The One Most Important Trait Entrepreneurs Need…

Art thou an Entrepreneur? Well well, you must be mighty proud of yourself then. Knowing very well that the chances of a start-up soaring instantly in this very competitive world can be sort of bleak.

So let me ask you… which phase of ‘The Start-up Curve’ are you in? Are you at the very peak of success or are you only in the experimentation phase? Or maybe… you’re in the dreaded ‘Trough of Sorrow’?

You’re an Entrepreneur.

You know the struggles, right.

You’re also familiar with how devastatingly disheartening and frustrating it can be to keep pushing yourself to achieve your dream.

Here’s your dose of motivation for the day from the late Steve Jobs. He very rightly stated that “… about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the unsuccessful ones is pure perseverance”

There, you have it. Pure perseverance. Grit. Take it at face value.

Now when you look back at the ‘Trough of Sorrow’ phase and the 90% of start-ups that fail to establish themselves, perseverance serves as the only important trait that will assist you in your rocky journey. It’ll push you to break through the barriers.

*If you’re one of those ambitious, blooming ones looking to start your own venture and who just about happened to stumble upon this post… well you’re in luck*

So what is it like to be gritty? Why is it so important?

To be gritty is to be persistent and tenacious. It is the effort required to do something and not give up. It’s the motivation to keep going at it, no matter how hard things get. Having just grit alone might not get you everywhere, but without it taking a single step can become difficult. So how do we develop this?

Here’s how:

• Look at the big picture. Identify your goals. Fixate on it.

Many people lack grit and perseverance because they have never set concrete goals for themselves. They wander around aimlessly and wonder why things don’t go their way. They fail to understand that by not having a goal, by not having anything to drive oneself to achieve, and by not having the basic understanding of what it is to be dedicated, they are losing out on a lot of possibilities for growth.

Set a goal. The bigger, the better. Perceive the challenges that come your way as small.

Once you have a goal, set a target. This will push you to get on your feet and get going. Do NOT constantly question your motives. Do not worry about your future outcomes. Do not ponder over your alternatives. You’ve chosen a goal — just work towards it with all that you’ve got. Even if you realize you have made a mistake, it’s alright. Chances are you may unearth something more useful and resourceful along the way.

• Take control of your mind. Be mentally strong and stay realistic.

Approach your circumstances with a healthy mind-set. Think positive, especially when the path ahead gets rocky. Those who persevere also expect obstacles in their path. That’s being realistic. What’s more inspiring is that they seek these obstacles knowing that they’ll learn from them. By doing so, they are not only facing them head on but also growing and developing as an entrepreneur.

More importantly, our self-confidence needs to be paired with an unquestioned belief that we will make it through anything. Self-confidence is a result of skill, not ego. Erich Fromm, a German social psychologist, makes an amazing point in “To have or to be”. He states that ego is what most people groom their entire life, it’s what can be destroyed. Skill on the other hand, can’t be taken away from you. Ego is our personal doll that we deck up and nourish with care. But it can be ripped apart as easily as it was put together. Skill is our shadow — it follows us everywhere we go.

Understand that there are no rules or obligations. There is no ‘impossible’. Quit stalling and start moving towards your goal.

• Have a POA in place? Good. Implement it.

We all start off with nothing — no goals to achieve, no plan of action. So take that leap of faith, try out new ideas, think out of the box, BE gritty. Push yourself beyond your own limits, constantly expand your comfort zone and experience that feeling of discomfort that comes out of it because only then will your hidden strengths reveal themselves to you. Surround yourself with better and more ambitious people.

It is not only about having the right mind-set and developing the appropriate habits, it also about converting your thoughts and feelings into action; about executing your great ideas. People who are gritty do not leave things to fate. They attribute their failures and successes to their own work and take full responsibility for it.

• Breathe in, and breathe out.

Hang in there, fellow entrepreneur. We are all aware of the harmful effects stress can have over our bodies. So why fret? Allow yourself to relax! Passion coupled with grittiness will always be your number one driving force. Stay grounded, hopeful and determined. In the end, this is what really matters. This is what will keep you going.

You’ve got this!