Entrepreneurial spirit is supposedly something you either have or don’t have. While it is true that you can’t ‘learn’ to be entrepreneurial, you can develop the traits that all great entrepreneurs share.
You don’t even need to be an entrepreneur to have entrepreneurial spirit. We can’t all work for ourselves after all but we should work as though we do because it can help drive success.
Successful business people share many traits and anyone can develop these traits if they’re willing to try. Here are some of the top traits of successful entrepreneurs and how you can embrace them.
Discipline and decisiveness
Discipline is perhaps the easiest as well as the hardest entrepreneurial trait to develop. It’s easy because we know what we have to do, but it’s hard because it requires giving up a lot of life’s little joys that are actually bad habits. Habits like bingeing on Netflix, eating out all the time and playing video games.
Being disciplined doesn’t have to be boring though. In fact, being disciplined can actually lead to more time for fun – and with the added benefit of a sense of achievement. Being disciplined can even be leaving work on time every day by figuring out a way to be more productive in core hours.
Prioritise tasks, stick to the plan, execute the day with great discipline and then enjoy an indulgent or relaxing reward – or maybe just hit the gym for some endorphins.
Time is a precious commodity to the self-employed. Procrastination and indecisiveness are luxuries in which an entrepreneur cannot afford to indulge. With a great degree of organisation you can avoid procrastinating and learn to make decisions more quickly. Taking action is an entrepreneurial trait known more commonly as being a self-starter.
Collaboration
Great collaborators make great entrepreneurs. Successful people don’t waste time and energy trying to pretend they’re better at things than they are or striving for individual achievement over all else. They’re often incredible team players who thrive on collaboration and cooperation and shine brighter because they’re not wasting energy trying to outshine anyone.
Brand collaboration can add value if the strategic and creative thinking is aligned. The same is true of work collaboration if the employees are similarly motivated to achieve and deliver. Embrace collaboration at work by giving office politics a wide berth, championing and celebrating the skills and successes of colleagues, staying on target and on task. Welcome the input of others and don’t be afraid to ask for help or to delegate.
People skills
Charismatic is a word many would use to describe almost every entrepreneur of note; persuasive is another. In essence, all entrepreneurs possess great people and communication skills. They make excellent motivators and exude positivity.
People skills can be developed by taking a genuine interest in the people we engage with. Ask deep, searching questions rather than make idle chit-chat. Be open and responsive. Persuasiveness, charisma and motivation stem from likability and we tend to like people who are genuine, warm and take an interest in us too.
These sorts of skills are highly underrated but also rarer than they seem. Being a people person really helps get buy-in for new ideas, with collaboration and in winning new business.
Determination and passion
Entrepreneurs see failure as a positive lesson on how to get to where they want to be the next time. Determined individuals achieve more because they refuse to be defined by their failed attempts. Too often the average employee gets caught up in regret and kicking themselves over mistakes – embrace your failures as lessons for success and get straight back on the horse, and you’ll never be average again.
Passion is perhaps the most important trait of the successful. Of course, it helps if you love what you do because you’ll willingly put in the extra effort to be successful. Research how to be more productive at your job, save your company money or grow the business.
The more invested in the business you are the more you will love it and more you will strive to be successful.
