Essential Qualities for the Self-Employed
If you have the desire, you can be an entrepreneur. But just having the desire won’t necessarily make you successful. There are three fundamental attributes you will need. Whether they come to you naturally, or you have to work on developing them, these three qualities are vital for building a successful foundation for self-employment.
1. Know Your Business

The first essential element for success as an entrepreneur is to know your business. Whatever it is–know it like the back of your hand. Whatever entrepreneurial endeavours you are involved in–be it real estate, network marketing, Internet commerce, you name it–you need to strive to have an exhaustive knowledge of it.

Most people think the way to get involved in self-employment is to go out and start or buy a business. The part they leave out is training for the business. There’s something to be said for just “taking the plunge,” but you should at least know how deep it is before you jump in.

Once you dive in, you must continue to educate yourself about your business. After all, continued education is what will drive your earnings through the roof. So whatever business you decide to pursue, commit to learning as much as you possibly can. Every single time you meet another professional, attend another seminar, or read another book in your field, you are building your own professional competency.
2. Focus

Most of today’s millionaires–and even billionaires–didn’t start off owning 10 or 20 different businesses. They started making money by focusing on one. You simply cannot make big money by putting energy into a dozen things at once.

Some entrepreneurs love to try and put ALL their ideas into motion at once. But that’s how you lose focus. And losing focus will kill your momentum in any entrepreneurial endeavour. Don’t be one of those people who gets sidetracked as soon as you start to get some traction in your life. If you want to build momentum–and keep the focus–quit driving in the city. Get on a highway, put your foot on the gas, and forget about the exit ramps.

Approach your business with a single-mindedness of purpose–and don’t let anything draw your focus away until you have made it successful. From there, you can continue to build that business, start a new one, or–as many entrepreneurs like to do–both!
3. Persistence

You knew this one was coming. Persistence. A necessary attribute for ANY entrepreneur. So many aspiring entrepreneurs would be much more successful if they only gave themselves a chance. But every time they are about to break free, they encounter some resistance and decide it’s too difficult. Don’t be one of those people.

Call it what you want–perseverance, relentlessness, determination, resolve–just make sure you practice it. When you hit a wall–as you most assuredly will–it’s okay to withdraw, regroup, and try another strategy. That’s not quitting. That’s smart business. Practice persistence in all your entrepreneurial endeavours–and stick with them.
“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing in the world is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” –Calvin Coolidge Embracing Personal Responsibility
You Are the Cause of Everything that Happens
Today’s message is a tough one. It’s tough because it deals with a topic that is VERY difficult for some people to come to terms with.

But once they do, their lives are forever changed by it.

The culture in our nation today suggests to us that the things that happen in our lives are–in large part–out of our control. The pervasive underlying tone of society suggests that all the things we experience in our health, our relationships, and our business endeavours (good or bad) are somehow out of our hands. That’s not true.
You have to take 100 percent responsibility for your life if you want to thrive. If you’re used to playing the role of the victim, successful entrepreneurship (and life in general) will be extremely difficult for you. If you feel your life is the result of other people’s actions and decisions–and not your own choices–that means you have no control over your life. It means others are controlling it for you.

It’s only when you take complete personal responsibility that you can truly learn and have power over every situation. It’s easier to play the victim card, but if you do that, you won’t progress in life.
Now keep in mind, we’re not suggesting you take blame for things other people do or beat yourself up for mistakes. We’re all human, after all. And humans make mistakes. We’re talking about the attitude that you’re the cause of everything that happens–and has happened–in your life. Who do you think is creating the outcomes in your life? You are!

You’re the ONLY one that can produce a result in your life. If you don’t like the outcome, you must change the behaviour. Unsuccessful behaviour is trying to find the scapegoat in your life. Successful behaviour is understanding, real simply, that if it happened–you did it.

So look around you. Countless people in our country today like to play the blame game. And they are as miserable–and unsuccessful–as can be. Don’t fall into that mode of thinking. Start accepting personal responsibility immediately. You’ll be amazed at how you begin to have power over all situations. If you’ve been used to society’s way of thinking, it may be a hard pill to swallow at first. But soon you’ll start to see results in every facet of your life. You’ll start to experience more positive outcomes in your health, your relationships, and especially your business endeavours.

Remember: You are the cause of everything that happens in your life. Adopt this attitude and never look back. Once you have this power, the only person who can stop you is you!

Change Your Future by visiting  http://LifestyleBiz.com.au

Make 2010 A Great Year,

Simon & Nyssa Haggard

Successful Entrepreneurs