by Peter Baskerville

Created on: December 20, 2008   Last Updated: December 21, 2011

There are two paid work options in life: (1) to work for yourself or (2) to work for the-man. The first we call being an entrepreneur and the latter we call having a career. Now if you are already engaged in option (1) then the title question posed has little relevance to you, because you are one. So, this article is directed to those currently engaged in option (2) and who are wondering if they have the traits of an entrepreneur.

Now to succeed at either of the above options you will need to have a compatible mind-set. That is, a pre-disposition towards one end of the scale when confronted with a choice because you have previously discovered which actions give you the greatest reward or best match your value system.

Many researchers believe that this mind-set is an accident of birth, with the Myers-Briggs personality classifications suggesting that the entrepreneurial mindset is most likely to be born with an ENFP Champion' or ENTP Inventor' type temperament which will naturally gravitate to an entrepreneurial style of living. Other researchers suggest that it is environmentally influenced based on parenting, opportunity and education.

Either way we acquire it, the following outlines the bias mind-set of the entrepreneur. If you find yourself agreeing more with the entrepreneurial view over the counter view in the following 10 questions, then just maybe you should start preparing yourself for the switch from option (2) to working for yourself at some time in the future.

#1 - Entrepreneurs are drawn to the pioneering and adventure filled world rather than administrative and regulated one.
#2 - Entrepreneurs long for creativity in all its forms and find conforming for its own sake a difficult chore.
#3 - When confronted with failure entrepreneurs refuse to accept defeat preferring in stead to see it as a setback that will improve their chances for success on the next attempt
#4 - Entrepreneurs place great value on experience and are willing to give up the pursuit of physical assets if needs be to acquire it.
#5 - A deep motivation for entrepreneurs is to live a life of significance and to define their own success rather than comply, acquiesce or submit to those terms of success defined by others.
#6 - Entrepreneurs have a passion for excellence rather than just meeting the requirements. Their work is an expression of themselves and so they never think in terms of minimal output or what they can get away with.
#7 - Entrepreneurs can live in the midst of ambiguity which could be translated to mean that they are at peace with a open future and don't always need it to be extensively detailed.
#8 - Entrepreneurs have a long term outlook on life. To a large extent they live in the future and often find themselves trying to predict it. They shun the short term get-rich-quick mentality knowing that anything of value in life must be earned.
#9 - Rather than seek out a sanctuary or a safe-haven, entrepreneurs are inspired by the challenge. They love the challenge and fully accept that the fallout from a loss is simply a chance at higher learning.
#10 - You can recognize the entrepreneur quite clearly in their commitment levels. Entrepreneurs are wholehearted and enthusiastic rather than being reserved and detached.

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