How do you get entrepreneurship skills? Sometimes you think to yourself, was there a class I missed in university? There are so many successful entrepreneurs out there, they must know something I don’t. The good news is that nearly everyone starting out is in the same boat. The idea of starting your own company is thrilling and tempting to many, but the challenge of getting going seems so daunting, most people give up before they begin. But the best way to learn is by doing. So, jump right in.
You might be thinking to yourself, “That’s ridiculous, I don’t know the first thing about starting a company” and you’re probably right, but there are people out there who have a wealth of knowledge and often, many of them failed before they got it right. As humans, we learn best when we find out how not to do something. Talking to someone who’s been there; beaten this beast before is your best bet to prepare yourself, but once you’ve done that: stop making excuses and just do it! The worst thing you could do is wait. It could either be day one or one day – you decide! Having the courage to take risks and form relationships with strangers who will then turn to mentors are some of the most important entrepreneurial skills because they help you develop a strong sense of self-trust, something you’ll need to make it as a business owner.
Failure is scary. For everyone. Every time. No one wants to put their all into something and have it fall apart, but if you can learn from your mistakes you’ll be so much better off in the future. Trying something new is a huge success in and of itself and if it leads to failure, then you know how not to do it and can try again. This optimism and persistence will take your farther than anything else. Besides, if you don’t have enough failures, you haven’t tried hard enough!
Starting Anywhere Is Better Than Never Starting
If you begin this journey, be ready to fail. A lot. But be ready to analyze your decisions, what went wrong and why so you can improve on them in the future. Nothing is a failure if you can take something positive out of it. Steve Jobs didn’t get it right on the first time, neither did Walt Disney or Oprah Winfrey – or nearly any of the major names you know in business. Each of these remarkable entrepreneurs jumped in, learned from their mistakes and refused to give up on their dream – and look at what incredible stories they have to tell now.
What good story have you ever heard of that went according to plan? We are a composite sum of all our experiences, good and bad; and most people, when they look back on their life want to have a story to tell. Often, the best stories are those unplanned situations, when circumstances are completely out of our control because those imperfect scenarios are the most relatable. The quirky moments and the failed mishaps are often people’s most cherished stories. Sure, in the moment it feels like the world is falling apart, but afterward you’ll look back on it and laugh… usually. If you try, fail and don’t decide to move forward – at least you got a story out of it. More important than that, you built relationships, reached out to new people or maybe old friends, asked for help and built your network. In essence you fostered relationships that will enhance the rest of your life and maybe along the way, you even impacted some of these people for the better. Regardless of success or failure, those meaningful connections are the most important part of your journey, something to be proud of – as an entrepreneur and as a person.
The Bad Times Make the Best Stories
By jumping into the task with an open mind and having the willingness to fail and learn, you’ll experience some of the best and most rewarding moments in life. If you keep pushing off diving in head first because “it’s not the right time”, you’ll end up letting yourself down because there will never be a perfect time.
When looking at it from a third party perspective, there’s no way in hell you could ever be completely prepared with everything you need before actually testing out starting a company of your own. Of course there are varying degrees of preparedness, and by no means am I saying you should wake up tomorrow and invest half of your time and fortune into a hair-brained idea. But what I’m saying is that no matter how many books you read, how many successful people you interview, you will never be able to completely anticipate the challenge that lies ahead, so don’t let the fear scare you out of trying.
We have one life to live and people most often regret the things they didn’t do much more than the things they did. If this truly is a dream of yours, do it! We are an amalgamation of our experiences so, do it for the experience, the chance to learn, to be successful. Do it for the story. This is the only life you have and you’re here, fill it with experiences that will become stories you’ll be proud of – whether or not they play out how you expect. Even if things seem to take a turn for the worse, or in a direction you never expected, be flexible and stay on your grind, remain positive and who knows, the universe could take you on a journey bigger than your wildest dreams.
Use these 4 entrepreneurship skills and you’ll be just fine:
- Dare to ask for help – look for people in the local community who’ve done it before. Reach out to them for advice and learn all the things they wished they knew before starting. Develop a relationship that will benefit both of you. In other words, get a mentor!
- Don’t be afraid to fail. The best ideas usually come with a bit of risk – don’t let the idea of it not working out prevent you from starting! Being the first to do something comes with a lot of uncertainty. If you feel nervous, chances are, you’ve got a good idea!
- Be critical. That being said, of yourself, your ideas and goals. Before you start, promise to be honest with yourself about everything. If your lifelong dream isn’t working out you have to be realistic and come up with a new plan. Look at your business objectively – you want it to be successful and if your emotions are too tied in, you won’t be able to move forward.
- Learn everything you can! About everything. If you’re to be the boss, you need to be able to help and advise employees on all matters – the overarching strategy comes from you, so be ready to have a game plan!
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