The 7 Traits of an Exceptional & Successful Entrepreneur
Copyright © 2005 Robert Moment
http://www.sellintegrity.com
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.
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Robert Moment, Business & Success Strategist and Author
of "It Only Takes a Moment to Score" found on Amazon.com
and Barnes & Noble. Robert show entrepreneurs how to
avoid becoming a statistic and turn their ideas into
wealth and have FUN! Visit
http://www.sellintegrity.com
and Grab a FREE Special Report , "17 Profitable Ways to
Turn Your Content into Money".
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