Everyone can be an entrepreneur if you want to be one. I recently wrote a post about 100 business ideas. But before you decide what business oyu may want to start, you will need to be willing to let go of old ways of thinking and doing things. You’re going to need to push your boundaries as you have never done before. And don’t be fooled to think that money is just going to come to sprinkle your way. Entrepreneurs only get paid when they accept opportunities, involve themselves in innovation and create value for their audience.
This can feel really overwhelming when you think about it, especially if you’re used to going to work Monday through Friday, going to tons of meetings, looking busy, and doing what you’re told and collecting a paycheck at the end of the week all without having to push through a single boundary or challenge yourself in any way.
Developing your entrepreneurial mindset just takes learning to think and take action in a new way.
Determine Who You Are Now & Who You Want to Be
It all starts with being honest with yourself about who you are now. A great way to get to know you is to take a personality test. When you take it, whether it’s this one at 16
The key to taking these tests and getting helpful answers is to be completely honest. There is no right or wrong answer. But, the answers will give you a starting point of who you are right now and where you can improve. The entrepreneurial journey isn’t linear – in fact, it’s like a toddler took a crayon to the wall and it’s filled with squiggly lines.
Some of the things you want to reflect on as you venture into the entrepreneurial world are your values, skills, strengths, and weaknesses.
What are your values? – You can determine your values by your former actions when confronted with a problem or decision that you had to overcome or make. These are the times that your real values emerge, not just the ones you say you believe in. Look back on your own choices and determine your real values. If you have made mistakes and gone against your core values, identify those times and determine how you can make a different choice.
What are your skills? – Even if you’re not currently an entrepreneur, you already have skills that you can put to use as an entrepreneur. Make a list of what you do today. Focus on the deliverables that you provide your employer without too much help from others. These are the skills that you have that should be the basis of your entrepreneurial venture.
What are your strengths? – You’ve heard the idea that you need to leverage your strengths but how do you even know what they are? Using one of the self-assessments mentioned above, you can find out what your strengths are. When you know them, be honest so that your results come out realistic. Be in the now with your answers and take off your rose colored glasses so that you can determine your real strengths. You can also
What are your weaknesses? – You can improve upon your weaknesses, but you should first leverage your strengths. It’s still more important to appreciate your efforts and to understand that the past is a good indicator of how you’ll act in the future. If you know for example that you’re always five minutes late, acknowledge it but do not beat yourself up over it. Instead chose to work on this – one meeting or appointment at a time.
When you know who you really are, the good and the bad, you can truly know yourself enough to be brutally honest about your strengths and weaknesses. And have something solid to work towards.
The more honest you are with yourself you can develop a sense of self-awareness that will help you get through the toughest challenges in your life and entrepreneurial world.
