The most common question we all ask is what I shall do in my life. What is it that I am good at? I have an answer for you if you are interested in looking at the options of becoming self-employed.
What kind of people are entrepreneur? Are they risk takers, thrill seekers or just rebellious individual? If I think about Sir Richard Branson and the late dame Anita Roddick I would say that both of them fit to the myth of entrepreneurs. But let us remind ourselves of the words of Peter Jones who said that not everybody can become a rock star but everybody can become an entrepreneur. You notice that entrepreneurs are different than the rest of the population who hold a job. But how do they differ from the nine-to-five majority? What kind of personality do they have and particularly what characteristics of their personality are important in order to succeed in the business world?
Have a good and honest look at yourself. What kind of a person are you?
o Are you a self-starter?
o How well do you get along with different personalities?
o How good are you at making decision?
o Do you have the physical and emotional stamina to run a business?
o How well do you plan and organize?
o Is your drive strong enough to maintain your motivation?
If you can recognise yourself by answering yes to these questions then you have a good chance to become a successful businessperson. You will start to create a curious as well as courageous mindset by rethinking your thinking. You understand that ideas are frequently a solution to a problem or a better way of doing something.
As an entrepreneur you would develop the following skills: This is your toolbox.
o Learning to see opportunities.
o Learning to take responsibility.
o How to think like an entrepreneur.
o Self-motivation and determination.
You learn to see opportunities because you know how to seek them. Taking responsibility of everything is a synonym of being an entrepreneur because you do not have anyone else to blame. You cannot hide behind anyone’s back either because most likely there is no one else than you running the business. You do get a possibility to congratulate yourself when you exceed your wildest dreams. You learn to think like an entrepreneur because you spend most of your time with like-minded entrepreneurs. You are self-motivated and determined because you know that without these characteristics you will have a tough time to make it as an entrepreneur.
The do’s and don’ts of being an entrepreneur are reminders of what to avoid when you are just considering the pros and cons of employing yourself.
1. Think laterally, not literally. Learn to treasure your imagination and nurture it daily. You will learn to look for inspiration rather than waiting for it magically to appear. You will stick with your idea, no matter what it takes, until you have received the first $100 from it.
2. Don’t be afraid to go for it. Recognise resistance, perhaps unlearn skills which will only hinder you to become an entrepreneur and build new skills. By doing so you will learn to grow your wings as you grow. Keep in your mind that fear is not a stop sign.
3. Aim high and think big. Trust that the idea you have is right for you here and now. According to Richard Bach “we are never given an idea without also given the power to make it come true.” If you can dream about something it can become a reality. You are here to live, love and learn and in order to do so follow your dreams.
By becoming an entrepreneur you will become a different person. Transformation happens when you start challenging what is and begin to imagine what could be. Becoming an entrepreneur starts by asking a lot of questions. This is a state of mind when you would want to alter the future. Your future.
©2008 Kristina Julin-Stringer
Being an entrepreneur is a journey inside myself to find out how far I can go and particularly what I can achieve in my life. To me it is really a dream coming true and I would like to share my experience with other people who are perhaps thinking of starting a business and becoming an entrepreneur. I am particularly interested in giving a helping hand by showing how ideas can become good ideas.