Entrepreneurial successes have become common fodder for media content in recent years, between mainstream coverage of architects behind the tech boom and aspirational bloggers interviewing business owners about their journey. In seeing the unique and inarguable success of high-profile individuals from Elon Musk to Sam Bankman-Fried, it is only right that you would wonder what exactly it is that makes such a person – and if there are any lessons to be learned in the process.
All too often, personal and professional development podcasts and blogs leap on the asinine to explain success, with entrepreneurial interviews leaning towards pseudoscience in favour of actionable tips. All too often, too, ‘generational wealth’ is the primary answer to what makes a success out of an individual – but, of course, there are deeper lessons to be learned. What follow are some essential habits that are often instrumental in the formation of formidable success, even if basic in nature.
Goal Setting
Success doesn’t fall readily into the laps of budding entrepreneurs – unless, of course, they come from aforementioned generational wealth. The few entrepreneurs that earn their success through years of effort and insight would have been unable to do so without one core component: a goal. Goals are the markers by which we measure progress and success. They keep us honest, and they keep us in line. Setting a clear goal or set of goals is the first step in a journey to longer-term success.
Time Management
Time is money – a hackneyed term, but a powerful one for the young entrepreneur. There are no shortcuts to achieving success on your own terms, and slacking off only works if you already have the money or personnel to provide ancillary assistance. As such, every second counts. Using productivity techniques can help keep you on-task throughout the day, while your evenings could be given to research and development in service of extending your skill base.
Self-Improvement
Speaking of which, learning and self-improvement are vital additions to your daily schedule, and vital long-term goals to maintain. Learning is an ongoing pursuit, and there is never a point at which you can reliably label yourself ‘finished’ with regard to your learning journey. Accepting that there is always something left to learn is a great early lesson in humility, and a strong basis on which to build a career.
Resilience and Adaptability
Finally, successful people only enter public consciousness as successes on account of their resilience. No successful entrepreneur has built an entire livelihood from one idea, and many of today’s most recognisable CEOs sit on a bed of prior failures – all lessons, from which they learned a great deal and bounced back with greater intent. Becoming successful is not a matter of waiting your turn, but instead of watching the movement of markets, finding your space and then doing it all over again.
