14 Defining Traits That Could Make or Break Your Success As an Entrepreneur

Here at Palo Alto Software, I interview a lot of successful entrepreneurs.

Sometimes, I learn how they hit upon a great business idea. Other times, I learn about their experiences with startup culture, or how they conquered a challenging new industry. Sometimes they’re a LivePlan customer, and I get to hear how LivePlan helped them start and grow their business.

All the entrepreneurs I encounter have had different trajectories, different struggles, and different stories to share.

But there’s one thing I always want to know: What do they consider to be the secret to their success?

What is that one thing, that particular aspect of their personality and unique makeup, that has helped them succeed?

I like this question because it brings to light the ideologically-rooted beliefs that entrepreneurs bring to their businesses. It highlights what successful entrepreneurs value—whether that be perseverance, or flexibility, or a keen ability to fix a problem.

The reality is that the secret to success is different for everyone. It was Steve Jobs that said, “I’m convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.” It was in his nature to push, and keep pushing; for Jobs, this was his secret to success. For others, the secret is something a little different.

I had the opportunity to ask the entrepreneurs from the Young Entrepreneur Council what their keys to success have been, and they’ve shared with me what they believe to be the top traits that have contributed to their success.

1. Relentlessness

Similar to Steve Jobs’ focus on perseverance, Justin Lefkovitch of Mirrored Media values the ability to never give up.

“I have a relentless attitude that once I set my sights on a goal, I won’t stop until I’ve done everything to attain it,” he says. “This quality is what helps me to laser in on one goal and not stop working until it is mine.”

He acknowledges that this quality can potentially require tempering in other areas of one’s life; after all, a single-mindedness when it comes to business focus can sometimes result in your personal life taking a hit. “This can be a blessing and a curse as it’s not always the most fun quality in your personal life,” says Lefkovitch. “But, I have found it to be one of the keys to success in my business life.”