Maybe starting a new business isn't your passion, but in these days of rapid change, where everyone is dealing with uncertainty, I believe that thinking and acting like entrepreneurs will help you get ahead in any profession. In simple terms this means taking control of your life, going after something you love to do, and taking action. Stop letting life decisions happen to you.
As a long-time mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I've been convinced for some time that good entrepreneurs have the right mindset, and the right attributes, to be good at anything they want. Starting a new business is actually one of the toughest things that anyone could aspire to, since it always involves making decisions and progress in uncharted territory, with no one to follow.
So how do good entrepreneurs do it, and what do they do that everyone can learn from? I saw some good insights in a new book Own Your Future, by Paul B. Brown, who has been studying and writing about business leaders for many years for Forbes, Businessweek, and Inc.
He offers a collection of lessons regarding how entrepreneurs think and act, which relate equally well to almost any profession or lifestyle. I'll summarize a few of his principles here as examples, and I'm adding a few from my own experience:
I assure you that if you follow these principles in your current career, and think like an entrepreneur, you will advance more quickly, get more done, and be a happier person. According to a recent study by the Wharton School of Business, entrepreneurs running their own business ranked themselves happier than all other professions, regardless of how much money they made.
More career planning and more education is not always the answer, especially when the future is as unpredictable as it is now. Embrace entrepreneurial tactics, assume control of your lifestyle and career, and take action today to assure your own success. Are you still thinking about it?