Success Advice
6 Common Traits That Hold Entrepreneurs Back

Entrepreneurs are a rare breed. While everyone else is content with playing it safe, we have an undying urge to forge our own path in life.
I’m a firm believer that the entrepreneurial calling is in our DNA. It’s something we’re born with.
That doesn’t mean that anyone can’t take the necessary steps to create a successful business. But it clearly comes more naturally to some of us than others.
However, life has a way of keeping things balanced.
Some of the most defining traits of entrepreneurs work for and against us.
The trick is figuring out how to leverage these traits when appropriate, and knowing when to ignore them when they are holding us back.
1. We’re dreamers
Entrepreneurs dare to dream bigger. The most powerful innovations known to man all started as a dream in someone’s mind.
I’ve always been an avid daydreamer myself. I spent more time creating imaginary businesses in my mind than I ever did listening to my teachers.
If you’re a fellow daydreamer (I have a feeling you are) then you know that feeling when the light bulb goes off and your mind starts racing. All of a sudden whatever you’re doing becomes irrelevant and you quickly grab a notepad to start frantically recording your notes.
We always have this fear that we’re going to miss out on our next big opportunity if we forget this current genius idea.
The problem with this trait is that dreams don’t come true without action. To be successful at anything you have to spend more time practicing and doing than you do thinking.
We enjoy dreaming. We feel comfortable dreaming. But when has success ever been prefaced by comfort?
You have always been a dreamer and you always will be; relax, you’re not going to run out of new ideas. Now is not the time for dreaming.
Now is the time to take action!
“I’m not much of a math and science guy. I spent most of my time in school daydreaming and managed to turn it into a living.” – George Lucas
2. We hate asking for help
It’s not that we don’t like asking for help, we just absolutely despise it. This desire to do things on our own is usually what drives us to start businesses in the first place.
Who needs a boss, receptionist, and accountant when we can do it all ourselves, right? Wrong.
Sure we develop a ton of great skills by not asking for help, but we are only human. As mere mortals we need help and lots of it.
Here are the three primary reasons that we need to ask for help:
- Avoiding burnout
- Ensuring things are handled properly
- Scaling our business
As much as you hate it, asking for help is a necessary evil. The good news is that it grows on you with time.
Speaking of time, how much of yours would you have saved by asking for help sooner?
3. We’re stubborn
Entrepreneurs are notoriously stubborn. That’s how we’re able to overcome obstacles that make others give up.
It’s not that I think I’m always right, I just prefer to do things my way. Sound familiar? The problem is, my way isn’t always the best way and yours might not be either.
How do we know when we are on the verge of a breakthrough or when we are being stubborn about the wrong things? Most of the time, we don’t. (Refer to number two)
Never be afraid to pivot. Successful businesses do it all the time.
Did you know that Twitter was originally a company called Odeo, a network where people could discover and subscribe to podcasts?
My point exactly. No one will look down on you if you pivot, as long as you follow through with something valuable.

4. We’re very particular
I’ve been accused of having OCD because of my attention to detail, but I prefer to call myself particular.
As entrepreneurs, we’re very particular about things. The details matter more to us than they do to others.
We want everything to be just right.
Steve Jobs was known for being extremely particular about the design of Apple products, often forcing his engineers to adhere to designs that weren’t even feasible at the time. Of course we all know how well that played out.
There’s a fine line between particular and nitpicky. You can come close to the line, you can even walk the line, but don’t ever cross that line. When entrepreneurs cross that line we turn into that micromanaging boss that we ourselves hate.
Even worse, this carries over into our personal lives. You know how many of my ex-girlfriends got annoyed with how particular I am? All of them.
Yes, the details matter, but don’t sweat the small stuff. It does more harm than good.
5. We are emotionally tied to our business
Our business isn’t just a company or a brand, it’s our baby. We gave it life, nurtured it, raised it, and we are incredibly proud to watch it grow. So naturally it’s difficult to not be emotionally attached to our business.
When I was building my first company in the oil industry, my mood was completely tied to my business. When profits were up, I had a kick in my step and a smile on my face. When a deal didn’t go through or I struggled to solve a problem, it felt like a cloud was lingering over me.
Being emotionally invested in our businesses is a good thing. It’s that passion that defines entrepreneurs. But you have to learn to keep it contained. Emotions cause us to make irrational decisions and they affect our productivity.
Once you can learn to keep those emotions in check, without putting out the flame, you’ll be in full control. If this is something you struggle with, look into the philosophy of Stoicism.
“You don’t learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over.” –Richard Branson
6. We enjoy breaking the rules
If we followed all the rules we wouldn’t be good entrepreneurs. True visionaries know how to change the game by breaking the old rules and creating new ones.
There’s a special satisfaction that comes from breaking the rules and not only getting away with it, but being rewarded for it. But there’s a problem with indulging in this trait too much.
You either break too many rules or you break the wrong rules. Most people who get busted for white-collar crimes didn’t start out with criminal aspirations. I’d estimate that most of them once believed they’d never break the law, other than minor traffic offenses.
What happens is they get away with something small, so they decide to take it a little further. As long as they get away with it and they are rewarded for it, they keep pushing the limit even further. Before long it feels normal and they forget they’re even doing something wrong.
Don’t let yourself get caught up in that cycle. White-collar thieves, sleazy scammers, and frauds usually start out as well-meaning entrepreneurs.
Break the rules, yes, but don’t break the law and don’t ever compromise your principles.
Success Advice
How Your Beliefs Can Supercharge or Sabotage Your Success
Your life is dictated by beliefs and biases that drive your thinking, behaviors, and decisions

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Success Advice
How to Break the Cycles of Mediocrity and Manifest Your Greatness
There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity

In just a few weeks, we will be wrapping up 2023. Can you believe it? This year has been absolutely incredible for me.
I have seen amazing doors opened, new relationships formed and I am seeing dreams realized in my life. While this seems like the hallmarks of a great year, this has also been the most challenging year of my life. With all of the change happening in my life, I have been forced out of my comfort zone and challenged to grow in every area of my life.
I can truly say that I have made the most of my moments this year and I have used everything as a catalyst for maximizing my greatest potential.
As a revolutionary leader, I have the pleasure of consulting and advising leaders around the world to fulfill purpose, realize their greatest potential and make an impact.
I want to share some insights with you that will help you to break cycles of mediocrity and manifest your greatness.
Everything legal must come through the matrix
I am sure that some of you are wondering why I am using the term matrix. However, what you have to understand is that I am trying to make a highly complex spiritual principle practical to understand.
Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, every life has an origin and I believe that origin is divine and begins with eternity. You are birthed from eternity and into time to fulfill a unique purpose and assignment in your lifetime and generation.
The matrix is simply the portal or vehicle that brings something out of the invisible realm and into tangible form. The problem with much of the teaching today is that it excludes the matrix. We are told to believe that success is instantaneous and overnight.
Nobody talks about how a dream progresses through stages beginning with visualization and ultimately culminating in manifestation. Without a matrix or portal then everything that you attempt to birth and build will be illegal.
The matrix not only makes you legal but it gives you the authority and power to function as the greatest expression of who you were created to be.
Every matrix has an incubation process
While many people admire and respect me today, I remember a time when nobody knew who I was or the significance of my message. How did I get to where I am today? I got here through an incubation process.
In other words, everything that has been destined for your life is incubating and awaiting a set time of manifestation. The problem is that most people live their entire lives idle and never initiate the incubation process.
What do I meany by that? Most people are living reckless and very few people are living intentionally. I am amazed at the number of people I have conversations with that have no vision, goals or strategies for their lives. They show great promise and they have undeniable potential.
However, without development they will die with their dreams still in them.
Everything that has been destined for your life must be incubated and converted to become realities born to time.
“Visualize this thing that you want, see it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin to build.” – Robert Collier
You must give expression to that which is not yet born to time
When you think about a matrix or a prophetic incubation process, you have to understand that potential is often unrealized and untapped. In other words, your potential is in raw form and your potential cannot serve you as long as it is untapped.
The thing that makes me valuable is that I have the ability to convert potential into power. I have done it in my own life and I have empowered leaders around the world to do the same. How do you convert potential into power?
First, it is important to note that you have to perceive potential. If you cannot perceive your potential then you can never cultivate your potential. In addition, you must take the time to cultivate your potential. We often get excited about our capabilities; however, we never expand our capacity in order to realize our greatest potential.
In other words, the strength of your potential is only discovered through your willingness to stretch. The more we are challenged the more we are empowered to expand our capacity for greatness. Most of all, you must begin to express your potential. The expression of potential is different for every person.
For example, the expression of my potential is best demonstrated through the thoughts, ideas, products, services, books, etc.
For another person the expression of potential may look like a screenplay, artwork, sports, scientific discoveries, medical breakthroughs, etc.
Regardless of the form of expression, I know that you will live empty and unfulfilled until you make the decision to express your potential. The expression of your potential gives voice to your dreams, life to your vision, significance to your moments and activates your true power.
You must manifest your greatness
As a revolutionary thinker and leader, my work has impacted people around the world. I am grateful that my life is a source of empowerment to so many people. However, before anyone could ever benefit from my life, I had to make a non-negotiable decision to become who I was born to be.
I wish I could tell you that this journey is easy and that you will get there overnight. However, in a world that celebrates us for doing we are often criticized for being. As a result, I wasted a lot of time trying to be who other people wanted me to be instead of being who I was born to be.
There is no greatness without becoming and there is no becoming with authenticity. It is through our bravery to be vulnerable that we ultimately manifest our greatness. We do not bless the world by being a duplicate. We bless the world when we honor our difference. When you honor your difference you honor your potential.
Ultimately, your difference is how you manifest your greatness.
When you present anything but your authentic self to the world, you are playing small and you are robbing the world of your significance. Manifesting your greatness requires you to master your gifts.
Success Advice
Here’s a Young Man’s Antidote for the Uncertainty of the Modern World
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Let’s be honest, we’ve all crossed paths with a toxic leader in our careers at some point. Unfortunately, while some toxic leaders don’t even bother to hide their behaviour, some know very well how to conceal their true selves behind a strong-built facade. The latter is the most dangerous of the two. (more…)
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