Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

I read this book a few months back called If at First You Don`t Succeed: The Eight Traits of Highly Successful Entreprenuers. It`s a great read for inspiration. It`s kept me going. It talks about the traits that apparently most entrepreneurs show. The book then illustrates each traits through moves entreprenuers made.

If you haven`t read it I suggest it. But I wanted to discuss how close you think the author hit the marks with the Traits.

1- Wantings to be in charge
2- Turning on a Dime
3 - Tenacity
4- innovative since before childhood (doing stuff as a kid)
5- seizing opportunity
6- pragmatism
7- Falling Upward
8- self confidence bordering on delusions of granduer

The author almost paints the picture that you have to be born with these traits. Do you guys agree with these traits? Do you have your own to add to it.



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Follow the journey of Marvin Hawkins Visual Concepts and Nothing Like It Games at http://gamerdeveloper.blogspot.com/

I think that some people are leaders and some are followers. I was always a leader, always innovating (even as a kid), etc.

BUT I do disagree with number 8 ... because I was not very motivated to be good at what I did UNTIL I learned some humility. When I was younger, I never studied and got straight As all through school. College dumped me on my head, but coming out of it I got right back into the I-can-do-no-wrong phase because I had so many small companies paying me a lot of money to be their superstar.

I think that, after having a child, and suddenly being in this uncertain frame of mind where nothing I did seemed to be "right" ... it was this truly humbling experience, the birth of my daughter, the struggle of my pregnancy, the difficulties with her of health after she was born ... and then the daily annoyances of my own health since that time ...
I think that being that low and helpless in life truly brought out the fighter in me. But I was something different, something changed for the better, because I had fallen off my high horse. I just don`t want to coast through anymore, take things as good enough - I`m going to be my personal best every day for me, for my family, for my future.

So maybe some entrepreneurs need #8 ... but I was better off once I lost my delusions.

I think they are indeed traits you need, but I also think you can learn them and running your own business, you will learn so fast your head will spin.  Or you will get dizzy and fall down.  I think the key to success is dusting your self off and trying again when you do fall down.

And speaking as a born leader, I think one of the hardest things to do is empower your people to work with latitude and to make mistakes. 

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Dale
www.ourbestidea.com
www.maskerinsurance.com
www.maskercreations.net

It`s interesting you said that about number 8 Nicole (I think they be out of order but that`s the gist of the traits)

But yeah when I saw delusions of grandeur I thought that`s not a good thing, but the author does go on to say if that`s the only trait you have: (Lack the fierce tenacity or the nimbleness of being able to turn on a dime) you can`t succeed.

True daleyfla: You can learn most of this stuff but I`d say you probably had it in you all along. I heard someone say when she went into business, she had to relearn a lot of the traits that made them an entrepreneur. I would go so far as to say that most people have these traits as a kid, but somewhere along the way (I blame public schools) Children get their abilities stifled by the accepted norms.


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Follow the journey of Marvin Hawkins Visual Concepts and Nothing Like It Games at http://gamerdeveloper.blogspot.com/