Maybe you were inspired by Mark Zuckerberg. Or any of those “self-made” Silicon Valley guys who, according to their origin stories, deftly built startups from their parents’ garage and turned their entrepreneurial endeavors into billion-dollar ventures. Now, you, too, aspire to be one of them. And you feel like there’s nothing that can hold you back. If those guys made it, so can you.
Not to burst your bubble but not everyone who aspires to become an entrepreneur can become an entrepreneur. The vocation requires specific competencies. And while those can be honed, it might take time. You might need to devote years tuning up your arsenal before you can finally get on with your plans. A more practical person would rather explore other possibilities that are more attainable here and now. After all, time is of the essence.
Meanwhile, if you already possess the essential qualities needed to become an effective entrepreneur, you are at an advantage. Look into this list to see where you’re at.
Creativity
Entrepreneurial endeavors start with an idea. And ideas are made by creative people. That means you must be attuned with the right, side of your brain. That’s where intuitive thinking happens.
A creative person is a curious person. After all, you cannot come up with new ways of seeing if you lack interest in the first place. You need a child’s sense of wonder as if you’re always looking at the world with a new pair of eyes.
Levelheadedness
As an entrepreneur, you cannot just rely on the right side of your brain. While creativity matters for coming up with ideas, logic and intellect are just as important. They come in handy when you finally need to parse through the ideas you come up with. Keep in mind that not all ideas are worth pursuing. Some are best left within the confines of your brain.
The ability to see which idea to follow through relies upon your levelheadedness. And that’s a left-brain activity. With that said, you need to be able to maximize your right and left brain functions. Juggle them with ease.
Proactiveness
The best entrepreneurs know how to anticipate all likely scenarios. And they have corresponding action plans for every possible outcome. All bases covered is what your mantra should be.
For example, consider having a startup where you provide cutting-edge engineering materials to construction firms. You visit building sites on a regular basis. Being proactive means that you know the risks of your usual workplace setting. You have a personal injury attorney at your beck and call. You’ve signed all the necessary insurance. Not just for you but the rest of your team.
Courage
You cannot be an entrepreneur if you lack the gumption. You need it for following through with the brilliant idea you conjured. You need it for deciding to invest all of your savings into your efforts, as well as for when you need to look for additional investors. You need it every day to keep you going even if you’re not making any substantial progress.
Sometimes the only thing that separates a successful entrepreneur from a failed one is an indomitable spirit. It can be enough to push you ever forward until the time comes that your hard work is rewarded.
Self-reliance
You start small. And by small, it’s most likely just you. Once you get your thing going, you can probably hire a couple of people. This is where self-reliance comes in. Ideally, you know what needs to be done and are ready to do them yourself if there’s no one there to lend you a hand.
Leadership
This is perhaps the most crucial, especially if you’re confident enough that your idea will take you to greater heights and a pool of employees scattered across multiple floors of offices. You need to be an excellent leader. That requires unparalleled communication skills. And a knack for effective delegation. Yes, those things can be learned. And you can learn them as you go.
If you feel you have been blessed with the qualities above, let no one tell you otherwise. Even if you fake it, the fact that you’re faking it means you have the necessary gumption and that can take you places. In time, you won’t be faking it no more. You’ll be serving it left and right, and legitimately too.
So follow your entrepreneurial dreams and prosper. Just make sure whatever you come up with will somehow make the world a better place. Otherwise, what’s the point?
