Seven Characteristics To Foster Your Entrepreneurial Spirit

By Tony Jacowski

Entrepreneurial spirit, the most exciting of the spirits an individual can experience, is not something that can be explained comprehensively without being long-winded. You can think of it as a combination of an irrepressible ambition to grow rich or to create something by a relentless dedication to succeed. The spirit often negates risks such as health warnings and loss of money; all due to one inherent nature - refusal to accept failure.

The unusual character traits of an entrepreneur often define success or failure. One exclusive characteristic that distinguishes an entrepreneur from the crowd is his natural willingness to assume risks in order to develop business ventures. The other sweeping characteristic among entrepreneurs across the globe is an extreme confidence level. Here are more of the distinguishing characteristics that you should develop to be in this exclusive category:

1. Fervent faith that you can change things for better. An unshakable belief that you can devise better, quicker and cheaper ways of doing things.
2. Always having a solution in sight for any complexities and ability to overcome challenges effortlessly.
3. Optimistic about the prospects of your business and each venture.
4. Independent mindset.
5. High energy levels; unwavering mental stamina and internal motivation.
6. Willingness to live for and invest in the future.
7. Willingness to experiment and a penchant for creative thinking.

The willingness of a highly successful entrepreneur to "go it alone" can make an entrepreneur appear aloof at times. But when the time comes and the need presents itself, a savvy entrepreneur always shows a willingness to collaborate. On the downside, the spirit of entrepreneurship can make one extremely sensitive to mistakes. The irrepressible drive to succeed can make them appear short tempered at times and impatient with the mistakes of others.

What the Experts Say

John Aylen, author of "The Commonsense Guide to Running Your Own Business" notes, "Hope is what feeds the person who lives in the future, and, if you have your own business, the future is where you are going to live most of the time."

Being an entrepreneur requires foreseeing an opportunity before anyone else does and taking the bait while understanding full well that opportunities are not entirely without some risk. A successful entrepreneur accepts that everyone makes mistakes but knows that learning from mistakes is extremely important.

Nurturing and Fostering the Spirit of Entrepreneurship

A definite science popularly known as 'Performance Management Systems' and training in corporate culture and communication help foster and nurture the spirit of entrepreneurship.

Encouraging Multitudinous Thinking

Corporations adopt scientific methodologies to grow and groom their future leaders. Every aspect of knowledge and experience is given its due place.

1. Singularity of thinking has its shortcomings. You should seek to think "outside the box" at every opportunity.
2. Knowledge is money in the bank. You never know when you may need information you picked up long ago. You should always seek to expose yourself to different experiences and businesses.
3. Developing an analytical aptitude is essential. This is true whether you own your own business or not.