There are some things about being an entrepreneur that no business school can teach you. They can give you hints or lead you down the right path, but schools will rarely spell it out for you. While that might be an excellent way to let you discover things for yourself, it also can cost you a lot in failed startups. Fortunately, Joel Devidal is an entrepreneur who’s experienced the challenges of running a business and has come out on top on the other side. To improve your performance as a business leader and succeed in entrepreneurship, Mr. Devidal recommends five mindsets that you should embrace.
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1. There’s No Such Thing as a Born Entrepreneur
There will be days when you’ll have no choice but to face your failings while having the success of others rubbed in your face. You’ll probably think you weren’t born to run a startup. The good news is that no one is, so you’re not doomed from the start. Every great entrepreneur had to build themselves from the ground up. They had to learn the same skills you will have to. If you falter, that means you need to learn more. It’s not because you didn’t have the right genetic gifts, because no one is born ready to run a startup. Everyone has to grow and rise to the occasion, and so do you.
2. No One Can Do Everything
Believing that you can take on all the responsibilities involved in being an entrepreneur is a sure way towards feeling terrible. You can try to win them all, but you won’t. It’s all too easy to get stuck thinking that you should be the all-around man. This is an easy trap to fall in, but one that you can escape with the proper mindset. The moment you accept that you don’t have to be good at everything, you’re free. You’re free to delegate more tasks, to develop your expertise, and more. The sooner you realize that everyone has a role to play, the better it will be for you as well as your company.
3. Unless It Can’t Be Done, Finish What You Start
One of the most exciting things about being an entrepreneur is that you get to spearhead a lot of things. You get the thrill of building something with the additional adventure of pathfinding and trailblazing. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs have faltered when it comes to following through. If you want to succeed in entrepreneurship, you need to absolutely follow through. Unless the situation has changed drastically (such as the project becoming impossible or pointless), then you must do all you can to finish it. Revisit the reasons you began the project with to reignite the spark if you’re having trouble.
4. Hard Work Will Not Make You Important
Hard work is held up on a pedestal as what makes someone valuable or respectable. The fact is that while it is essential, it’s not what will make people remember you. It’s not why you’ll be valuable, or treasured, or celebrated. Putting in the hours and ignoring your friends and family will not lead to success, and worse, it’ll likely hurt your personal life in ways you might not see now. Instead, do what you need to do without sacrificing the rest of your life. There is a life beyond being an entrepreneur, and you need to remember that if you want to live a happy, balanced life.
5. It All Comes Down to the Bottom Line
What matters, when it all comes down to it, are the results. It doesn’t matter how much work was put in, or how bright the idea is, or even who did it. A successful startup boils down to the results it produces. You do not need to be busy; you need to make things happen. Just being active does not mean you’re getting anything done. The sooner you start focusing on results rather than activity, the better you’ll be at running a startup. The way you think can easily determine how successful you’ll be as an entrepreneur. Start from within, and you can improve how you act and make decisions. Do it right, and you’ll have the foundation required to make running a startup work.