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Do you share these traits of successful entrepreneurs?

1. You set goals. You are the type to set a goal and then do whatever it takes to achieve it. You know, before you even start, where you want to end up, and you make a plan to get there.
    
2. You’re committed. When you start something, you have a singular focus on completing the task. If something gets in your way, you find a way around it. You’ll keep on trying until you succeed, and you never, ever take ‘no’ for an answer.
    
3. You embrace uncertainty. When something goes wrong or needs to be changed, you stay calm and look for ways to resolve the issue. In fact, you actually like it when an unexpected challenge pops up because that’s when you really shine.
    
4. You push yourself to improve. You see every situation as an opportunity to promote your business, and you constantly come up with new ideas. Everywhere you look, you see a way you can improve your company.
    
5. You take risks. You believe so strongly in your ability to succeed that you take reasonable risks to get there. Your confidence is obvious, and you revel in it.
    
6. You have excellent people skills. You bring out the best in other people, and you can motivate and inspire them in many ways.
    
7. You learn by listening. When you have a conversation with someone, you listen more than you talk. And you know that you can learn something from almost everyone.
    
8. You’re not afraid to get your hands dirty. You know if something really needs to get done, you may have to do it yourself, and you have no problem with that. Even as your business grows, you’re able to do every job because you’re already done it.
    
9. You’re creative. You’re an ‘outside the box’ thinker, and you’re able to turn those creative ideas into money-making products and services.
    
10. You love what you do. Passion may be the most important ingredient of all. You believe in yourself, your company and your product, and you love going to work every day (and most nights!) In fact, you don’t count the hours you spend on your business, because you enjoy it too much to consider it ‘work.’

Don’t despair if you don’t have all of these attributes – most people don’t. You can acquire many of these characteristics by learning and practicing them. Here are some tips for doing just that.

• When making a decision, keep these characteristics in mind. It may sound simplistic, but posting a list of these traits at your desk can help remind you of the attributes you want to adopt.
• Focus on one or two at a time. For example, if you’re not a good listener, make an effort to go to networking events, and actively listen to what others are saying. Ask questions, and make sure you listen carefully to the answers. Then, practice your people skills by following up with an email thanking each person that you spoke to, and mention something specific about the conversation you had.
• As you plan for the upcoming month, quarter or year, review your plan in light of these characteristics. You may find that your plan relies too much on the status quo, and you should add in some risk-taking and embracing of uncertainty. Ask yourself, ‘What would my inner entrepreneur do?’

Even if you’re not a so-called ‘born entrepreneur,’ developing these characteristics can help you become a ‘learned entrepreneur.’ Either way, you’ll improve your chances for success.