10 Things Great Entrepreneurs Don't Do That Set Them Apart From the Res

Here are ten things highly successful entrepreneurs don’t do that set them apart from their less successful counterparts.

1.They don’t watch their email.

When checking your email is the first thing you do each day, your schedule is doomed. That’s because emptying your inbox is a reactive rather a proactive exercise. “You just wind up bouncing from task to task, letting your inbox set your agenda,” Instead of starting your day with email, start by completing an important task that requires focus.

Of course, it is important to be accessible to customers, employees, and clients. But when your focus is constantly interrupted by email notifications, it’s hard to concentrate on other matters. Email is not intended to be an urgent form of communication. Successful entrepreneurs schedule set times throughout the day to handle small batches of their inbox. And with each email, delete it (or archive it), delegate it, defer it for another day, or do it.  

2. They don’t attend too many meetings.

Successful entrepreneurs don’t schedule an abundance of meetings.  When asked how to maximize productivity, Mark Cuban said, “Never take meetings unless someone is writing a check.” And many business leaders share that philosophy. Every minute counts and successful people know that meetings are famous for wasting that valuable time.  “You should get out of meetings whenever you can and hold fewer of them yourself,”  if you must hold a meeting, keep it short and to the point.

3. They don't think about work-life balance.

They're mostly workaholics. What that means is their work comes first. It's what they live for. They're not freewheeling, fun-loving people who live for the weekend. They live to do what they love, and that's work.

4. They don't try to be what they're not.

Probably the most damaging business myth to come along in decades is personal branding. You are not a product, and you can't change who you are. Besides, real entrepreneurs don't think about themselves. They think about their ideas and how to turn them into great products and services. And they deliver.

5. They don't do it for the money.

They don't whine about how hard they work for peanuts. They just do it. And because they're passionate about what they do and focused like a laser beam, the money eventually comes, big-time.

6. They don't have day jobs.

Great entrepreneurs don't just dip their toes in the water. They jump in headfirst without a thought about the rocks below. They don't do a little of this and a little of that. When they hit on something they think is really cool and exciting, they go all in.

7. They don't give in to fear.

They don't pay attention to those voices in their heads – you know, the ones that haunt you with everything that can go wrong. They're not fearless, mind you. Nobody is. They just don't let their fear stop them from taking risks. They do listen to some voices, though: the voice of reason and their instincts.

8. They don't have grand visions.

While some do have grand delusions that they're destined for greatness – a prophecy that's often self-fulfilling, interestingly enough – for the most part, they generally don't have grand visions for their companies. Zuckerberg, for example, wasn't trying to create a company. He just wanted to rate the looks of fellow classmates.

9. They don't have virtual mentors.

Most people follow all sorts of writers, bloggers and tweeters these days. That's fine, but to get somewhere in life, to do great things, you have to have real mentors in the real world. Former Intel chairman Andy Grove mentored Steve Jobs. Jobs, in turn, advised Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Behind every great entrepreneur is at least one great mentor. A real one.

Most importantly, real entrepreneurs don't call themselves entrepreneurs. They don't do what everyone else is doing. They don't follow the status quo, conventional wisdom or popular fads. They carve their own unique path. They're leaders of their own destiny. That's what drives them. And that's why they succeed.

10.They don’t micromanage.

Delegation is likely the most underrated tool for success. But successful entrepreneurs know that sharing projects and tasks with others means they can focus on other tasks. In the end, they have achieved double the rate of productivity. But for those who care deeply about their work, preaching the gospel of delegation is sometimes easier than practicing it. Micromanagers may have good intentions--trying to get work done well--but they drive us crazy. Micromanagement saps the life out of us, causing apathy at work. If you want to build the ultimate dream team for your startup, hire people with strengths that counterbalance your weaknesses, and then trust them to take ownership of needed projects and tasks.  

About: Andries vanTonder

Over 40 years selfemployed 

He is a Serial Entrepreneur, an Enthusiastic supporter of Blockchain Technology and a Cryptocurrency Investor

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