What does one needs to take the first step?

Hi all
I’m Dylan 22 yrs old.
Having read few motivational books and reading most of the post from this great forum, I’m just wondering:
- does successful entrepreneurs / businessmen have similar characteristics, habits or principles?
- Is it important to cultivate them?
- If yes, how do we go about cultivating them? Any suggestions?

I would love to start my own business and start on the entrepreneur path, but it seems like something is lacking inside me. Is there anybody who share the same problems with me and how did you conquer them?

Thanks a lot for your time and response! Really appreciate that!

Sincerely

Dylan

Hi,

You need to start turning yourself into a warrior. Another word for warrior is "professional."

Some people, prodigies, are born professionals. Some people are born and raised professionals, such as Bill Gates. Some people finally become professionals at age 50 after years of remaking themselves; I'm a good example of this kind of person.

To become a professional you need to learn to enjoy fear, pain and hard work, as they are three of your best friends. You need to be humble enough to remake yourself (you could start by learning to write correct English). You need discipline and the willingness to sacrifice the pleasures of now for the rewards of later. You need to become very competitive--competitive to the point of ruthlessness.

I wish you good luck and good success.

Best,

- Boyd

Hi,

My comment about the correct English sounds harsher than I meant it to.

Another point about professionals:

* They are producers rather than consumers.

Actors aren't known as deep thinkers,but one of them hit the nail on the head when they said:

"Dahling, I don't watch movies... I'm _in_ movies."

Best,

- Boyd

Artists and poets are supposed to have suffered life's hardships to have inspiration to draw from.

As an entreprenuer, sometimes we also need to suffer as employees to be inspired. I know I never want to be an employee again.

But, more than that motivation, you will need a business, service or product that you are passionate about.

There may be many motivating factors in your "Want to", but some of those are only temporary and will need re-freshing from time to time. But having a product or service that you are passionate about can carry you through some of those times when you lack motivation.

You also need discipline. Working on your own, you won't have a clock to punch or a supervisor or boss looking over your shoulder.

You will need administrative and managerial skills, or else you will nee to pay someone to provide those for you. You may be great at what you do, but poor management and administration can cause your business to fail, even if your net profits are good.

If you are still in school, get at least two or three accounting courses. Then, you will have an idea of balance sheets, etc, so you can do your own bookeeping or check up on whoever you hire or contract to do that work.

And don't forget the old cliche', behind every successful man...

Mentoring - If you can find someone to act as a mentor to offer you guidance. They may or may not be in your career field. Another term used a lot online is "Coaching".

Goals - If you don't have an idea of where you are headed or even want to go, there is no roadmap that will get you there.

Good luck in finding your niche.

Dennis Bevers




The business and products that I'm passionate about!

> Hi all
> I’m Dylan 22 yrs old.

We've all been there. My 22nd year was in Viet Nam.

> Having read few motivational books and
> reading most of the post from this great
> forum, I’m just wondering:
> - does successful entrepreneurs /
> businessmen have similar characteristics,
> habits or principles?

Yes. The problem is to identify the ones that will be of use to you. No matter how many books you read, they can't teach you persistance or the WILL to make a start.

Neither will they teach you when, how, and to whom you need to delegate responsibility. Nor the ability to select and manage people. This is only learned through your daily interaction with people on increasing levels of authority.

You will also not learn to "Take the blame and Give the credit" for things that go wrong or right.

When you have assigned responsibility to an individual, if he screws up, take the blame. If he succeeds, give the credit.

> - Is it important to cultivate them?

Yes, it is important to have at least one good mentor in your life outside a structured learning environment. Someone you can pick up the phone and talk to about business, life, and whatever is on your mind. Someone who has been where youa re now.

> - If yes, how do we go about cultivating
> them? Any suggestions?

I forget which of the gurus said it, but he suggested you call up a local business man in a similiar business you intend to start and take him out to lunch. You pay. And use the lunch to learn more about the business. What pitfalls he had at the beginning, how long it took him to get his feet off the ground, what his biggest success was, how quickly it came, etc.

> I would love to start my own business and
> start on the entrepreneur path, but it seems
> like something is lacking inside me. Is
> there anybody who share the same problems
> with me and how did you conquer them?

Probably the only thing lacking is FOCUS. If you cannot focus on a single idea, then your ability to start a business is overwhelming.

For instance, I have been active on the 'Net since 1995. In the past 7 years I have tried my hand at webdesign, online MLM (and I hate MLMs) informational marketing, mall stores, internet programming, and a few others I can't think of now. I have been less than moderately successful. It was either feast or famine.

I know I want to work for myself. And I want it to be through the internet. But I didn't want to learn a new programming language, although I am struggling to learn PHP. So, I decided to take on a partner that already knows PHP and concentrate on the marketing end of things.

The end result is the link below - A fully integrated, complete turnkey internet business. Our official launch will be January 1st. While an internet business, it is also a real world business - and it helps people (an important aspect of Zig Zigler's presentations).

By helping someone like you to get started in business, this system will also allow you to help others in your community.

Now, I am not asking you to buy it. I am only using it as an illustration of what you can do when you focus.

You see, this product was started 10 days ago - the programming, for the most part, is finished and we only have 11 days to finish up the documentation.

That is FOCUS. Putting a complete package together in 21 days.

So, I guess what I am trying to tell you is the most important thing you need to learn is Focus, followed closely by Initiative, and Persistance.

Hope this helps.




Grab Your Share of $18 Million in Daily Lost Commissions!

A chair or coffee table to support you. Of course, after that first step you'll fall down - most likely straight back on your butt - then pause while you decide if it's something to cry about, then cry. Mom will come running - although she should have been there supervising.

You'll keep using the furniture to raise yourself off the ground. At first you will hold the furniture as you move - so your range of momement will be limited. But as you gain more confidence - because you have been having small successes - you will let go of the armchair and try to walk across the room by yourself. Even if you only make two steps before falling, everyone who was there (mom for starters - although in this day an age it would probably be the daycare worker, which is sad) will be happy.

A few more tries and you'll be across the room. You will have learned a skill that will aid you for the rest of your life. A skill that will enable you to just up and go wherever you want to, whenever you want to. You will have learned to walk (the art of the Controlled Fall).

To translate your early baby days of childhood into the world of the entreprenuer...

You will need a REASON to become an entrepreneur.

Then, once you begin, you will fall. Hopefully, you have people who can support you. If not, if all they will do is ridicule you, then you will need to be extra thick skinned. But hey, your REASON should help you here.

You will also need IDEAS on the opportunities out there. And preferably, proven ideas, though any idea will do.

You can try and get these ideas yourself - or - you can allow others to present you with the ideas they find. In this regard, you should be reading The Great Ideas Letter.

You will need to be able to drive yourself. To drive yourself to such an extent you overcome obstacles in your way. For more on this, see The Success Report.

Sure there is FOCUS and PERSISTANCE, but these are RESULTS. Something else causes you to have focus and persistance. Again, see The Success Report.

As for habits, charateristics or principles...

Get Up Early: I am not aware of any successful person who "sleeps in." They are up at 6 a.m., 5 a.m. or earlier! No sleeping until midday - sleeping half the day away is the trait of someone who has given up and finds it easier to hide from the world in sleep.

Pro-Active: They do not wait for things to happen to them and then react to those things. They act first.

ASK: They ASK for what they want. If they want a discount, they ask for one. If they want someone's help on a project (a joint venture), they ASK. If they want to know something, they ASK someone who can provide the answer... or ASK many people until they find the person who knows the answer.

Individual: While Tony Robbins™ is telling everyone to "model" themselves after someone else, successful people "model" themselves after no-one. They don't care about your opinion of them because they

TAKE ACTION to get what they want. And they know your opinion is not based on experience so means nothing.

Multiple Streams of Income: They try to generate income from multiple sources - either from multiple businesses or multiple elements within the one business. For a more indepth discussion on this, get your own FREE copy of The Multiple Streams of Income Report by sending a blank email to [email protected]

Keep Their Word: If they say they are going to do something, they do it. They do NOT suffer from "lack of follow through." If they quote a price, they will honor that price even if it was in error (sure they may ASK to re-negotiate, but will honor it if re-negotiation is not possible).

Do the right thing: They do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. Chasing the almighty dollar does not over-ride honest dealings.

Think Differently: They do NOT think like an employee. This is hard to explain fully but is related to their view on RISK and SECURITY. Having a business and being in control of their own income is more SECURE in their mind than having a JOB. Unless you have this entrepreneurial thinking you will find it hard to imagine how this thinking is possible.

You want to start your own venture but find something is lacking?

This is not surprising considering you have spent your life inured in the school system which is designed to turn you into a good little workerbee drone. You have a lot of progaming to overcome.

What would your parents think?
What would your friends think?

Successful people don't care. They don't do things based on what someone else will think, they do them because THEY WANT TO.

Being 22, you might not be able to fully grasp this. You may still be doing things because your friends do. Whether it's the types of music you like, movies you see, clothes you wear, places you go, or even the way you think about certain elements - politics, for instance.

Answer me this: Why do you want to start your own venture?

Michael Ross

Hi Dylan,

You have some excellent questions!

> I’m Dylan 22 yrs old.
> Having read few motivational books and
> reading most of the post from this great
> forum, I’m just wondering:
> - does successful entrepreneurs /
> businessmen have similar characteristics,
> habits or principles?

I think the main trait is tenacity, or persistence. Most successful people don't give up easily.

I also believe in having multiple projects - or multiple streams of income, as some say. The reason why is that one or more of those projects may not work, for reasons outside your control. Maybe nobody's interested in the service or product, or you have supply problems, or some other reason.

However, if you have several projects going, it's more likely that at least one of those projects will succeed - and then you can (if you want to) abandon the "losers" and stick with the "winner(s)".

> - Is it important to cultivate them?

If you mean contacts, yes, it's very important! Contacts are important in EVERY part of life, if you want to succeed!

Contacts can be a substitute for knowledge.... If you need to know how to create web pages, and your friend Joe happens to know how to do it, you can make your learning path much shorter by talking to Joe.

Contacts can help you get business. Outside of business, they can help you get jobs too. I know of someone who is very highly qualified - but can't get a job in his area. The reason why? It's because he never cultivated contacts outside of his small circle of friends. So other people, who are less qualified than him, are getting the jobs because people *know* them, while they don't know him.

The principle is the same everywhere - contacts are VERY important.

> - If yes, how do we go about cultivating
> them? Any suggestions?

Simply talk to people. Participate in forums like this one. Email people questions, if you have any. The internet is GREAT for building contacts. :)

> I would love to start my own business and
> start on the entrepreneur path, but it seems
> like something is lacking inside me. Is
> there anybody who share the same problems
> with me and how did you conquer them?

WHY do you want to start on the entrepreneurial path? I think you have to figure that out....

Many people become entrepreneurs because they love their independence, and they hate working for a boss.

Others simply know that, statistically speaking, you'll probably make more money (in the long run) as an entrepreneur than as an employee. Though maybe not when you first start out! It usually takes time to learn the skills, and build up a customer base.

> Thanks a lot for your time and response!
> Really appreciate that!

No problem, Dylan! Thanks for a stimulating post!

- Dien

I found this bit of wisdom in my Chamber of Commerce News Letter today and thought you might benefit from it.

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but a rather in a lack of will." Vince Lombardi

So, as another person advised here - You have to have Will Power or a "Want to". Look at why you want to start your own business. Only after you are certain of your inward desire or will to "be your own boss", will it be necessary for you to search for the how and what. Until you are ready to commit yourself to the investment of time, personal energy, & capital to make it successful, searching about for the means or method may be just so much wasted efforts.

But, even what you learn about various products and services may provide useful in going about establishing your own business.

Best wishes for your success.

Dennis Bevers




Promotional Advertising for businesses large and small

Hi Dylan!

> I’m Dylan 22 yrs old.

First things first, you need to disregard any comments anyone might make about your age or experience. At 19, I made more money than my Dad, and was in management at a major retail store.

What you think of yourself is what counts. Don't let anyone else color that picture for you. Your life is your coloring book - not theirs.

> Having read few motivational books and
> reading most of the post from this great
> forum, I’m just wondering:
> - does successful entrepreneurs /
> businessmen have similar characteristics,
> habits or principles?
> - Is it important to cultivate them?

Yes, it is important to cultivate good habits and principles. Success is not one huge cataclysmic event. You do not just wake up one morning and find that you are a success. The same applies to failure.

Success comes from doing the right things every day. Failure comes from doing the wrong things every day. Whether you are a failure or a success, you can change that by changing what you do with your every day. You get to choose that.

So, it falls into place that developing good habits is a good thing.

I read a story once about a man who shared a childhood memory. As a boy, his Dad had told him that every time he sat down to do his homework, he should sharpen his pencil first. It became a habit. As an adult, he found that all he had to do was sharpen a pencil and he was in the frame of mind to buckle down and work.

Athletes train their bodies. Business people need to train their brain. : )

> I would love to start my own business and
> start on the entrepreneur path, but it seems
> like something is lacking inside me. Is
> there anybody who share the same problems
> with me and how did you conquer them?

I know of many, many successful people that did not read one single "success report" or "how to" manual.

There is one thing that you, and I, and everyone on this forum share. Go look in the mirror. That person that you see looking back at you is both your biggest problem - and the solution to all your problems.

Dylan, many marketers look at business like a war. They talk of guerrilla warfare. Of being ruthless. Of defeating the competition.

That's all baloney. Sorry to be so blunt - but it is. Business does not follow the laws of physics or the rules of warfare.

Business is about cultivating relationships with people. As such, it is more closely equated to the laws of nature. Think of the farmer that plants one seed of corn and gets back thousands. One small acorn that grows into a tree bearing thousands more seeds. The laws of nature say that you must plant first - harvest later. With patience, everything multiplies.

Dylan... look in the mirror. Ask yourself what is your passion. What do you love? what do you know? What are you interested in? That's your starting point.

Then, talk to other people that share your interest. Eventually, you will find a need that works with your interest. Fill that need, and you'll have a business that is both profitable and enjoyable.

You may change "what" the business is many times as your interests change. That's okay, too. I. personally, have worked in business administration, management, accounting, graphic design, copywriting, advertising and marketing. I have also taught evening classes in sewing, painting & computer basics.

Whatever you do, follow YOUR heart - not someone else's. Sincerity always shows - as does lack of it.

Success is not a secret. Success is a gift that others give you in return for what you gave them.

Good luck!

Linda




http://www.lindacaroll.com

Hi Boyd

Thanks a lot for pointing out my mistakes.
There are just so many things to be learnt in this life.

Again, thanks for your inputs!

Sincerely

Dylan