Do you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?

Realizing the answer to this question is often a difficult task. And often, it takes a series of hurdles for you to identify this trait in your personality. But how do you know whether it is right for you to quit your day job and start on a venture of your own? Well, there is no easy answer to this.

The good thing is that most entrepreneurs share certain characteristics. If you can identify with these, chances are high that you may have that entrepreneurial spirit in you. But don’t despair if you don’t fit them all.

Let’s take a look at some ways to tell if you have what it takes to be an entrepreneur:

You have a passion to do something. Passion for what they do is what drives the successful entrepreneurs. Edison tried and failed 10,000 times before he could design the light bulb. We may have had to do with candles still if he had given up. But he had the passion that drove him to success. Do you have the same?

You have a seriously poor employment history. Have you quit more jobs than you can remember? Not because you were not good but because you felt you were stuck – maybe even at the top when even success gets stale. If so, the next best thing is to start on an endeavor of your own where you can effectively and efficiently manage yourself.

You have the nerve to take risks. Fred Smith nearly failed his business management course when he developed a business model that focused on express delivery service. But this did not deter him from putting his thoughts into action. And FedEx was born. All entrepreneurs aren’t overnight successes. But they have the courage to follow their dreams.

You think outside the box. When the worst financial crisis hits the world, many entrepreneurs cowered in front of it. But Sarah Lavely saw an opportunity. She offered people the opportunity to vent out their frustration and relieve stress in an amazing way – throwing stuff at a wall after you buy it.

You have a broader perspective of security. For some, a secured job is a good enough thing. For others, there is no security at a job that depends on others. You never know when a silly or spiteful decision of a boss or a mess-up of the board of directors will screw it. For such souls, security is only in a job where you yourself are responsible for everything.

You have the determination to get back on your feet even after a bad fall. If you mope after every little failure, it’s best to avoid entrepreneurship. Successful entrepreneurs get back on their feet immediately after they face failure. Take Bill Gates for example – his initial Traf-O-Data was a super failure. But he moved on and became a success.

You have the support of people close to you. No entrepreneur is a success on his/her own. They need the support of their family and friends to make it through the tough times – and there sure are enough of those! Also, successful entrepreneurs never surround themselves with “yes-men”; instead, they depend on truthful advisors who can tell all at their face.

It doesn’t take a superhuman to succeed in business. But it does require the right traits to be happy and successful at it.

If you fit all these seven signs, then you have the most of what it takes to be an entrepreneur. If you don’t, no worries! There are no sure formulas to success and you may turn out to be an amazing entrepreneur even if you had a successful career as an employee. In the end passion and motivation are the key aggregators of a true entrepreneur.

Are you searching for some excellent resources on how to be the best entrepreneur you can be? I recommend the following books to add to your personal library:

Lifestyle Entrepreneur by Jesse Krieger | Check out Jesse’s exclusive deep dive here
The Freaks Shall Inherit The Earth by Chris Brogan | Check out Chris’s exclusive deep dive here
The Financially Savvy Entrepreneur by Emily Chase Smith | Check out Emily’s exclusive deep dive here
The Suitcase Entrepreneur by Natalie Sisson | Check out Natalie’s exclusive deep dive here
The Entrepreneur Mind by Kevin Johnson | Check out Kevin’s exclusive deep dive here

What is one thing you have learned as a result of being an entrepreneur? Share with everyone in the comment below:

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Cody Faldyn

Cody is a blogger, social media specialist, graphic designer, and the Marketing Evangelist behind The Entrepreneurs Library. With a long time passion for personal growth, Cody helped create a website and podcast with the intent to educate aspiring entrepreneurs on the latest and greatest books on business growth and personal development.