Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Successful Entrepreneur?

Congratulations! You have the traits necessary to become a successful entrepreneur (if you aren't one already). You are creative, high-minded, and a little bit out there. You may get along great with people and have a natural charisma, but you also feel like an outsider a lot of the time, because you think differently from others. Most importantly of all, your fighting spirit is what makes you the entrepreneurial type. Entrepreneurs make 'getting back on the horse' look like child's play with their perseverance and determination. Keep up the good work and don't take no for an answer!

What would Jobs have been without Wozniak? You may not be the face of the next great startup, but you're the one who's going to make it logistically possible. After all, without great minds at work behind the scenes, all that those great 'visionaries' would have is pipe dreams. With a great partner who leads you through the complex world of business (and hopefully doesn't take ALL the credit), you may just be the brains behind the next big thing.

This isn't necessarily a bad thing. Every great business needs a dreamer on their team. This is the person who brainstorms crazy new ideas and brings endless possibilities to the table. However, dreamers don't necessarily have the follow-through necessary to bring those ideas to life. Typically, dreamers (or 'visionaries') are creative types who have had at least one great idea for a business or invention but haven't taken the steps to become an entrepreneur. On your own, you may not be the ideal entrepreneurial type. But as part of a business or startup, you're an indispensable asset.

You're a natural--in selling, that is. Most entrepreneurs must learn the art of marketing at some point in their careers, out of necessity, but for you, it comes more naturally. You just get people, and you understand what makes them want to buy a product or invest in an idea. You're more of a salesperson than an entrepreneur if you're more comfortable selling an idea than coming up with and executing an idea. You likely feel more comfortable working for commissions than dedicating all of your time and resources to a single passion, with no certainty of a salary anytime soon. If you go into entrepreneurship, your talents will be indispensable.

Every entrepreneur needs someone like you to bring them back down to earth. You might do well in traditional job settings, where you have an employer and well-defined roles. This quality excludes you from being an 'entrepreneurial' type, which is typically someone who defies authority and takes the path less traveled, but being a realist isn't a bad thing. You keep the boat afloat, the train on the track, and the show on schedule. If you do decide to go into the mad world of business and startup companies, your team will be grateful for your grounded attitude and realistic approach.

Not everyone is destined for the life of an entrepreneur. Being successful in business takes a special blend of insanity and determination, and you may be better suited for a more defined, controlled career path. If you prefer a stable income to being your own boss, a predictable schedule to making it up as you go, or executing specific tasks rather than looking at the big picture, you're likely not an entrepreneurial type.