How to Develop an Entrepreneurial Mindset

 You have a great idea, and now what? That question lurks in so many entrepreneurs’ heads. “Where do I go from here? What is my next step?” Before you start to overwhelm yourself with the process of what to do next, take a deep breath and slow down. Coming up with that great idea is a major step, now all you need is to start thinking like an entrepreneur. Knowing how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset is a crucial next step towards your success. An entrepreneurial mindset is a thinking framework that helps you overcome difficult challenges. Developing an entrepreneurial mindset will guide you throughout your process as an entrepreneur.

No path is the same for any entrepreneur.  Everyone needs to find out what works best for them. These 7 quick steps can teach you how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, get on with achieving your goals and overcoming your challenges.

1. Set Clear Goals: 

“Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible.” – Tony Robbins

Your first step is to establish your goals. Sit down and take the time to think about clear goals you want to accomplish. Write them down, share them with people, talk about them. Your goals are not set in stone. You can always come back to them and adjust them as needed. What is most important is that you begin setting clear goals so you have a path to move in the right direction.

2. Be Curious: 

“We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” – Walt Disney

Where would we be without curiosity? Curiosity pushes us out of our comfort zone, and that's where most discoveries happen. As uncomfortable as it may be, don’t be afraid to want to know more and discover new things—be it a daunting programming language, drawing, or whatever sparks your interest.

3. Don’t settle for the easy prize:

“If you are the smartest person in the room, you are in the wrong room.” – Marissa Mayer

There is always something you can improve. Don’t settle. Continue to have that desire to learn what more you can do to be better. Be willing to learn from others and their experiences and apply that knowledge to your own experiences. There’s always something someone knows that you don’t.

4. Think of failure as a learning experience: 

"I have not failed. I have found 10,000 ways that don’t work." – Thomas Edison

You are going to come across a few failures here and there, but don’t let them stop you. Use your failures to reflect on your mistakes and to learn how to avoid them.

5. Overcome Self-Doubt: 

“It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not. – Hanoch McCarty

You are your worst enemy. Chances are you have a good idea, but you need to get rid of that little voice in your head. 

6. Be Decisive: 

 “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing. The worst thing you can do is nothing.” – Theodore Roosevelt 

Practice making small decisions—such as what to order at a restaurant or what clothes to wear today—without overthinking. Remember that it is the best you can do, and beating yourself up for your decision will not change them. Stand by them! 

7. Confidence: 

“Just believe in yourself. Even if you don’t, pretend that you do and, at some point, you will.” – Venus Williams

Confidence is not something you can just bake overnight. It takes practice. As Venus Williams said, start by pretending you have confidence. By pretending to be confident enough times eventually you will learn to become good at it. In this case, a “fake it till you make it” attitude can go a long way.

You might think these 7 tips are random and have nothing to do with how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. But I encourage you to think about them as elements of a thinking framework that will mold your behavior for the better.