The difference between being a successful entrepreneur and being homeless.

I try to run at least 3 times per week. Running is a great way for me to clear my head and evaluate my next plan of attack. On my running route through Eleanor Tinsley park, I generally pass around 3 - 5 homeless people. Being newly unemployed, I got to thinking about their situations and what led up to them being homeless. At some point, they too were without a job and had to make a decision on what to do next.

First of all, I was thinking about the similarities between myself and a homeless person:

  1. We don’t know from where our next dollar will come
  2. We’re required to use our wits to find food to eat
  3. The only one responsible for our success or failure is ourself

Clearly there are many things that I share in common with the homeless men and women that I see on my run. I got to thinking if I would allow myself to be in that situation. As I ran, I thought more about myself and why I am different. In my mind, Im already a successful entrepreneur. I have a defined vision of the world I seek to create. Every minute of every day I take steps towards that vision.

I am aware that homelessness is largely caused by drug & alcohol abuse, mental illness, and sometimes pure bad luck. Here are some of the traits that prevent homelessness from happening to entrepreneurs.

  1. You create your own luck. If you believe good things to happen to you, they will.
  2. You are dedicated and committed to improving your life and the life of those around you. You help people with no expectation of compensation
  3. You look for opportunities in the world around you and find ways to do things better
  4. You are inspired and you inspire others. People are magnetically drawn to you and want to be involved in what you are doing
  5. You see failure as another opportunity to learn something new. If something isnt working, you cut your losses and try again

You may not embody all of these traits. Take note, that the positive traits, I directed at “you”, the reader. Since you are at this site, you are already taking steps to give yourself the edge required to compete in todays global market place. Remember - being an entrepreneur is as much about fixing your flaws as it is about being born with the right stuff.

The only pre-requisite to success in my book is being able to evaluate your behavior in a detached manner and change the things keeping success out of your reach. Recognizing and compensating for your faults is the difference between being a successful entrepreneur and being homeless.

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