough description at the base level, but to truly understand an Entrepreneur we could add to it something like "those who strive within their enterprise for growth and innovation and do not want to be small for long"...and I am sure as you read this, you yourself could come up with your own addition to that description too.
Characteristics of an Entrepreneur
Now in terms of age, background, physicality, industry and personality these are wide and varied. We have young entrepreneurs, old entrepreneurs, funny ones, serious ones, tall ones, short ones, ones who grew up with parents that were business owners, ones that had parents with jobs, ones in property, manufacturing or retail and the list goes on.
What is common however are some of the characteristics listed below (in no particular order). Not all Entrepreneurs have all of these... they may have some and will develop others as they go along.
- Visionary
- Growth oriented (self and business)
- Adaptable to change
- Persistent
- Willing to take calculated risks
- Solution focused
- Creative & innovative
- Like to have control and direct
- Open to seeing and grasping opportunities
- Love a challenge
- Confident and sometimes even overestimate their ability
- Quick decision makers
- Take ACTION
- Not afraid of making mistakes
How to begin to develop (or further develop) the Entrepreneur in you
Below are some suggestions to get you going. Of course the list could go on, but I have just mentioned what I believe are some of the more important points, especially in the beginning, that can give you a good head start.
- Mix with like-minded individuals. You may have to chat to many people before you connect with people who truly understand how you think and are there to support you in your vision, but they are out there. Notice the language others use and their outlook on life, if it's too negative then that is not going to be the best environment for your growth, so look for those who inspire and uplift by their words and actions.
- You may want to start a mastermind group of your own. In Napoleon Hill's Classic best selling book Think and Grow Rich click here , he talks about this concept. You bring together like-minded people on a regular basis so that you can all support and challenge one another.
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Be a student of life. Never cease your quest for knowledge; never cease your quest for developing yourself personally and professionally. Read, watch or listen to all you can, become self-educated. Develop your communication skills, your business skills, your time management skills, your finance skills etc. Be consistent and persistent with it too. Be hungry for learning, like a sponge soaking it all up.
- Check your attitude... how do you start your day? What mindset do you have from the moment you wake up to the moment your head hits the pillow at night? Are you consumed with a problem-focused attitude or do you have a solution-focused attitude? Do you take the negative things that happen and learn from them or do you dwell in the problem, making it bigger, making it last longer and making you inactive and de-motivated in the process?
- Check in with your self-talk - it's so powerful if it's more positive. Of course we can't always be 100% positive all the time, but it's how you think (and act) most of the time that has the biggest impact.
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Be open to opportunities (and of course grasp them by taking ACTION). Opportunities are everywhere, all day, everyday. If you open your mind you will see them. Some people just barely get through the day; true Entrepreneurs get ‘from the day'. They look, listen and learn continually. If you just develop one skill and that is becoming a great listener, opportunities will present themselves...then of course you will need to take action.
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Your personal or business Vision. We are all taught to have goals and hence a vision to reach for, but rarely are we ever taught to look deeply into ‘why' we want these goals? The ‘why' can be sooooo powerful. When you understand why you want what you want, getting motivated is never a problem. When you have a strong enough ‘why', the ‘how' becomes easier and more obvious.
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Be strong enough to ask for help. So many people think that this is a weakness, when it is actually a strength. Why fumble around in the dark when switching on the light can show you the way faster? It may be challenging if you are not used to doing this, however it just makes the journey so much easier. When we are ‘in' a situation sometimes we can't see everything and having an outside perspective can highlight things we may have missed.
Being an entrepreneur takes discipline, dedication and passion. If you understand what is required and take the necessary actions, you can certainly become an entrepreneur. If you already feel you are an entrepreneur then continuing to develop your skills and having a clear business vision is vitally important in achieving and maintaining success.
All the best for your business success!
Nicole Murray
Business Development Coach, Hot Chocolate Coaching
P.S. If you enjoyed this article and would like to automatically receive monthly business articles, hints & tips by email, click here Business Ezine - A Taste of Hot Chocolate
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The information contained in this article is intended for general information purposes only and does not constitute, nor is it intended to constitute, professional advice. For advice specific to your business or life, you should always consult with the appropriate professional in order to determine the actions and laws that are applicable to your particular circumstances.
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