Successful Entrepreneurs Archives

And it’s something everyone–regardless of their background, education, connections–can do.

I’m not particularly smart. I’m not particularly athletic. I don’t have any real talents (when talent is the ability to learn a subject or gain a skill more quickly than most). I’m the poster child for average.

Maybe that’s why, out of all the great things the Apple co-founder said, this is my favourite Steve Jobs quote:

I’m convinced that about half of what separates successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance. It is so hard. You pour so much of your life into this thing.

There are such rough moments … that most people give up. I don’t blame them. It’s really tough.

While Jobs was referring to startup founders, the premise is broadly applicable. Whatever intelligence I possess is from reading at least two books a week. My fitness level is due to the fact I work out nearly every day. My writing ability, such as it is, is due to the fact I write every day.

In any pursuit, any success I’ve enjoyed is because I show up, even when I don’t want to.

While that might sound too simplistic — perseverance is just one factor in achieving any worthwhile pursuit — just showing up carries outsize importance. For example, a meta-analysis published in Review of Educational Research found that college students who consistently go to class get (surprise, surprise) better grades.

While that might sound more like correlation than causation — maybe the smartest people tend to go to class more regularly — there’s more to it.

As the researchers write:

Class attendance (better predicts) college grades than any other known predictor of academic performance, including scores on standardized admissions tests such as the SAT, high school GPA, study habits and study skills.

Results also show that class attendance explains large amounts of unique variance in college grades because of its … weak relationship with student characteristics such as conscientiousness and motivation.

Not particularly smart? Not particularly motivated? Not a great student? As long as you show up, and keep showing up, you’ll likely do well.

That’s true for most things. Say your goal is to make 10 sales cold calls a day, but today you just aren’t feeling it. Just make two calls. Something is always better than nothing, and sticking to your plan, at least in part, will help you maintain the routine. (Habits: really hard to establish, incredibly easy to break.)

Plus, those two calls could break you out of your unmotivated funk.

“If you don’t want to do something,” Instagram founder Kevin Systrom says, “make a deal with yourself to do at least five minutes of it. After five minutes, you’ll end up doing the whole thing.” Even if you don’t, that’s OK: Showing up every day allows you to put at least a partial X in your Jerry Seinfeld calendar chain.

And then there’s this. Do something regularly helps you, as odd as it might sound, become that thing.

Say you want to start a business. At first, you’re checking off to-do lists. You’re following advice from others. You’re finding your way. But in time, you no longer see yourself as a person who is starting and running a business.

You’re an entrepreneur; that’s who you are, and you act accordingly.

Or say you hire employees. At first, you manage them — but when you show up every day, in time you start to think of yourself as a manager. Leading is no longer something you do. You’re a leader; that’s who you are, and you act accordingly.

The same is true for any pursuit. When you show up consistently, over time you become the thing you do. If you’ve just started jogging, you would never call yourself a runner — but by showing up, time after time after time, one day you’ll wake up one day and see yourself not as someone who runs, but as a runner.

Sound too simple? Science says otherwise. A study published in Child Development found that students were 30 percent more likely to clean up when teachers said, “Can you be a helper in cleanup?” instead of “Can you help clean up?”

That small shift isn’t just effective with kids. A study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that people who received a letter encouraging them to be a voter rather than simply to vote were 15 percent more likely to register to vote.

That’s why Jobs put so much emphasis on perseverance. Clearly staying the course matters: While showing up won’t guarantee success, giving up does guarantee you’ll fail.

Don’t have a talent for sales? If you show up, sales skills can be learned. Don’t have a talent for leading people? If you show up, most leadership skills — giving feedback, building teams, setting expectations, showing consideration for others, seeking input, focusing on meaningful priorities, etc. — can be learned.

Success in most pursuits doesn’t require talent. Success simply requires skill.

Skill you can gain — as long as you’re willing to show up.

Feature Image Credit: Steve Jobs. Photo: Getty Images

By Jeff Haden

Sourced from Inc.

By Bruno

John Douglas Steuart is a venture capitalist and successful entrepreneur, but he didn’t become one overnight. He attributes much of his success to his education and experience through decades of hard work.

Countless hours building teams and perfecting his business strategies led him to become an expert on entrepreneurship. He recently discussed seven habits he believes helped him succeed and can help others too.

1. Research, Research, Research

When interviewers asked Steuart how he brings ideas to life, he commented that research is an absolute must. He explained that all entrepreneurs already have passion and knowledge, but they must research extensively to support their ideas also. Research leads to well-thought-out decisions.

2. Create a Passionate and Collaborative Team

Steuart explained that his team is one of his greatest assets. He emphasized the importance of ensuring everyone has space to contribute and nobody is afraid to share ideas. Partnering with fellow great minds can quickly turn ideas into reality.

“There’s nothing more exciting than when my team comes up with a new solution to improve healthcare services and technologies,” he said. “They create real answers to problems and make people’s lives easier when they are most vulnerable.”

He stated that a great leader should know and collaborate with everyone on the team. All team members have different skill sets, and a combination of everyone’s best assets creates an unstoppable force. Entrepreneurs can never do everything independently, and acknowledging that is a significant step toward success.

3. Always Stay Up-to-Date

Steuart keeps himself updated on the latest technologies, business trends, and what’s happening in other parts of the world. He encourages entrepreneurs to commit themselves to lifelong learning and constantly bettering themselves. He added that it doesn’t always have to be through schooling, but improving oneself can be as simple as reading a book about leadership or productivity.

4. Believe in Oneself

There is a solution to every problem, and Steuart believes solutions are in every individual. He expressed the importance of not giving up on oneself even when the hurdles of entrepreneurship seem too large.

“Never be afraid to go for a goal that you think is worth the risk,” he said. “You never know the difference a single leap of faith can make on your future.”

5. Persevere With Passion

John Douglas Steuart helps entrepreneurs reach their business and personal goals. He believes he couldn’t have achieved his current level of success without steadfast perseverance and continuous passion.

He explained that being smart, a great leader and an excellent communicator are traits that help individuals create successful businesses, but passion and perseverance are even more important than book smarts.

6. Be Okay With Failure

All entrepreneurs will face some failure, but all setbacks can be less catastrophic with an excellent support system. Steuart emphasized the importance of an entrepreneur ensuring they have enough knowledge, resources, and support to deal with setbacks like failed products or even bankruptcy.

One of his most significant failures was in 1993 when he filed for bankruptcy for a healthcare product that never took off. He explained that he learned an important lesson about researching the potential market and creating products or services that appeal to a large class of consumers. His support system, knowledge, and extensive research allowed him to pull through the setback and onto bigger and better business options.

7. Always Prioritize Health

John Steuart explained that a person could not successfully run a business if they’re not in good health. He wakes up early each day to exercise and eat a healthy breakfast before sitting down to work. He firmly believes that health is wealth, and a healthy lifestyle with sufficient rest is a critical factor in success.

John Steuart and Entrepreneurial Success

Steuart co-founded his first company, Savvy Properties, after graduating college in 1988. What started as a small company providing affordable housing options to students grew into a major real estate company serving Berkeley, Albany, North Oakland, Pinole, East Bay, and Emeryville.

He then moved on to invest in the Alafi Capital Company, leading the company into profitable investments as the Chief Finance Officer. Following Alafi, he helped co-found Cybergold, then Claremont Creek Ventures.

Steuart remains a part of Savvy Properties and is now enjoying life as a semi-retired businessman, overseeing the work of his well-established teams. He prides himself on providing hundreds of job opportunities for the community of Berkeley, California, and far beyond.