Unlocking Success: Core Traits of Entrepreneurs Who Thrive

Entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Given that March has been named National Optimism Month, it’s a good time to reflect on the mindset it takes to be a successful business owner.

Entrepreneurs tend to be more optimistic than other people. Some 58% of entrepreneurs are very optimistic by nature, especially about bad events, compared with only 32% of employees, a 2015 study shows. Yet we all go through different seasons, in business and in life. It’s a different season in business than two years ago and it has been challenging for us. It’s great to be optimistic, but regardless of how bright your plans look, sometimes it’s all about perseverance. All entrepreneurs go through seasons when they feel burned out — when they just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

I was listening to a podcast by Ed Mylett and Andy Frisella on the toughness it takes to be an entrepreneur. They discussed how social media has created some false impressions about entrepreneurship. Many social media influencer posts present a kind of fake entrepreneurship and make it seem easy. They show the flashy side of entrepreneurial success, and people get the wrong idea about what it actually takes. If people had known what it’s really like, they might still have done it, but they might have been more prepared for the tough times.

That’s like heading out for a hike where maybe you need a gallon of water, but you only packed 12 ounces. To avoid that feeling of falling short, I’ve found a few strategies that help.

Stay Focused. When we’re going through a tough season, I try to focus on what we can control. We’re making changes to improve our business, including adopting new software. We are homing in on new ways to help our customers increase revenue and expand product offerings to patients. And we’re working on other new strategies to help our clinicians grow their practices. I’ll attend more professional and industry events to see unique new products and ideas and share those with our customers.

Build a Solid Routine. Having a healthy routine that includes exercise helps. Last year, I did “75 Hard,” the regimen developed by Andy Frisella that requires sticking to five healthy habits for 75 days, including two 45-minute workouts a day. Those workouts gave me time to clear my head — even if I just took a walk. I gained more mental clarity and the ability to roll with the punches, and my overall mood improved. You have to persevere in your daily routine and keep doing those healthy things.

Stay Positive.  We are all bombarded daily by negativity, but that doesn’t mean you have to let it get you down. A famous psychologist at the State University of New York, Glenn Geher, talks about how our brains haven’t progressed much in millions of years. They’re still stuck in the Stone Age. We are wired for fight-or-flight to protect us from threats like saber-toothed tigers on attack. We aren’t fighting saber-toothed tigers anymore, so our brains don’t serve us as well as they did.

It’s easy in our fast-paced, tech-driven world to find the negative. But it is also possible to train your brain to focus on the positive aspects of life. The more you do that, the easier it is to remember your purpose, persevere in tough times, and stay optimistic — in your business and life.