Success has many facets – money and public admiration are just two of the most valued ones. For entrepreneurs, success is also about proving oneself and enjoying the excitement of the journey. There is a lot of material on the web that promises to get you closer to success – this is not one of those reads.
Here we will present a few unique character traits of above average entrepreneurs, the likes of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey and Warren Buffet, who are not just supremely successful in their own careers but have also won millions of hearts with their work. How and if you adopt these traits is entirely your choice but these entrepreneurs definitely swear by them.
- Keep raising the bar
Your quest for achieving greatness must be unquenchable. Achievement of your current goal should open new floodgates for higher goals. According to Amazon’s founder and CEO, Jeff Bezos, you must be ready to evolve and innovate and keep aiming for the next big thing. That is exactly how Bezos’ mind works. Ambition to achieve more and keep raising your own expectation is a key trait of continued success.
“People have a voracious appetite for a better way, and yesterday’s ‘wow’ quickly becomes today’s ‘ordinary.’” -Jeff Bezos
- Ignore the sceptics and naysayers
Almost all entrepreneurs have to encounter their share of sceptics and naysayers. Nearly everybody has a great idea once in a while but most of them have to fight discouragement. Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx had to face people laughing at her idea and whispering behind her back, but she didn’t let these incidents dampen her spirit. She founded Spanx with an idea she believed in and presently the business is valued at a billion dollars.
- Enhance your public speaking capabilities
Many people believe public speaking is a natural talent. The truth is exactly opposite. Good communication skills and speaking confidently in front of public requires a lot of learning and practice. Investment wizard, Warren Buffet was “terrified of public speaking” by his own admission. But he knew he must win over his fear if wanted success. So, after his graduation, Buffet took a public speaking course and flaunts that certificate with pride, even today.
“That $100 course gave me the most important degree I have… it’s certainly had the biggest impact in terms of my subsequent success.” -Warren Buffet
- Don’t procrastinate and stay intensely focused
Procrastination kills more ideas than naysayers. In this fast-paced world, entrepreneurs have so much on their plate that they tend to procrastinate. To avoid that trap you must always work with laser sharp focus. Jeff Bezos said he doesn’t like to multitask – if he is with family he doesn’t peek into emails and when he is working he gives it his 100% attention. Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla is also well-known for his intense and insistent nature. If Musk develops an interest for something he goes in deep and it is this trait that sets him a class apart.
- Make reading books your obsession
Reading books in your leisure hours can play a major role in ensuring your success. The knowledge and details that you can pick up from reading is irreplaceable. Oprah Winfrey, the media mogul is a vocal propagator of the habit of reading.
Several other extremely successful entrepreneurs also advocate the advantages of reading and have stated that a large part of their success was shaped by reading. Warren Buffet is known to read 5-6 hours a day, while Bill Gates is said to read 50 books a year, and Venture Capitalist Mark Cuban admits to reading over 3 hours daily.
