Traits the successful entrepreneurs have in common

Not to disqualify anyone that doesn’t fit under these guidelines, but they can give you an idea if you are one of a select few that can rise to the top of their field.

1. You have to be willing to work hard. It’s the cornerstone of every successful person. Colin Powell: “A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”

2. You are not a quitter. You actually hate giving up. Even if there are setbacks, you will persevere until you make progress or have exhausted all means of resolving a problem.

3. That work ethic and determination stem from one thing: passion. You love what you do and you do it for the satisfaction, not for the money. That’s not to say you shouldn’t make money; it’s to say your love for the work is stronger than the drive for money.

4. You are creative. Look, you can be a math whiz, but it you don’t know what to do with those numbers, it’s not such a big deal. You need to be bubbling with ideas. Some may be corny and never pan out, but others could turn into mega success stories. People such as Thomas Edison and George Washington Carver came up with lots of ideas that didn’t amount to squat.

5. You stay current. You are not afraid to learn about trends and how they will impact your dreams or how they could impact your ideas.

6. The ability and willingness to learn are important. There’s a saying: “The best leaders are the best listeners.” Someone doesn’t have to be a brainiac for you to learn from him/her. A farmer can teach you more about food than a college-educated nutritionist.

7. You are willing to take chances. However, don’t jump the gun and think that’s an OK to head to the casino. It’s about taking calculated risks: well thought-out plans.

8. You’re smart. Again, going to school is a good thing, but you also need good common sense. Successful business owners tend to be people with above-average intelligence.

9. You are a visionary. That means you can see the big picture. You can see beyond your great idea and how it can grow and impact the world.

10. You’re a completer. You don’t leave projects unfinished.

11. You recognize your weakness. You are not afraid to realize you are stuck and need help.

12. You’re excited. People love to be around you because you exude this energy that is attractive. And that’s important because you are not going to be able to climb the mountain of success alone. You are going to have to be able to attract investors or the expertise of others. And if they love being around you, that’s half the battle.

13. You take care of yourself. No one expects you to look like Beyoncé or Tyson Beckford, but your health is important to keeping your mind sharp and your body ready for long days or hard work"

14.  Relationships are more valuable than resources. It is important to know what you are doing, to know your specific skill set, but it is more important who you know. If you have to make a choice between Resources (money) and Relationships (who you know), who you know always trumps what you know and money every time. Build quality loyal relationships with as many people as you can. Never ever burn a bridge; you never know those toes you step on today may be attached to the butt you will need to kiss later. Never burn a bridge... just make distance if the relationship isn't working.



There are markers to entrepreneurial instincts and predictors to future success.

When you consider a line of work or a job give yourself one point for each of these you thought about in deciding:

1. You ask what kind of retirement plan they have
2. Benefits are very important to you in this consideration
3. The number of hours required on this job matters
4. What kind of advancement is available and what kind of pay increase is there.
5. You weigh the amount of hours you will work versus the pay
6. Worry about being held responsible for things without the authority to change things
7. Being appreciated for the work you do is very important to you
8. If a better job for more pay comes along you are on the alert for it
9. A good title matters to you.
10. It matters what people think about you and your work

IF you Scored 7-10 points you will be happiest working for others. Don't go into business on your own. It will drive you crazy.
IF you Scored 4-6 points you might be able to be in business for yourself, but you would do better if you have a partner to keep you balanced.
IF you Scored 1-3 points you can make it, but you have a few mental obstacles to overcome. Making it on your own means you cannot have anything that holds you back. You still have a couple strongholds... but they can be overcome.
IF you Scored 0 you are already in business for yourself, if you have the 14 traits listed above you will become a very wealthy person. Congratulations. You are part of the one percent..