5 Signs You May Fail At Entrepreneurship or Anything Really

25 Aug 5 Signs You May Fail At Entrepreneurship or Anything Really

Entrepreneurs are crazy people. Crazy in a mad genius sort of way, but crazy all the same. The belief that you can create a business from nothing but your passions and convictions and then inspire others to buy whatever you’re selling requires a certain level of off-center thinking that not everyone has. And, that’s ok. Entrepreneurship isn’t for the faint-hearted and depending on your personality you might not be any good at it.

Here are five signs that you may fail at entrepreneurship (or anything), if you tried:

You Actually Are Afraid Of Failing

The idea of creating something new and being responsible for how it turns out is scary (just ask any new mom), but it shouldn’t paralyze you. Good entrepreneurs (or good professionals for that matter) use the fear of failing to propel themselves forward. It’s like adrenalin to them. Plus, they actually fear the thought of not trying more the idea of failing.

You’re Not Flexible

No business moves in a straight trajectory to profitability. There will be ups and downs and curveballs… Every. Single. Day. If you believe you will make it through by sticking to the business plan you created on day one, you will fail.

Things change. Customers are slower or faster to adopt than you thought, supplies become harder to get or more expensive, team members quit or have life emergencies. If you aren’t able to quickly adapt to changes in your business or marketplace, you will fail.

You’re Not Really Trying To Solve A Problem

If your main reason for wanting to start a business is you don’t like working for other people, you are most likely going to fail. Don’t get me wrong – this can be the reason that lights a fire under your booty to consider another path – but you’re in trouble if that is your main reason. First off, you never really stop working for “other” people. Once you start your business or start freelancing, you’re clients become your bosses. So, what’s going to inspire you to keep getting out of bed each morning or working past 3AM each night?

Great entrepreneurs are ones with a vision created by a mission to solve a real problem. They believe owning a computer will change people lives and want to find a way to make it affordable like Steve Jobs. They believe that transportation should be reliable and set out to make it so, like the founders of Uber or that burgers and fries should taste good and work to make the best ones, like the founders of Five Guys. You need to be clear on what problem you are seeking to solve to avoid failing.

You Rub People the Wrong Way

We all hear stories of that business person who is very successful despite the fact that people want to push him down the stairs every time he opens his mouth. The truth is these type of supernovas are extremely rare in the business world, mainly because no one really wants to be around a genius jerk all the time. You don’t have to be an extrovert or the social butterfly to be a great entrepreneur, but you do want people to not avoid you like the plague.

Life may not be a popularity contest, but business is. Some of the most popular products on the market are popular not because they are the best ones, but because people like who created them. Your personality is part of the package when you’re an entrepreneur, so pretending like it doesn’t matter if people like you is a sign that you don’t have what it takes to make it.   

You’re Scared of Taking Risks

Stepping out on your own is only one of the many risks you’ll have to take as an entrepreneur, especially in the early years. Will you fund your business with your savings or trade half your future equity to an investor? Will you hire seasoned employees or invest time in training up entry level staffers? Will you make your products in the States or import them in from China? Every decision you make as an entrepreneur involves some level of risk. The best entrepreneurs are able to evaluate even the riskiest options quickly and make a decision. Sometimes the decisions they make are wrong, but that doesn’t keep them from taking risks in the future. They just used what they’ve learned to keep taking smarter risks.

If you’re a risk adverse person who doesn’t thrive under pressure of having to navigate a tightrope of the unknown for a few years (or more) than you most likely wouldn’t make it as an entrepreneur.

Now that you’ve read all the reasons you might fail at being an entrepreneur – do you feel relieved or like you’ve just been challenged to take a leap of faith? In the end, the only way to know if you can make it as an entrepreneur is to try. I’m rooting for you.

– à bientôt

Charell Star | A Girl In A Dress