I am an entrepreneur…
12 05 2010This is my theory as to why I’m an entrepreneur…and maybe why I’d make a good one? Weigh in in the comments below.
1) Stubborn. I am one of the most stubborn people I know (when it comes to most things). I try not to be, but my theory is that I’m too stubborn to listen to authority when I want to do things my way. Don’t get me wrong, I love having input…but I also want the final decision. So, now I get the final say. If I don’t want to cold call, I’m not going to cold call!
2) Lazy. I like the idea of the 9-5…but I don’t actually like the 9-5. I wanted flexibility in my schedule in case I wanted to sleep in the odd morning. Of course it’s a tradeoff because I end up working all of my “free” time, but that was my lazy tradeoff.
3) Selfish. Growing up, people seemed to have faith that I would “be successful in whatever [I] did.” Well why would I want someone else to be able to capitalize on my success for my entire life? I want to be able to control who gets to benefit from my help…and that makes me incredibly selfish.
4) Impatient. I like money. I don’t like fixed income. I don’t want to climb the corporate ladder…takes too long. I wanted results on my terms, not when somebody else deemed me ready for a promotion. My impatience is a flaw most of the time, but maybe this time it did me some good?
Sometimes I laugh when people call me ambitious and driven for starting my own company…because these four traits stick out in my mind.
Lol, that’s a coincidence! I’ve got all of them that you mentioned above. I’m stubborn, lazy, 75% selfish
, and impatient. Right now, I’m still learning about time management because I suck being a flexible person. For me, I want to become an entrepreneur someday (Just like you) and I like to invent something for the community and eventually my own dream business. 
I’ve have to agree, these are all things that can contribute to developing an entrepreneurial mindset.
I’d even add in a 5th element (for me, at least) about the inability to be “satisfied”… Always being in search of something more; something new. I get sick of routine, and need to keep looking for the next challenge or hurdle.
Life without change is just plain boring.
Jerome – Maybe they’re essential traits for all entrepreneurs
Time management is a huge thing for everyone too! And you already are an entrepreneur if you think like one – you don’t become one 
Phil – That is the perfect element! That is one of the big reasons I decided to start my company last year…I was so bored! Knew I could challenge myself if no one else was willing to
And we can grow at our own pace too – so we’re controlling as well, haha. And I agree about life without change being boring…big reason why a regular “job” scared the hell out of me.
I’m going to add another one as well… Fear of Failure. When you work for someone else, they dictate whether you have failed or succeeded and it’s evident by pay, respect, etc within the confines of your environment…
As an entrepreneur, you can write off failure’s as a personal success for learning how not to do something and move on.
Love this. Me = Stubborn. No kidding.