What is the special sauce to being a successful entrepreneur? Some will say it’s hard work, while some will say it’s luck. But I think the right answer is that it’s a little bit of both. Let me explain.
To be successful in entrepreneurship, business, or even in life, I have a few simple characteristics and skills I subscribe to as being vital building blocks on the road to success.
Adaptability: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” You could easily add entrepreneurs to that list as well. Plans fall through, don’t work out, or just simply change. What really matters is how you adapt to those changes. Having alternate plans and being able to improvise, evolve, or change course altogether is a vital trait — but a difficult one to master.
Persistence: While being adaptable is important, being persistent is just as vital. There will be ebbs and flows in business and in life. If you want to accomplish your goals and live out your dreams, you must be persistent — even amid obstacles, roadblocks, detours along the way.
Consistency: This may be one of the most difficult characteristics, because it requires several other traits like self-discipline, focus, and determination. Consistency is a trait that may be underutilized and underappreciated in today’s world, which values innovating and finding “the next big thing.” But there is value in consistency and being able to stay the course in order to achieve your goals.
Passion: This is the icing on the cake for all of the other aforementioned traits. If you don’t have passion, you simply don’t have a chance to make it. You absolutely need to be passionate about what you are doing in order to achieve your goals. No one can instill that desire within you or give you that intrinsic motivation to reach your dreams — it has to be YOU!
With passion, comes the skills of learning how to convey what you’re passionate about to investors, employees, clients, etc. Start by trying to write your “why statement.” Why do you do what you do? Here’s mine for example: I create workplaces where people wake up each morning feeling motivated and inspired by their work so that they end their days feeling fulfilled and valued.
Once you can communicate your passion to others, it will be much easier to stay the course. That “why” will become your de facto mission statement, guiding your decisions and choices throughout your journey.
You can make your own “luck” by using these helpful tips, creating new opportunities, and capitalizing on the hard work you’ve put in toward reaching your goals.
