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the hardest part. Many times simple dogged persistence down the wrong path over and over keeps getting you the same disappointing results. The truly successful will keep at it, but know when to adjust or adapt to get new and different results.

4. Fourth is creativity. Not the artistic kind necessarily although that can be part of the equation. Successful entrepreneurs learn how to look at things differently. The over used "think out of the box" term applies here. I once heard a story about Donald Trump purchasing a property. He paid much less than others had proposed because he found out the owners didn't want the land to be split up and sold off in parcels. Other developers just couldn't see a profitable way to work a deal keeping the property intact. Trump found a way to do it, and bought it for much less. Genius? Maybe, but creative certainly. Entrepreneurs learn how to spot an opportunity or product that will work because they are open to new ideas.

5. Finally, successful entrepreneurs take action. Sometimes small baby steps toward a huge goal. Often times, bold and scary steps, climbing out on the limb so to speak to see a dream realized. Now, we all know about some person who risked it all and became a millionaire right? Great risk, great reward. That's fine for some and downright paralyzing for others. Being a successful entrepreneur means taking action with risks you can handle. You don't have to quit your job and risk the rent payment to get started but you DO have to START. Seldom is there a perfect time to be bold and brave but in my opinion, it's never the right time to do nothing.

Think of these 5 traits as the spoke of a wheel. If you have them all in equal proportions (an ideal situation, but not common) your wagon will roll without bumps. If you are great at 3 out of 5... well, your wheel isn't going to go so well, but you can now identify the area you need to work on. Many times just understanding that you lack an area will aid you in a solution or way to improvement.

Successful entrepreneurs are always looking to improve these key areas. They "make" their own luck and realize that being in love with what they do and constantly focus on doing it better.

Learn more about this author, Phyllis Nichols.
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