If you want to run a successful business, it’s a good idea to learn from those who have gone before you and look at the skills and traits that they have (or had).
Look to your role models… what made them successful? What traits are common amongst successful people and high-achievers?
One thing that I picked up on a few years ago was this:
“Successful people make decisions quickly and change them slowly if and when at all.”
Napoleon Hill, Author of Think and Grow Rich
This quote is from Napoleon Hill, but I’ve heard similar sayings from many successful people, including Donald Trump.
From my experience as an online business mentor, this certainly seems to be the case. I’ve found that one of the biggest things that holds back would-be business owners is their own over-analysis or inability to make decisions. Either that, or they make decisions then change them every five minutes.
Sometimes we’re afraid of making the wrong decision, but think of it this way … not making a decision at all can be worse than making the wrong decision.
Once you’re aware of traits like this, it’s much easier to keep them in mind in your own life. When I first heard this saying about making decisions quickly I was one of those who took forever to make up my mind. But by being aware that I needed to make decisions quicker if I wanted to be successful I was able to consciously apply that to my own business, and life.
While this is still may take a conscious effort from me, I’ve noticed that it’s gradually becoming a natural part of who I am and how I behave.
What other traits do you think are common for successful entrepreneurs?
I’d love to hear your comments on this.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
A few traits come to mind – being willing to fail (and know the world will not fall in if you do), the ability to dust yourself off quickly after said fail and get going again, the ability to take action (any action) and adjust course based on feedback, the ability to admit when you have stuffed up and to apologise for the mistake, the knowledge that no matter how bad it gets you are still a decent human being, an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and the willingness to admit you don’t know everything, oh and finally – a sense of humour so you can laugh at yourself when you take the world (and yourself) too seriously.
Great traits there Ingrid – and many of those aren’t traditionally listed in the ‘how to be a successful entrepreneur’ guides.