Here’s How You Can Tell if You Are an Entrepreneur at Heart

If you’re not already in business for yourself, you might ask yourself from time to time, ‘do I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur?’

Sometimes it is an internal dialog and other times it’s an entire conversation over lunch with someone who is already deep into the role of running a company. You may also be asking, ‘are you born an entrepreneur or is it learned’?

It’s an interesting question. Not all entrepreneurs have learned the same skills, been exposed to the same things or born with the same characteristics.

Some say that entrepreneurs are crazy enough to pursue their out-of-the-box ideas. Others say entrepreneurship stems from a deep insecurity and need to prove themselves. Many think that entrepreneurs are not risk averse and have a healthy appetite for risk.

None of this is true. Some entrepreneurs are risk averse and frightened to death – that’s their obstacle. Some entrepreneurs boast a healthy amount of confidence and don’t desire to be famous at all. Here’s the the combination of two key essentials every entrepreneur at heart has.

Entrepreneurs at heart are enchanted.

What does this mean exactly?

“The state of enchantment is one of certainty,” says W.H. Auden. “When enchanted, we neither believe nor doubt nor deny: we know”

To be an entrepreneur at heart means to be enchanted with your idea in a way that makes outsiders think you’re ‘crazy’, ‘tunnel visioned’, or ‘blinded.’ On the inside, you feel like they are the ‘crazy’ ones and you know your truth.

Similar to being in love, being enchanted means that you’re willing to allow yourself to be kidnapped by the intensity of a feeling. This is one half. The other half is having willingness.

Entrepreneurs are willing to enchant others at all costs.

They are willing to bring their feelings to life and enchant others, despite all internal and external obstacles, fears, challenges and realities in society.

When people ask entrepreneurs why they are willing to fail and jump through hoops, they might say because they learn from every mistake and failure.

Behind the failure and the lesson, though, is a deep enchantment that keeps their driving force alive. There is a willingness to share their enchantment and continuously bring it to life for their community and tribe.

In a similar way, you may do whatever it takes to show someone you are in love with them, to bring the feeling of live to life for both of you to feel together.

Entrepreneurship = Enchantment + Will

Guy Kawasaki explains in his book, Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds and Actions, ‘that enchantment can happen during a retail transaction, a high-level corporate negotiation, or a Facebook update. And when done right, it’s more powerful than traditional persuasion, influence, or marketing techniques.’

Ultimately, entrepreneurs are always in a state of enchantment, sometimes it’s with one idea, sometimes several ideas and sometimes it’s an enchantment for life itself. They are always willing to enchant those around them with their latest finding.