1. Believe in yourself.
As Henry Ford famously said, ?Whether you think you can, or think you can?t, you?re right.? Believe that you can succeed, and you?ll find ways through different obstacles. If you don?t, you?ll just find excuses.
2. Have a vision.
The founder and CEO?of Tumblr, David Karp, notes that an entrepreneur is someone who has a vision for something and a desire to create it. Keep your vision clear at all times.
3. Find good people.
Who you?re with is who you become. Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, noted that the fastest way to change yourself is to hang out with people who are already the way you want to be.
4. Face your fears.
Overcoming fear isn?t easy, but it must be done. Arianna Huffington once?said?that she found fearlessness was like a muscle — the more she exercised it, the stronger it became.
5. Take action.
The world is full of great ideas, but success only comes through action. Walt Disney once said that the easiest way to get started is to quit talking and start doing. That?s true for your success as well.
6. Do the time.
No one succeeds immediately, and everyone was once a beginner. As Steve Jobs wisely noted, ?if you look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.? Don?t be afraid to invest time in your company.
7. Manage energy, not time.
Your energy limits what you can do with your time, so manage it wisely.
8. Build a great team.
No one succeeds in business alone, and those who try will lose to a great team every time. Build your own great team to bolster your success.
9. Plan for raising capital.
Richard Harroch, a venture capitalist, has this advice for upcoming entrepreneurs: ?It?s almost always harder to raise capital than you thought it would be, and it always takes longer. So plan for that.?
10. Know your goals.
Ryan Allis, co-founder of iContact, pointed out that having the end in mind every day ensures you?re working toward it. Set goals and remind yourself of them each day.