5 Ways to Know Whether You Have the DNA of an Entrepreneur – Entrepreneur

It seems thatin todays society, being an entrepreneurmakes you some sort of rockstar. The title itself has an appeal that makes anyone and everyone with an idea suddenly want to call themselves an entrepreneur.

But being a true entrepreneur is not an easy road. Most entrepreneurs have made money --and lost money. It's normal to have had struggles and successes. The question is whether you have the DNA tosee it through, or if you feel compelled to stick with asecure office job as soon as your first venture idea fails. And honestly, theres nothing wrong with that -- entrepreneurship isn't for everyone.

Here are five indicators that will help you determine whetherthe tough road of entrepreneurship is right for you.

A very common theme I have found among my entrepreneurial network is that the vast majority of entrepreneurs learn by doing. This is why you hear about successful entrepreneurs failing out of school. Not because they wanted to prove a point, but because the school environment did not serve them. They werent learning anything fromsomeone else talking at them.

The need to get your hands dirty is a crucial trait of an entrepreneur.

Kids with entrepreneurial spirits often get labeledas being impatient. They cant sit still. They have low attention spans. But as these kids get older, they developwhat is better described as the ability to be patiently impatient. They dont want to slow down -- and they shouldnt. But they also are very good at waiting for the right time to pull the trigger on decisions.

If you can be both at the same time -- patiently impatient -- then you are right where you need to be.

There is a difference between being obnoxiously persistent and humbly persistent. The people who get told no and refuse to acknowledge helpful feedbackare grandiose dreamers, not grounded in reality. But the people who get told no and then take the time to listen, learn, adjustand keep moving forwardpossess a true gift for persistence.

One of the big reasons that people with entrepreneurial spiritsstruggle in corporate environments is because they feel as though they dont own their work. Its a combination of either not being given enough creative freedom, or having so many checks and balances in place that nothing actually gets done effectively.

Being an entrepreneur is tough, but the ability to take charge ofyour work is the real reward.

Your intention sets your path. You have to know what your motivations and goals are, otherwise youll chase the wrong things and end up somewhere you arent thrilled about.

True entrepreneurs seek freedom -- and the definition of freedomis subjective. Its more about a lifestyle than a benefits package or an end-of-the-year bonus.

Chase the lifestyle, not the paycheck.

Brian D. Evans is the founder of BDE Ventures and Influencive. He is an award-winning serial entrepreneur, online marketer, mobile app advisor and accomplished writer. Evans has been building and advising startups for over a decade.

See the original post here:
5 Ways to Know Whether You Have the DNA of an Entrepreneur - Entrepreneur