Many people will have ideas that could be turned into successful businesses. So what’s the difference between them and the entrepreneurs who turn these ideas into reality?
Entrepreneurs all have a few select things in common that set them apart – but which anyone can achieve. What makes entrepreneurs exceptional and can seem intimidating is that they built their businesses from the ground up.
They may not have had ideas that were made for surefire success, MBAs, funding, experience running businesses or perfect timing. The first and only unique thing you need to become an entrepreneur is an idea, which you can evaluate, find a select market for and figure out your service or product’s distinctive selling point.
If the idea is the only magic ingredient, everyone has the potential to become an entrepreneur. The rest is simply a mixture of characteristics and belief. Entrepreneurs believe unfailingly in both their ideas and in their ability to actualise them — and they are willing to work until they accomplish their goals.
Seize the day
Often they strive far beyond their comfort zones because they adamantly see how their idea will be successful, in good times and more difficult times, and do not let themselves become too intimidated to act when faced with challenges or failure.
In fact, entrepreneurs are anything but immune to fear of failure, and are instead motivated by the prospect of challenge and are flexible enough to adopt failures as learning curves, rather than insurmountable obstacles. For entrepreneurs, failure is a normal part of the journey.
Focus on ‘doing’
In addition to the confidence, passion and determination, entrepreneurs also have a focus on ‘doing’. When their idea forms, they want to start implementing it as soon as possible. They balance the critical and visionary voices against one another, and use both to come up with business plans that are creative, innovative and realistic. They are always in possession of a willingness to learn and are in search of honest feedback to help them do so.
A willingness to learn
No-one begins their journey as an entrepreneur, and equally nobody begins their entrepreneurial journey with all the tools that they would like. The only essential elements of entrepreneurship are an idea which can be developed into a realistic business plan, a willingness to work and to learn, and an appetite for challenge. The only real difference between entrepreneurs and the rest of the world is that they don’t get in their own way; so yes, anyone can be an entrepreneur.
