5 Unavoidable Traits Every Entrepreneur Demands
Apply these 5 traits and you’ll never lose.
There’s a lot of you reading this who would love to be an entrepreneur.
In fact, maybe you have given it a shot and it didn’t go so well.
Or, maybe you currently have a job but when you envision yourself 10 years down the road you’re doing things your own way.
Call it what you want:
- Businessman
- Entrepreneur
- Solopreneur
Whatever. The one thing they have in common is they create their own path. Whether it be by yourself or with a team, you have a vision and a need, a thirst to create.
As you well know, creation occurs with action, not thought. If you’re in this spot then you have some decisions to make, better to do them sooner rather than later.
What are the challenges all entrepreneurs face?
- Uncertainty
- Skillset
- Resilience
That’s the gap between where you are now and the vision you are striving to create.
5 Traits Every Entrepreneur Needs
1 — Unrelenting Persistence
Persistence is difficult as hell. Especially when you’re just beginning.
- You don’t know what you’re doing.
- You don’t know where you’re going.
- And you don’t know what the repercussions with be if you f*ck it up.
But what you always need to know is this; no matter what you will put in the work.
The best way to do this: Establish 3 non-negotiable tasks that you do every day. And by “every day” I don’t mean only when you feel like it.
Every
Single
Day
For example, right now, my non-negotiables are to
- Write 500 words/day
- Exercise (intentional movement) >30 minutes/day
- Write 10 blog post titles/day.
It doesn’t matter how motivated or unmotivated you are. These 3 get checked off the will-do list.
You have no business negotiating whether or not you’re going to do it because you already know.
So far I’m only 5 weeks into it, I haven’t missed a day and have written over 30k words. → The power of compound interest.
Can’t wait to see what 1 year brings of unrelenting persistence.
2 — Unquenchable Desire to Learn
2 things you need to know:
- There’s always a faster way.
2. There’s always a “better” way.
The only way you will come to discover the faster or better way is through trial and error.
Your goal: Don’t get caught up in the BS. Move forward with how you know best, and continue to learn (be willing to learn) along the way.
I hate to break it to you but you aren’t the best that has ever done whatever it is you are doing.
Be humble.
Understand that those who have done it before you have a lot to offer.
- Books
- Podcasts
- Examples
- Business partners
- Mentors
These are some of the most valuable sources of knowledge you can invest in and the only way to “sharpen the ax” is to learn while moving forward.
“Always think with your stick forward.” — Amelia Earhart
3 — Complete Disregard For What Others Think
Naysayers will be plentiful.
- “You should do it this way.”
- “Have you ever thought about doing it like this?”
- “Ohhh I would have done it differently…”
I say this with respect and caution, your job isn’t to care about what others think. It’s to tackle the vision you are creating.
The only advice you should be catering to is the advice given by someone who has been there before.
Otherwise, politely nod your head and keep doing you.
The more energy you expend worrying about what they think the less energy you have to put towards your vision.
4 — Embrace Your Uniqueness
This is a big one. Maybe the most important.
Listen to me. You are unique. Your path is unique. And not everyone understands that, so quit trying to convince them to.
Whether you believe it or not, your uniqueness is your strength.
The only person that needs to believe in your vision is you.
Convince them by actions not by words. If you need to get things moving by yourself then do whatever it takes to make it happen.
I used to be the type to tell every single idea I had to anyone around with a sense of business savvy in them and I always got a discouraging response.
Why do you think that is? They answer as if it was something they themselves would do. But guess what? It’s your vision and your dream so of course, they won’t feel the same way about it as you do.
It sounds harsh, but you need to constantly remind yourself (at least I did) that you don’t give a damn what they think.
Do you.
The more you care about other’s opinions the less progress you make. It’s cliche, but ask yourself, “what would I do if no one’s opinion influenced me”, and do that.
At least, start developing your creative skills to lean into it as best as you can.
5 — Unwavering Patience
Any entrepreneur without unwavering patience is sure to fail.
Almost always will the process be 2x as long as you anticipated.
When you establish a vision to chase you tend to see it panning out as if everything goes perfectly…
Hint: It rarely does.
Almost never, in fact.
However, this shouldn’t discourage you.
You’re in it for the long-game, and with the long-game comes the necessity of unwavering patience.
The best way to cope with this is to “be the first to swing”.
Often times, the first to connect the punch has the upper-hand.
In your case, “be the first to swing” means, anticipate it. Evaluate what could go wrong and how you will react when it does.
When the challenge arrives you knew it was coming. You beat it to the punch. Therefore, it’s not surprising, nor does it get you off track.
Take a deep breath, evaluate how you had planned to respond, and move forward.
6 Key Takeaways
- You have a thirst to create.
- Persistence: 3 “non-negotiables” are your best friends.
- Desire to learn: The only way you will come to discover the faster or better way is through trial and error.
- Your job isn’t to care about what others think. It’s to tackle the vision you are creating.
- Your uniqueness is your strength.
- Anticipate your challenges. “Be the first to swing”.
Apply these 5 traits and you can’t lose.
I’m excited for you!
Dallen
P.S. If you enjoyed this article you’ll love 30 lessons learned from writing for 30 straight days.
