How often have you either referred to or considered the expression, "Success is a journey and not a Destination?" Probably many times, yet often being in a hurry to get there, we forget that success is not an end unto itself, but is instead an ongoing process.
Though some people seem to have the Midas touch and easily turn everything to gold, most of us have to give our endeavors lots of time, effort and the sweat of our brow before seeing things come to fruition. The simple truth is that the majority of us are simply not born leaders, but become leaders by who we are and the actions we take. Consequently, whether or not you're an established entrepreneur or just starting out on your journey, there are particular traits you'll usually find operating within the exceptional entrepreneur. In fact there are 7 particular traits you'll generally discover deeply embedded within the exceptional and successful businessperson.
If you've already taken the plunge as an entrepreneur, you know that it takes a great deal of planning, development and strategic marketing to succeed. At any given time, there are changes to be considered and new directions to examine. In which case, whether you're the CEO, CFO, Chief Marketer or Chief Solutions Officer of your company, your journey to success is probably full of trials and tribulations.
To support you in your 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 TO SUCCESS
1) Successful Entrepreneurs Gain the Respect of their Peers
One of the first and most obvious characteristics you'll see operating in an exceptional entrepreneur is an equitable and unbiased 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 gains the respect from everyone they encounter. Strategies, attitudes and methods filter down to each person and reflect on all actions and activities. A successful entrepreneur gives everyone the space to be great. No matter how effective or beneficial your expertise, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires building up of your character muscles, traits and habits, which correspondingly make your dreams a reality.
2) Successful Entrepreneurs Believe and Trust in Themselves
The savvy entrepreneur is good at trusting his or her own ideas and instincts. Starting out 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 entrepreneur knows this and works hard at developing their 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. Haphazard or trial and error have no place for the triumphant entrepreneur, for no one gets to his or her destination without a map or a guide to follow. That doesn't mean you won't go off course if another road seems better, but it's still more effective to have a plan in place. Most successful entrepreneurs start out by writing a basic business plan that acts as the impetus and guide for their endeavors. It doesn't have to be fancy or lengthy but it should include marketing strategies, goals, intentions, ideas and why you can do better than your competition. A business plan should be reviewed and updated periodically for each new idea stirs and inspires other ideas.
4) Successful Entrepreneurs Think Creatively
Successful entrepreneurs are not afraid of thinking creatively. Whether a business idea has already been tried makes no difference to the exceptional entrepreneur. He or she sees better ways of doing things and knows that every idea can be expanded upon, made better, enhanced or broadened . The successful entrepreneur is willing to think outside or the proverbial box, which means using imagination, trying new things and expanding on a vision. The savvy entrepreneur pays careful attention as to whether a particular strategy is working. If after giving it his or her best shot the entrepreneur realizes the particular strategy isn't working, they know there's no point in continuing to invest energy, time and effort in the strategy. They move on to another approach and idea.
5)Successful Entrepreneurs Explore Their Exceptional Skills
Successful entrepreneurs realize that we each have our strengths and weaknesses as well as a multitude of skills and talents. Successful people ask themselves often what skills they have that no one shares in quite the same way. An exceptional and successful entrepreneur explores their particular skills until they find the ones that match most closely with their ideal. They don't try to be and do everything. If the successful entrepreneur needs help, they're willing to find someone who can do it better, and allows in the support. The successful entrepreneur stays open to change for they recognize that as they move forward, doors open in unexpected places that carry them to their next level of success.
6) Successful Entrepreneurs Envision Their Success
The successful entrepreneur gives time to envisioning how they want their business to look and how they want it to be. Intention is a powerful and dynamic tool. For those who are not inclined towards intention and visualization, talk to a successful athlete and you'll discover that before each sporting event, the successful athlete envisions exactly how he or she wants things to turn out. Imagine what it will feel like when you've reached a particular set of goals. Get in touch with the feelings, you'd have as a successful entrepreneur. Practice and conceive of the sense of empowerment and the joy of having succeeded. The successful entrepreneur knows they have the power to live life the way they want, but to make it a reality, they know it has to be seen 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, trust, confidence and determination are the qualities needed for the successful entrepreneur. To keep their focus on track, they seek out the support of those that 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 accepting the ebbs and flows of business for it is in fact what separates the exceptional and successful entrepreneur from the one who gives up far too soon.
© 2004
Robert Moment, author,business coach and success strategist is the author of a best-selling book, "It Only Takes A Moment to Score". Founder of The Moment Group, a small business coaching & consulting firm. Robert, help entrepreneurs harness their potential and soar to new height. Contact Robert@sellintegrity.com or visit his website at http://www.sellintegrity.com
Great question! Overwhelm is very common even among the most... Read More
Entrepreneurship is generally characterized by some type of innovation, a... Read More
If you have a business idea, or an idea for... Read More
Not everyone is cut out to run a business. Not... Read More
Introduction:In a world where ideas drive economies, it is no... Read More
If you want to make big money, you have to... Read More
When it comes to a startup, the luxuries shared with... Read More
Who would ever have imagined that going door-to-door in my... Read More
As more and more people start or consider starting their... Read More
Today, I got an email from a lady who hates... Read More
Almost every day, I talk with people who want to... Read More
Franchising InformationFranchise oppotunities are all around us today. You may... Read More
The words you see onscreen trigger subconscious responses. Dark images... Read More
You run a small consultancy. You're well qualified, experienced and... Read More
In a recent talk to the Detroit Economic Club, President... Read More
In his book, The Road Ahead, Bill Gates of Microsoft... Read More
How long should a business plan be? A business plan... Read More
Successful entrepreneurs have many traits in common. Here are ten... Read More
Many people who set up as consultants never make more... Read More
Don't let these stop you from having a business plan... Read More
The psychology of entrepreneurship can be very rewarding to one... Read More
Once again the squeeze is on as renewed inflation worries... Read More
When's the last time someone asked you: "What's new?" If... Read More
I recently took an entrepreneurial quiz which evaluated my answers... Read More
The latest series in "The Apprentice" features 2 distinct group... Read More
It is widely held that one of the most important... Read More
It's not uncommon to reach your 30s, 40s or even... Read More
The "Great One" said it bestHockey legend Wayne Gretzky, when... Read More
With the growing number of franchise offerings recently it is... Read More
Hello Creative Entrepreneurs!Welcome to the e-class on Creativity & Entrepreneurship:... Read More
Most companies vastly underestimate the time commitment necessary to successfully... Read More
Rupert Steiner in his book 'My First Break' attempted to... Read More
Implementing changes, even when they're good for your business, can... Read More
As I awaken with the gift of yet another day... Read More
When you buy a business, you should have a plan.... Read More
Rupert Steiner in his book 'My First Break' attempted to... Read More
Many people are starting an online business without a thought... Read More
At an International Franchising Symposium in London, Peter Holt made... Read More
Cash is one of the most important resources to a... Read More
Will I be successful as a franchisee?One of the soundest... Read More
Women business owners are our only clients, so naturally we... Read More
Venture capital firms are comprised of individual partners. These partners... Read More
Does A Franchise Meet Your Needs?When you think of becoming... Read More
When launching a new product or company, an entrepreneur must... Read More
Implementing changes, even when they're good for your business, can... Read More
One trait of franchisors and something you will find in... Read More
Most companies vastly underestimate the time commitment necessary to successfully... Read More
A business owner is thoroughly responsible for their own financial... Read More
Successful entrepreneurs have many traits in common. Here are ten... Read More
Many of us slave away for years for one uninspiring... Read More
When companies enter into negotiations with venture capital firms, there... Read More
I am going to begin this article by sharing a... Read More
It is only natural that when you start a business,... Read More
If you've ever received a service today and paid for... Read More
Betrayal, it can hit you like a load of bricks... Read More
Running a one-person business is a creative, flexible and challenging... Read More
If your company is like the one I work for,... Read More
If you look up the definition of hero in Webster's,... Read More
The most important function of a business plan is to... Read More
The "Great One" said it bestHockey legend Wayne Gretzky, when... Read More
I was reminded of my own mortality today. I guess... Read More
Widget sales are booming ? the competition is scrambling, demand... Read More
When I'm not running my own business, writing articles about... Read More
Any success you have in life must begin with a... Read More
Sylvia Acevedo needed a break from her technology job so... Read More
In each of us, there is a creative spark -... Read More
Entrepreneur |